Solar for Schools Pilot Loan Program
Solar for Schools Pilot Loan Program supports public school districts in southwestern Pennsylvania with loans for solar installation, upkeep, and storage to supply energy to district buildings and facilities.
Funder: Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Due Dates: Not specified
Funding Amounts: Eligible project costs minus the DCED Solar for Schools grant; interest-free loans up to 20 years
Summary: Affordable loans support solar installation, operation, maintenance, and energy storage on public school district property in southwestern Pennsylvania.
Key Information: Applicants and their projects must already have received a DCED Solar for Schools Grant Program award.
Description
The Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority (PEDA), through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, offers the Solar for Schools Pilot Loan Program to finance solar energy projects on public school district property. It complements the Department of Community and Economic Development’s (DCED) Solar for Schools Grant Program: this opportunity provides repayable financing, not a separate grant award.
The program supports installation, operation, and maintenance of solar projects, including energy storage, with energy intended for district-owned buildings, equipment, or facilities. Eligible projects can involve solar photovoltaic systems or solar thermal devices. The pilot serves specified counties in southwestern Pennsylvania, with eligibility tied to a prior DCED grant award and coal-community status or student free/reduced-price lunch participation. Available funds are limited, and PEDA may not fulfill all requests. PEDA intends to offer the program statewide in the future.
