New Columbia Solar and DCSEU Partner to
Bring Solar to D.C. Schools

WASHINGTON, March 27 – 2018 New Columbia Solar, a local energy provider of solar electricity to residents and businesses throughout the District, and the DC Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU), a nonprofit that helps District residents, businesses, and institutions save energy and money through energy efficiency and renewable energy programs, have partnered to bring solar to three public charter schools in D.C.

The DCSEU and New Columbia Solar have successfully brought 792kW of clean, renewable solar energy to the three schools in the District’s community: Capital City Public Charter School, Academy of Hope Public Charter School, and Paul Public Charter School. Each of the schools will receive low-cost energy for the next 15 years, saving them an estimated total of $2.24 million–savings which equate to about 40 new full-time teachers and directly translate into additional funds for school programming and facility upgrades.

“Supporting our school’s deep commitment to the environment and sustainability, going solar enabled Capital City to further improve our LEED Gold certified building,” said Jonathan Weinstein, COO of Capital City Public Charter School. “This socially responsible decision to use a sustainable resource is also an important model for our students across PreK-12th grade, who regularly analyze and propose improvements to our operations as part of their expeditionary learning curriculum. New Columbia Solar made it easy.”

This partnership has also enabled New Columbia Solar to expand their small business and hire 6 new District-based employees.

“Working with the DCSEU not only made it possible to bring these projects to life and provide valuable benefits to schools and our community, but also granted our executive team the confidence to strengthen our workforce by hiring new talent” said Mike Healy, CEO of New Columbia Solar. “Partnerships like this are integral to our business’ ability to succeed in its mission to make it as easy as humanly possible for DC residents and businesses to benefit from solar energy.”

Since beginning this partnership late last year, all three of the solar systems are now operational and have produced 125 MWh to date, an amount equivalent to approximately 93.3 metric tons of carbon or 2,419 trees grown.

“Working with NCS through our contract with the Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE), we are excited about this project and look forward to continuing to brighten the future of solar in the District,” said Ted Trabue, Managing Director of the DCSEU.

Read More Here: https://www.dcseu.com/news-blog/news/new-columbia-solar-and-dcseu-partner-to-bring-solar-to-d-c-schools