Roanoke City Public Schools received a $450,000 grant to build a solar-powered microgrid with battery storage at Patrick Henry and William Fleming high schools. The school division’s solar partner, Secure Solar Futures, is contributing $2.1 million and developing the project, to go with the grant from Virginia Department of Emergency Management, RCPS reported.
“Generating power from the sun and storing it in batteries for future use, the microgrid will be the first of its kind to be located at a public school division in the Commonwealth of Virginia,” the press release said. “With total outside financing of $2.55 million, the project will be completed at no cost to the schools.”
Both Patrick Henry and William Fleming are officially designated as shelters open to the public in case of a storm or other emergency that causes power outages in the city, the school division said.
The completed microgrid will not require school funds to operate, with costs covered by energy savings and revenues generated by providing energy storage services to the power grid, the press release said.
Roanoke Schools Superintendent Verletta White said the investment strengthens the division’s ability to keep students and families safe, even during an emergency situation.
“By adding battery storage to our existing solar infrastructure, we are increasing the resilience of our schools,” White said. “Projects like this reflect our commitment to staying student-focused while also making smart, sustainable decisions that support our community for the long term.”
Secure Solar Futures CEO Anthony Smith said Roanoke schools will have not only the largest solar power system at any K-12 public school in Virginia, but also the first solar microgrids. The Staunton-based company has installed solar systems in West Virginia and elsewhere in Virginia, including one that went online last week at Mountain Empire Community College in Big Stone Gap. That became the first such project to be completed through a power purchase agreement at a Virginia community college.
“With costs falling for battery storage, we expect more schools, hospitals, and businesses to follow the example of RCPS to achieve resilience and cut their electric bills,” Smith said.
The grant reflects a commitment to safeguarding communities when they need it most, said Robbie Coates, VDEM’s Director of Grant Management and Recovery.
"Preparedness is about planning ahead," Coates said. "This will ensure that the city will have an alternate power source at their shelter, should they need to use it during an emergency."
The microgrid project will add to 10.1 megawatts of solar power capacity currently being installed by Secure Solar Futures at 32 Roanoke Schools locations. That project, announced last year, includes roof restoration on several buildings, with no upfront cost to the schools through a 25-year power purchase agreement.
For an idea of the scale, one megawatt can power about 250 homes, according to a Dominion Energy webpage.
“When construction is completed by the end of 2026, solar power will cover 46.1 percent of the locations’ annual power usage and is expected to save the schools $60.2 million in avoided costs for both electric power and roof maintenance over 35 years,” the press release said. “Each of the two high schools serving as emergency shelters will host 1 megawatt of solar power generating capacity along with 4 megawatt-hours of battery energy storage, for a total of 8 megawatt-hours of storage at RCPS.”
© 2026 The Roanoke Times, Va. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
