School & Nonprofit Solar

Solar — one more powerful way you will positively impact your community 

WHOI-web.jpgThe benefits of solar are not just for residents and small businesses! Solar for schools and nonprofits extends the financial and environmental benefits of clean energy to entire communities.

Solar energy is a fantastic way for schools and nonprofit organizations to lock in reliable costs of electricity for decades while reducing their impact on the climate.

Benefits of solar for schools and nonprofits:

  1. Low-cost access to solar benefits: Schools and nonprofits can take advantage of $0 upfront financing options, such as a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), and ensure a cashflow-positive investment from day one.
  2. Savings for the entire community: Solar offers significant electric cost savings and additional revenue from excess energy generation, through Net Metering and Renewable Energy Credits (RECs).
  3. Protection from rising utility costs: Factoring in upfront cost, including operation and maintenance, solar provides schools and nonprofits the lowest average cost of energy per kWh over system life, an estimated 50%-75% lower than grid electricity.

ReVision offers solar Power Purchase Agreements (PPA), a great and viable path to solar for municipalities. PPAs allow towns, schools, hospitals, and community organizations, who cannot take advantage of federal tax programs, to enjoy the same benefits of clean solar power afforded to businesses and homeowners.


A solar Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) is an innovative financial structure which eliminates the primary barrier to nonprofits going solar: access to upfront capital. Instead of requiring a capital investment, ReVision Energy pairs tax-exempt organizations with local mission-motivated solar investors who can take advantage of federal tax incentives not available to cities and towns. The investor partner owns and operates the array at the nonprofit’s location and sells the solar power to the host at below-market rates with $0 upfront cost.

PPA financing offers solutions to the challenges standing between non-taxed organizations and their potential solar savings:  

Challenge: Tax-Based Solar Incentives 

  1. Solar incentives only apply to existing tax liability
  2. Outright purchase requires extended payback
  3. Many schools and nonprofits cannot afford upfront cost or cashflow impact in spite of long-term financial benefits

Solution: PPA Financing Partnership

  1. Nonprofit leases solar-ready site to impact investor partner for 5-25 years
  2. Investor owns/operates solar at no cost to host
  3. Nonprofit buys discounted solar power and has option to buy array after 5 years

Long-Term Ownership

ReVision Energy PPAs come with a standard 25-year term, which can be extended 10 additional years. All PPAs also include a flexible discounted early buyout option after 5 years. Long-term ownership ensures the lowest long-term levelized cost of electricity from any source at 50%-75% below existing or projected utility costs while cutting carbon pollution.

Learn more about Power Purchase Agreements →


Boys-and-Girls-Club-of-Manchester-600x400.jpgWith the transition to more affordable solar through PPAs, schools and nonprofits can protect themselves from rising utility costs and enjoy significant savings. Switching to local solar energy can also mean more room in a budget to invest in jobs, community support, or other projects.

For New England schools and nonprofits, solar presents an especially strong set of benefits that can be extended to our communities all year round. New England’s solar resource is strong, thanks to bright, cold winters and long summer days. Annually, a solar array in Maine or New Hampshire will produce a comparable amount of power to the same system installed in Houston, Texas. And since electricity is relatively expensive in the Northeast, the value of the New England system is higher than that of the system in Texas.

Solar is the clear environmental winner, with no moving parts, long-lasting equipment, and no emissions in the generation of power. In short, going solar is good for your budget, good for your community, and good for the planet!

Solar at Proctor Academy, made possible through a PPA, was a student-led effort.

The students and staff at Proctor Academy in New Hampshire led the initiative to bring solar to their school. Watch the full video below:

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