By the end of this calendar year, all 16 schools in the Denver Public School District will be equipped with rooftop solar arrays, thanks to MP2 Capital and a grant via the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

Denver Public Schools

MP2 Capital is a leading developer, financier and operator of solar energy systems throughout North America. The company has teamed with Namaste Solar, a Colorado solar energy designer and installer, and the Denver-based developer Oak Leaf Energy Partners. Their mission? Install a total of 1.8 megawatts (MW) of solar energy capacity at all 16 schools combined. Together, the schools’ systems are expected to generate 45 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of clean energy over 20 years. That’s enough to power just over 40,000 average American homes for an entire year. The project will save $1.1 million in utility bills over those two decades, according to district estimates.

Five of the 16 photovoltaic (PV) solar arrays have already been installed. The schools plan to use the solar installations as both clean energy options and teaching tools. Namaste Solar has put together a curriculum for district teachers that incorporates lessons on both the science and economics behind the solar PV systems.