In 2015, the Minnesota Municipal Power Agency (MMPA) launched the Hometown Solar Grant Program with the specific goal of funding 5kW solar arrays at schools, to serve as educational assets, assisting in teaching students first-hand how sunlight is converted into electricity. Blue Horizon Energy worked with twelve participating school systems and municipalities to bring this program to life across the state.

These systems, when viewed individually, do not offset much of a schools’ annual energy use. However, when viewed together they still represent more than 100,000 kilowatt-hours of annual energy production (equivalent to one tanker truck of gasoline, annually) while also offering students insights into STEM careers.