Solar Power Press Event at Key Middle School, a Gold-Rated Green School, Highlights Earth Day Activities at Montgomery County Public Schools


U.S. Trade Representative, Ambassador Ron Kirk, officials from SunEdison, Board of Education President Patricia O’Neill, Superintendent Jerry D. Weast, and students at Francis Scott Key Middle School celebrated Earth Day at a press event highlighting solar energy systems as an inexpensive and efficient way to provide power.

Thanks to a partnership with Sun Edison, Montgomery County Public Schools currently hosts more solar photovoltaic (PV) systems than any other school system in the mid-Atlantic region—that’s eight schools with 1.1 megawatts of solar PV capacity.

The PV systems have been financed, installed and maintained by SunEdison. The school system is responsible for electricity costs, which are considerably lower than for conventional systems. Estimated savings of $10,000 a year amount to $200,000 over the 20 year life of the systems installed in the eight schools. Each PV system provides between 20 and 40 percent of the school’s power needs during the peak hours of sunlight.


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