Originally published on CleanTechnica.
Four elementary schools serving low-income communities in northern Nevada will blossom with greener classrooms. Classrooms with purer air and more direct exposure to solar panels and solar careers in the 21st-century studies. A recent press release shares that Nevada-based Black Rock Solar, a non-profit organization, is working with Open Energy, a commercial solar debt finance provider, for solar projects on this four elementary schools.
Black Rock Solar is committed to facilitating access to clean energy throughout diverse communities. The loan will 
enable the building of a 550-kilowatt project portfolio for the schools. Expressing the blessing and the trials that Open Energy cut through, to empower these schools, the press release notes, “It is usually incredibly difficult to get flexible construction funding for smaller sized commercial solar installations like ours, but Open Energy provided us with the opportunity to make these projects a reality,” said Patrick McCully, Executive Director of Black Rock Solar. “The Open Energy team is passionate about our mission to promote clean energy, and their simple, straightforward application process coupled with their innovation financing solution made them the perfect partner.”
As a non-profit, Black Rock Solar organization manifests low-cost clean energy services for “the non-profit, public, low-income and educational sectors with a focus on rural and tribal entities.” Going on: “Black Rock Solar has installed over six megawatts of solar power since 2007, providing more than $900,000 of combined savings annually on energy bills.”
“Empowering underserved communities” is not a light undertaking, and Black Rock Solar can’t do it alone. Luckily, in this case, Open Energy was there to help. “Affordable, clean energy is an important cause, and we are honored to take part in it by providing loan capital,” said Graham Smith, CEO of Open Energy. “We are very excited for students to learn about their school’s solar power system, inspiring a generation of clean energy enthusiasts.”
Black Rock Solar shares more in the following video:
The fresh approach of Open Energy cuts the time needed to finance commercial solar. Open Energy’s work involves an online marketplace lending model.
Schools — as the primary foundation for caring about the present and future of children, community, and ecological wellness — should always be at the forefront of progressive solutions, as in this case.
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Image by Black Rock Solar
