Connecticut elementary school strives for environmental stewardship with solar project

Andover Elementary School in Andover, Connecticut, just finished putting solar panels on its roof, working with Titan Energy and Greenskies Clean Energy. The district didn't pay for the system upfront. Instead, Greenskies developed, financed, owns, and maintains the panels through a long-term power purchase agreement, meaning the school buys the electricity the panels produce, typically at a steadier or lower rate than the utility grid, without having to cover installation costs or handle upkeep.

Alongside the solar project, Andover's Board of Education approved more energy-efficiency work through incentive programs from Eversource, the local utility. That includes LED lighting upgrades and other building improvements meant to cut energy use and costs over time.

There's no direct action here for homeowners, but the arrangement is worth knowing about because it mirrors options some utilities and solar companies offer to households: a third party owns and maintains the solar system while you pay for the power it generates, often with no money down. If you're weighing solar for your own home, it can be worth asking installers whether a similar power purchase agreement is available in your area, and separately checking what efficiency incentives your utility offers for upgrades like lighting or insulation, since programs like Eversource's vary by state and by provider.