Ogeechee Technical College and Southern Crescent Technical College were selected by the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority to participate in the Solar for Schools Program and awarded $113,000 in matching grants.

Solar for Schools is an educational program that provides technical college students the opportunity to enter the workforce specializing in electrical applications for installing, inspecting, and repairing solar panels. Students use the knowledge they acquire in the classroom to install solar projects on campus.

Ogeechee Technical College, Sylvania campus, will receive a $55,000 matching grant for a 20 kilowatt (kW) solar ground mount array, two solar covered tables with electrical connections, and student scholarships.   

Southern Crescent Technical College, Griffin campus, will receive a $58,000 matching grant for a 33 kW solar roof mount array.

In addition to classroom knowledge and hands-on experience, the students will develop marketing initiatives to increase interest about the benefits of solar power in local K-12 schools, colleges, and the business and investor communities.

The State Energy Program (SEP) provided the funding for Solar for Schools. Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, SEP supports energy programs in the areas of agriculture and industry, building energy efficiency, government and public facilities, and renewable energy and alternative fuels.