State College Area School District was awarded nearly $400,000 in state grants this week to install solar arrays at the planned new Park Forest Middle School and the renovated and expanded Mount Nittany Elementary School.
A $300,000 Solar for Schools grant will fund a 630 kW array at the new Park Forest Middle School to be constructed on Little Lion Drive, off of Valley Vista Drive in Patton Township, state Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Rush Township, said in announcing the award.
“Sustainability has been an important focus of the new school’s building plan, and a solar array has been a proposed part of the project,” Conklin, who co-sponsored legislation to establish the Solar for Schools Program, said in a statement. “Securing this grant means that proposal can become a reality.”
SCASD tentatively expects to begin construction on the 270,000-square-foot building in early 2026, with completion anticipated in 2028, according to a presentation to the school board earlier this month. The new building, which has a preliminary estimated cost of $127.9 million to $136.9 million, will replace the nearby middle school on School Drive, which was built in 1971 and last updated in 1995.
A solar array is included in plans as a project alternate, and along with a full geothermal HVAC system, thermal envelope and the district’s solar program the new building has the potential to have net-zero emissions, Jeff Straub, of architect Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates, said.
Preliminary estimates show that the solar array will produce approximately 35% to 40% of the building’s energy use, according to Conklin.
“In addition to slashing carbon emissions, the array will save taxpayer dollars and reduce energy costs, leaving more money for classroom programs and curricula,” Conklin said. “It’s going to be exciting seeing the new technology go up and begin delivering on those benefits.”
Mount Nittany Elementary
The district received $99,288 for a solar array to be installed as part of the Mount Nittany Elementary School expansion in College Township, which began earlier this year and is expected to be completed by the start of the 2026-27 school year.
“By harnessing the power of solar technology, the school district will save dramatically on energy costs over time,” state Rep. Paul Takac, D-College Township, said in announcing the grant. “Those savings will free up money for other investments, such as updating facilities, enriching classroom resources and expanding staff.
“The innovative Solar for Schools program not only supports our commitment to clean energy, but also our commitment to fiscal responsibility by reducing costs for hardworking taxpayers.”
A solar array costing $380,580 was included in the base bid for the $21 million project. About 30% of the array cost is expected to come from Inflation Reduction Act funding, and after the Solar for Schools grant, the district’s cost will be about $152,000.
Supplying about 1% of the district’s electricity, the array would have a 30-year lifespan and SCASD would see payback by year 11, Director of Physical Plant Mike Fisher told the school board in December. The district may also sell surplus solar power from it accrues from the multi-agency Solar Power Purchase Agreement cooperative to help recoup costs.
“As chair of the State College Area School Board’s Facilities Committee, I thank Representative Takac for his relentless support for public education, solar energy and Pennsylvania jobs,” school board member Peter Buck said in a statement. “This installation will help us keep electricity costs down and meet the district’s ongoing pursuit of climate-smart efforts, something our kids and families overwhelmingly support.”
The overall Mount Nittany Elementary project will include 36,627 square feet of additions and 2,939 square feet of renovations, primarily to alleviate capacity issues at the 14-year-old building.
The SCASD projects were among 74 statewide awarded a total of $22.6 million from the Solar for Schools Grant Program, which is administered by the Department of Community and Economic Development and funded through the Commonwealth Financing Authority.
Established in 2024, program provides funding to reduce the cost of implementing solar energy systems at schools statewide. School districts, intermediate units, charter schools, technical schools and community colleges are eligible for the program. Funding may be used to cover the purchase and installation of equipment, permit fees, energy storage and utility interconnection.
“Energy is one of the top expenses for schools, which is why investments in solar energy can help to maintain long-term financial stability and improve the quality of education they offer students,” DCED Secretary Rick Siger said in a news release. “Those savings can then be channeled into more resources for our teachers and students, and also create good-paying clean-energy jobs and job training opportunities.”
