Environment & Climate
More than 10,800 US schools now use solar energy, report finds
Over 7 million K-12 students attend solar-powered schools, though battery storage adoption remains rare nationwide.
The short version
- More than 10,800 US K-12 schools use solar power, reaching over 7 million students—or about 1 in 7 nationwide.
- Combined solar capacity at schools has tripled since 2016 to 2.4 gigawatts, led by California, New Jersey, and New York.
- Battery storage adoption remains under 0.1% of schools, though existing federal tax guidance continues to favor energy storage installations.
Key facts
- Data through April 2026 shows that over 10,800 US K-12 schools utilize solar power, serving more than 7 million students.[Electrek]
- The count of solar-powered schools nearly doubled from 5,450 in 2016, with total capacity exceeding 2.4 gigawatts.[Electrek]
- California leads the country with 2,921 solar-powered schools.[Electrek]
- Only 155 K-12 schools in the US have installed battery storage systems since 2016, with California accounting for 109 of them.[Electrek]
- Internal Revenue Service guidance excludes energy storage from accelerated deadlines ending clean energy tax credits for new solar and wind projects, preserving tax credits for school battery storage.[Electrek]
What remains uncertain
- It is uncertain how significantly the tightening tax-credit window for new solar projects will slow overall adoption rates at public schools in coming years.[Electrek]