Edge High School is the first Community Foundation of Southern Arizona’s (CFSA) Nonprofit Solar Project grant recipient to complete its solar energy installation!
What is the Nonprofit Solar Project?
Launched in 2022 as a partnership between CFSA and Solar United Neighbors (SUN), the Nonprofit Solar Project helps local community service organizations meet a significant portion of their energy needs through solar power. The project is funded primarily through the generous support of an anonymous CFSA donor. To help expand the project’s reach, Tucson Foundations contributed an additional $100,000 and Tucson Electric Power (TEP) added $15,000. In total, CFSA and its partners invested $630,000 to provide solar installations for six nonprofit organizations through the first round of funding in 2023. The nonprofits included: BICAS, Coyote TaskForce, The Drawing Studio, Edge High School, Emerge! Center Against Domestic Violence, and Youth On Their Own.
SUN estimates the new solar energy system will save Edge High School $1,112 per month in energy costs; on average this represents an approximate annual savings of 70%. Over the next 20 years, the estimated savings will be $146,313, with a breakeven point on the cost of the installation of approximately nine years.
Learn more about the Nonprofit Solar Project at https://cfsaz.org/solar/
Edge High School goes green
Edge High School’s 13,000 sq ft Himmel Park Campus was the first grant recipient to turn on its solar-powered installation on January 17, 2024. The installation delivers 58.5 kilowatts of solar energy powering 100% of the campus’ electrical requirements via 116 solar panels. The facility holds nine classrooms, serving approximately 250 students each year, and operates year-round, including holding a three-week summer school session.
The Edge solar installation is a “push/pull” system, where energy generated by the solar panels powers the school’s needs and any excess is returned to the TEP grid. Technicians for Sustainability (TFS) won the RFP and designed and installed the system, which took only six weeks to install.
Learn more about Edge High School at https://edgehighschool.org/