Biden announces $178 million for clean energy, emissions reduction in public schools

The Biden administration disclosed on Thursday its $178 million initiative to get U.S. public schools to advance their climate agenda by pursuing clean energy and carbon emissions reduction. 

The funding is coming from taxpayers through the Renew America’s Schools grant program, and will be dispersed among 24 Local Education Agencies (LEAs) across 22 states, Biden’s Department of Energy (DOE) announced in a press release on Thursday. 

With the grants, the agencies will “pursue diverse projects to lower energy costs, lower emissions, and create healthier, safer, and more supportive learning environments in their schools,” DOE wrote, claiming it will “directly benefit about 74,000 students and 5,000 teachers in 97 school buildings across America.”

According to the announcement, 42% of the LEAs are installing solar panels and batteries, while 13% are implementing "alternative-fuel vehicle infrastructure."

The DOE noted the move is another step towards transitioning more public schools to zero-emissions school buses and "net zero schools" as a whole.

Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm celebrated the funding, thanking Biden for aiding DOE in “demonstrating scalable and replicable clean energy models that will create healthier and safer K-12 schools.”

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