Students Ambrey Williams, left, and Grace Smith, acted as emcees during a ceremony for the school district’s new Clean Energy Project.
The East Orange School District has begun work on a comprehensive Clean Energy Project that will include new roofs for schools, solar energy generation and new EV charging stations.
“This initiative represents a historic win for our community because it simultaneously addresses critical structural needs while locking in environmental stewardship,” said Superintendent of Schools Christopher Irving.
A kick off event was held Monday morning at the Hart Complex on Hamilton Street. The event was emceed by two Cicely L. Tyson School of Performing and Fine Arts students – Grace Smith and Ambrey Williams- and included remarks from Irving, Board of Education President Andrea McPhatter and Mayor Ted R. Green.
“We are not just learning about climate change in our classes, we are doing something about it,” Smith said at the beginning of the event.
This initial phase marks the start of a district-wide rollout encompassing 21 school district facilities, with full project completion scheduled over the course of 2027. The program will manufacture clean power while integrating robust transportation electrification by installing public EV charging stations at four distinct sites alongside a high-capacity DC Fast Charging network dedicated to supporting the district’s electric school bus fleet.
The project introduces an estimated 5.5 megawatt DC solar network projected to generate 6.49 million kilowatt hours of clean electricity annually, effectively offsetting roughly 35 percent of the district’s utility purchased energy.
The project is structured to deliver fiscal benefits, leveraging savings to fund an estimated $9.5 million in urgent roofing capital improvements and repairs across the district, according to a statement from the district.
Financed through a stable Power Purchasing Agreement, it is estimated that $6.16 million will be saved over the next 15 years, the statement said.
Green said he liked the project for many reasons but a big one was that young people are involved.
“Anything we do in this city our young people have to be a part of it,” Green said. “The best part of this project is the educational component.”
The partnership includes an educational component that will bring real-world STEM opportunities directly into classrooms through supervised hands-on activities, jobsite observation, and a specialized solar exhibit concept designed to prepare students for the green economy.
“Today we are doing more than breaking ground, we are setting an example for future generations,” said Sarah Pitter, a STEM Academy student who spoke at the event.
Lloyd said that after he took the superintendent’s job two years ago he met with school principals and many of them complained about the roofs and the boilers of their buildings.
“We’ve had some challenges over the years but we are coming to the end of those challenges,” Lloyd said.
The East Orange School District serves approximately 8,500 students across 20 public schools.
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