Renewable energy sources, like solar and wind, generated more power in the United States than coal in 2019 for the first time in 134 years. They also produced 17.5% more electricity than coal during the first quarter of 2020. These are encouraging statistics seeing as burning coal produces planet-warming emissions, which makes weather more extreme and sea levels rise.
And it’s all thanks to establishments across the country making the transition to clean energy sources. One such place is a rural school district in Batesville, Arkansas, where its installation of solar panels and energy efficiency measures saved it money and generated enough solar energy to give every teacher a substantial raise. Batesville High School turned the sunrays into paydays!
Ironically, Batesville is merely 17 miles west of the state’s largest coal-fired power plant. But its solar array is generating so much energy; there’s enough for all the school needs and extra to feedback into the grid and get paid. That extra revenue meant a $15,000 raise for all teachers whose salaries were only averaging around $45,000. Before the raise, the school was having trouble keeping teachers and attracting new ones.
The solar array installation and energy infrastructure upgrades (new lights, cooling and heating systems, and windows) turned the district’s annual budget deficit of $250,000 into a $1.8 million surplus. The school district is set to save at least $2.4 million over the next two decades.
Michael Hester, Batesville’s superintendent, said in an interview:
Let’s use that money to start pumping up teachers’ salaries. It’s the way we’re going to attract and retain staff. And it’s the way we’re going to attract and retain students in this day and age of school choice.
When local teacher Jeanne Roepecke was asked if she ever imagined getting a raise because of solar panels, she admitted:
…it would not have been one of the things that I thought. But, what a great idea. The sun is going to be shining anyway, so why not cash in on that?
The Batesville project has spurred a significant uptick in the number of nearby school districts considering solar. Encouraging news like over 30% raises across the board is certainly an eye-opener to the benefits of transitioning to solar power! However, at least 7,300 schools across the country are already using solar to save on utilities and reduce their planet-warming emissions. More are sure to follow.
