Sacred Heart Catholic School in Boise is the latest recipient of the Solar 4R Schools grant. The program is funded by Clean Energy Your Way–Flexible Option (formerly known as Green Power Program) participants and administered by Idaho Power. Solar 4R Schools educates students about renewable energy by placing solar installations on school property, along with a data-monitoring system and corresponding curriculum package.

“These days, our students see more and more solar panels when they’re driving down the highway,” said Carol Gado, Sacred Heart science and math teacher. “Since we’re a school with a strong focus on STEM projects, we thought having a life-size solar installation would be so beneficial and make it real.”

Gado also noted how educational it is for students to monitor the energy output of the solar panels (via a website) and make real-life comparisons — for example, the solar panels produced enough power to charge 4,500 phones in one day. She also noted the school has been pleasantly surprised by the offset of some of their electricity use.

The Clean Energy Your Way–Flexible Option is a voluntary program for customers who wish to match some or all of their electricity use with renewable energy. To learn more about the option and how it funds Solar 4R Schools, visit idahopower.com/solar4Rschools.

Annie Meyer
Marketing Specialist
ameyer@idahopower.com
208-388-2410