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August 15, 2005
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Pacific Gas And Electric Company Announces $250,000 In ‘Solar Schools’ Grants

PG&E Solar Program to Award a Total of $1.5 Million in 2005 to Public Schools in Underserved Communities in Central and Northern California

SACRAMENTO - Pacific Gas and Electric Company today announced the first 10 schools selected to receive installation of a 1 kilowatt solar generation system valued at $20,000 each. PG&E also announced the first 10 schools chosen to receive $5,000 “Bright Ideas” grants for their innovative solar science projects.

“ PG&E’s Solar Schools Program brings together our commitment to renewable energy, energy efficiency and education in a way that benefit s students, schools, and the community ,” said Gordon Smith, president and CEO of Pacific Gas and Electric Company. “In providing these grants, equipment and curriculum, we hope to help educate students on the benefits of clean, alternative energy sources like solar power, and inspire them to become the solar inventors and scientists of tomorrow.”

California’s Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell will recognize the grant recipients (list of winners appears below) at a PG&E Solar Schools Convention awards luncheon on Aug. 16 in Sacramento.

“The students and teachers involved in this program are energy decision makers – today and for the future. Students can make a significant impact on the decisions their parents make about the energy sources they choose. Students may find a spark in the PG&E Solar Schools Program materials that encourages them to develop better ways to harness the power of the sun to produce the electricity and heat we need to live,” said O’Connell. “On behalf of the teachers and students of California, I join PG&E in recognizing that spark – the spark that launches a career in energy, a lifetime of public service in energy policy, a smarter today, and a brighter tomorrow.”

The remainder of the Solar Schools Program grant recipients will be announced this fall. The PG&E Solar Schools Program includes $1.5 million in funding for the following elements in 2005:

• Solar Generation Systems: A total of twenty schools will be awarded installation of a new 1 kilowatt photovoltaic (PV) system (valued at $20,000) that converts sunlight into electric power at the school site, for educational use. Included in the package is an online monitoring tool that provides real-time data on the system’s activity and the amount of electricity generated. These schools will also receive the specialized curriculum package and teacher training funded through the program.
• Bright Ideas Grants: $250,000 (in $2,500 and $5,000 grant amounts) will be awarded to dozens of schools who submitted successful ideas for innovative solar science projects.
• Curriculum and Training: A specialized solar science curriculum package and extensive training will be provided to over 400 teachers. The grade-specific lessons help local schools meet statewide testing standards and bring the latest solar technology right into the classroom through lesson plans and solar-powered science projects. The teacher training is being launched at a three-day conference in Sacramento on August 14-16. The 20 schools awarded the solar generation systems, as well as all of the schools that are Bright Ideas winners, will receive the specialized curriculum package and teacher training. Curriculum packages are also awarded to dozens of additional schools that were not selected in one of the two grant categories. The Solar Schools Program will also provide the training through curriculum workshops in the fall.

PG&E is partnering with leaders in the education sector and the solar industry to deliver the resources associated with this program. The National Energy Education Development Project (NEED) manages curriculum training and administration of the “Bright Ideas” grants; the Foundation for Environmental Education coordinates installation of the donated solar generation systems.

“The NEED Project is pleased to partner with Pacific Gas and Electric Company for the 2005 PG&E Solar Schools Program.  This innovative program recognizes the Brightest Ideas of California teachers and provides resources for students to learn about solar energy and the power of the sun,” said Mary Spruill, NEED’s program director. “The training and materials provided by the program help teachers reach the goals of the California Department of Education standards and spark the excitement of solar science in a child's mind.” 

Now in its second year, the PG&E Solar Schools Program was created to support local public schools in underserved communities that face unprecedented financial challenges. Rising costs coupled with less funding from traditional sources have led many to cut back on programs that enrich children’s lives.

During its first year in 2004, PG&E’s Solar Schools Program provided $300,000 in grants to fund the installation of photovoltaic systems at 10 local schools, and curriculum training for over 40 teachers throughout the PG&E service area.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company has a long history of making charitable grants tailored to the needs of the wide variety of communities it serves. The company's charitable contributions program provides cash grants, in-kind contributions, and volunteers for community-based nonprofit organizations, and for schools and other governmental programs throughout northern and central California. All charitable contributions are entirely funded by the company's shareholders, and do not affect customer rates for electricity or gas.

The list of the first round of 2005 PG&E Solar Schools award winners is below:

For more information about Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s 2005 Solar Schools Program, please go to www.pge.com/solarschools.

For more information about NEED visit www.need.org.

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