Subtitle: 
An Intelligent Investment for Future Generations
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Educational Initiatives     International Outreach

 

Solar Schools

Thanks to the coordinated effort of OneWorld Sustainable, the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority, and the Florida Solar Energy Center, Georgia has added its name to the growing list of states around the country that are pursuing an innovative and exciting learning experience. The Georgia Solar Schools (GS2) Program is an educational initiative designed to cultivate student interest in environmental and social sustainability issues. The program involves the installation of a pole-mounted PV system that has been modified with data acquisition capability for educational purposes. Teachers then incorporate data obtained from the system into lesson plans.

OneWorld's pilot Solar Schools Program served as the impetus behind other solar schools programs throughout Georgia and South Carolina.

Georgia Solar Schools Program
Oglethorpe County High School was the first installment of the Georgia Solar Schools Program and was made possible by a generous grant to OneWorld by the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority (a division of the State Energy Office). Soon after the installation, the school's newly-formed environmental awareness club, affectionately referred to as the EcoManiacs, started a recycling program at their school as well as other environmental projects.

Click on the link below and type "OneWorld" in the Installer field and click Find for a partial listing of schools with OneWorld PV systems installed.

Santee Cooper's Solar Schools Program
Santee Cooper (SC) and OneWorld are demonstrating a commitment to sustainable living education by putting solar to use at variety of educational institutions. Examples of the program include Coastal Carolina University (CCU), the University of South Carolina, and through SC's Green Power Solar School program at many Middle and High schools throughout South Carolina.

Green Power EMC - Sunpower for Schools
A group of 29 electric membership cooperatives in Georgia, Green Power EMC, give residents the option to support “green” energy sources.

GreenPower EMC allocates research & development funds to solar education in schools.

International Outreach

In the Fall of 2004, OneWorld Sustainable successfully established a strong business linkage with Bright Home Solar Energy, a Kenya-based company that has been designing and installing off-grid solar systems throughout East Africa since 1996.

Strong Partnerships
Since our partnership began, Bright Home president, Henry Watitwa, has been working with OneWorld on developing a sustainable program designed to deliver clean, reliable solar energy to the marginalized while offering economic opportunity to East African tradesmen and laborers.

Access to Power
The vast majority of East Africa’s rural population lives without common conveniences that most people would consider necessary for sustaining an acceptable quality of life. There is very little access to running water, sewage systems, or grid electricity.

A Little Goes a Long Way
A little bit of power from the sun can deliver so many benefits to disconnected populations located in remote corners of the developing world. It does not take much to provide lighting, charge a cell phone, provide vaccine refrigeration, or filter and purify water. Solar-powered technology can improve the lives of so many people who now lack even basic necessities.

Economic Prosperity
Our partnership with Henry is providing Kenyan tradesmen access to economic prosperity while offering environmentally responsible and socially empowering opportunities for many citizens throughout the East Africa region.

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