As heat waves, ice storms, and power outages put increasing pressure on communities, one Virginia school district is working to make its campuses cleaner and more resilient when residents need them most.
In Roanoke, that means pairing solar panels with battery storage at the very schools people may be counting on in an emergency.
Here’s what to know
According to Canary Media, Roanoke City Public Schools will install solar-and-battery microgrids at its two high schools, which also serve as official disaster shelters. The district is expected to be the first in Virginia to make this type of school-based storage investment, extending an already notable solar effort.
Generation180, a national nonprofit based in Charlottesville, said batteries are still uncommon at school buildings across the country. That shortfall matters because schools make up 60% of FEMA-designated relief shelters in Virginia and about half nationwide…