West Chester, Pa (Mayo 21, 2025) – Schools in the West Chester Area, Octorara Area, and Unionville-Chadds Ford School Districts will soon be powered by solar energy thanks to state funding approved this week, state Senator Carolyn Comitta said.
The funding, approved by the Commonwealth Financing Authority, comes through Pennsylvania’s new Solar for Schools grant program.
“These investments will help schools in Chester County and across the Commonwealth transition to cleaner, more cost-effective solar energy,” Comitta said. “Our public schools, and educational institutions are powering the future of Pennsylvania. It just makes sense that they are powered in a sustainable, environmentally friendly, and economically smart way.”
The program, passed last year by the legislature, helps fund solar projects at public schools, community colleges, and career and technical schools that reduce carbon emissions, save taxpayer dollars, and educate our students about the importance of renewable sources of energy.
The West Chester Area School District was awarded $167,000 to install a solar photovoltaic (PV) system at East Bradford Elementary School. The solar installation will help reduce the district’s carbon footprint and foster opportunities to educate students about renewable energy. The project also calls for installing real-time solar PV displays in the school lobby allowing students to observe, track, and appreciate solar energy production.
The Octorara Area School District was awarded $300,000 for a ten-acre solar array and the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District was awarded $299,000 for a rooftop solar array on Unionville High School.
The funding for schools in Chester County comes as part of $22.5 million in total state funding awarded to 73 schools across the Commonwealth.
Passed as Act 69 of 2024, the Solar for Schools grant program helps schools cover the up-front costs of the purchase and installation of solar equipment, permit fees, energy storage, utility interconnection, and other costs.
Comitta, who serves as minority chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, voted for the bipartisan legislation and helped champion its passage in the Senate.