‘Pennies from the sun’: Schools in rural communities look to save money in solar power project

HARRINGTON, Wash. – Harrington School District is one of 16 rural schools across Eastern Washington turning sunlight into savings, thanks to a new project bringing solar power to rural communities.

“It’s pennies from the sun,” said David Funk, president of Zero Emissions Northwest.

Partners for Rural Washington and Zero Emissions Northwest have partnered to bring solar projects to 16 rural schools across Eastern Washington. The initiative is funded by one-time incentives from the Community Solar Expansion Program, which was authorized by the state Legislature and is administered through the Washington State University Energy Program.

Under the program, solar systems will be installed on or near school buildings at no cost to the districts. Utility companies Inland Power and Avista have