The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) released plans to add several solar projects and charging for electric vehicles.

Ameresco, an energy solutions provider, is developing over 2.7 MW of solar carport and shade structure PV systems and electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure for five middle schools in LAUSD: Northridge Middle School, Pacoima Middle School, Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies, Sun Valley Magnet School and Sutter Middle School. 

The projects will provide shaded parking for faculty, staff, parents, and visitors to the schools, as well as EV charging stations to support city- and state-wide goals of widespread EV adoption over the next decade.

“We’re looking forward to working with Ameresco to reduce the district’s carbon footprint and lowering our operating expenses for utilities,” said Alberto M. Carvalho, Superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, in a statement. “Our K-12 school communities will benefit not only from the recurring cost savings from these projects, but also from the firsthand experience watching energy systems of the future installed at their own schools. It’s a terrific way to prepare our students for the world they are going to inherit.”

In addition to project development and installation, Ameresco is providing operations and maintenance (O&M) of the installed systems and a 25-year performance guarantee. The $20.7 million project being implemented by Ameresco is part of a larger program to install solar at 21 LAUSD schools. This program supports the LAUSD Board of Education 2019 Clean Energy Resolution to provide 100% clean energy by 2040.

LAUSD’s solar PV program also supports a goal to achieve 100% renewable energy by 2035 in alignment with the City of Los Angeles’ commitment to achieving the same goal.