A vital TVA initiative is helping the Cheatham County School District (CCSD) to construct an outdoor solar classroom at Sycamore High School (SHS) to support the development of a solar energy Career and Technical Education (CTE) program and introduce solar science to students.
A groundbreaking on the new classroom was held on Wednesday, Nov. 16 with local, state, school, and TVA officials in attendance.
As part of its “Connected Communities” initiative, TVA awarded a grant to the CCSD earlier this year to construct a 50kW solar array on the SHS campus.
“The addition of the solar array will create opportunities for science field trips, extended science learning, and solar energy Career and Technical Education programs as well as provide demonstrated solar capabilities for our community,” said Director of Schools Dr. Cathy Beck.
The project is part of the TVA’s Connected Communities initiative, which uses community-driven information and the newest technology solutions to address challenges that include broadband access, environmental risk monitoring, digital literacy training and next-generation career options.
The CCSD is sharing in more than $3 million in grant funding from TVA. The goal of the Connected Communities initiative is to support the best services for the people and businesses who depend on them.
The TVA has awarded the CCSD $187,543 in grant funding. Cheatham County resident Jane Crisp donated $82,497 toward the project.
“I am delighted to support the Cheatham County School District on this endeavor. The district’s plan to create a CTE solar energy program will better prepare students for technology-driven careers in this field following graduation. The project will provide reliable power – and savings – to the district for the next 20 years. Additionally, renewable energy jobs are booming across the United States, creating stable and high-wage employment, so the district has recognized the benefits of solar energy and the long-term opportunities for job growth,” Crisp said.
As part of this project, the CCSD received approval from the Tennessee Department of Education for a special CTE program of study with a solar energy focus.
“Our district has been researching solar possibilities since early 2020, and this project is adding a new dimension in learning and teaching to our students. The solar panel system will not only allow students to actually see specific examples of renewable energy, but it will also give the classroom teacher a unique teaching tool that is ‘real-world’ to students. The solar display will serve as an important learning tool to stimulate interest in a growing industry of renewable energy,” Beck said.
The CCSD will partner with LightWave Solar to install the solar panels. The company worked with TVA and the State of Tennessee to create their first solar programs. Since then, LightWave Solar has completed over 1,200 solar projects for businesses, municipalities, and homeowners.
The CCSD project was selected from more than 40 organizations that applied for funding during the initial call for pilots in late 2021. Each selected project supports at least one of three focus areas of the TVA Connected Communities initiative:
• Equitable Access to Services: Services through broadband, modern technology and the knowledge and empowerment to use it.
• Economic Empowerment: Economic security and the ability to contribute to a modern, 21st Century economy to the best of their ability.
• Energy & Environmental Justice: A healthy environment) and reliable, affordable, and clean energy.
The TVA Connected Communities initiative is one of the concepts TVA is initiating as part of the Energy System of the Future to help achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. In February, the TVA Board of Directors approved exploration of advanced nuclear technology as part of its development of innovative, cost-effective technologies to support its aspirational goal of a net-zero carbon energy future.
Other technologies TVA is exploring include next-generation energy storage, carbon capture, new hydroelectric pumped storage, and hydrogen. TVA continues to expand its renewable energy portfolio, including the targeted addition of up to 10,000 megawatts of solar energy by 2035.