Dive Brief:
- Solar panels on school and university rooftops can result in
significant energy savings — as much as 75% of a school’s or
institution’s current electricity consumption — and improve health by
reducing pollutants in the air, according to a new study appearing in Environmental Research Letters.
- Calculating costs and benefits on a sample of more than 132,000
schools and almost 7,100 higher education institutions, the authors
write that solar projects are not “economically viable” for most schools
and universities. But a “third-party ownership” model, in which schools
purchase solar from companies that own and operate the system, can make
switching to solar more feasible.
- California, Texas and Florida would likely save the most money on
electricity, while Midwest states with “high-polluting technologies,”
such as Wisconsin and Ohio, would likely see the greatest health and
environmental benefits, the authors write.
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