US school solar capacity tripled while battery storage lags behind

Generation180 reported that more than 10,800 K-12 schools across the United States now use solar power, a figure that doubled from 5,450 in 2016.

This expansion provides clean energy to schools attended by more than 7 million students and helps school districts lower their electricity costs. The organization noted that while solar capacity has grown rapidly, battery storage remains rare. Only 155 schools were identified as having storage installations since 2016.

Of those, 94 schools combine solar panels with batteries, while 61 use storage systems independently. California leads the nation in battery adoption, hosting 109 of the identified systems, which accounts for 70% of the total count. Schools that pair solar panels with batteries can store excess electricity to reduce costs during peak demand and maintain power for essential equipment during outages.

Because about one third of public K-12 schools serve as emergency shelters for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the organization says adding batteries could help these campuses support the community during grid failures. Roanoke City Public Schools in Virginia is currently adding 9.4 megawatts of solar capacity across 29 locations to save an estimated $46.5 million over 35 years.