Conklin: $300K secured to fund solar array for new Park Forest Middle School
Rep. Scott Conklin May 21, 2025 | 12:09 PM
STATE COLLEGE, May 21 – A $300,000 grant to the State College Area School District will allow the district to move forward with plans to equip the new Park Forest Middle School facility with solar technology, state Rep. Scott Conklin announced today.
Conklin said the grant from the Commonwealth Financing Authority under the Solar for Schools Grant Program will allow the school district to equip the new building with a 630 kW solar array so it can tap into the powerful benefits of cleaner energy.
“Sustainability has been an important focus of the new school’s building plan, and a solar array has been a proposed part of the project,” said Conklin, who co-sponsored legislation to establish the Solar for Schools Program. “Securing this grant means that proposal can become a reality.
“In addition to slashing carbon emissions, the array will save taxpayer dollars and reduce energy costs, leaving more money for classroom programs and curricula. It’s going to be exciting seeing the new technology go up and begin delivering on those benefits.”
Conklin said preliminary estimates show that the solar array will produce approximately 35% to 40% of the building’s energy use, substantially lowering dependence on the electrical grid.
The Solar for Schools Grant Program was established in July 2024 to reduce the cost of implementing solar energy systems into schools across the state. School districts, intermediate units, charter schools, technical schools and community colleges are eligible for the program. The funding may cover the purchase and installation of equipment, permit fees, energy storage and utility interconnection.