Dominion Energy Inc.

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Dominion Energy and the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation have partnered with The National Energy Development Project (NEED) for over 3 decades to offer energy education curriculum and training to teachers and students.

Featured below are the Dominion Energy Wind for Students and Dominion Energy Solar for Students Programs:

Dominion Energy Wind for Students

This curriculum was developed by The NEED Project in partnership with The Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation for teachers in Virginia. The activities and information introduce students to wind, wind generation, and offshore wind technologies, as well as the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Project. However, the activities and information are great for students all over the country and beyond.

Click the links below to download free Teacher and Student guides from our online shop. Visit our graphics library for Offshore Wind related graphics and diagrams.

Exploring Offshore Wind Energy (Secondary)

Energy From Offshore Wind (Intermediate)

Wonders of Offshore Wind (Elementary)

Offshore Wind is Energy (Primary)

 

In 2015, the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation and NEED partnered to bring Virginia schools, museums, and educational institutions the Dominion Energy Solar for Students program that installs photovoltaic installations and provides hands-on solar kits and teacher workshops. Over the last several years 34 schools and educational institutions across Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina have received solar installations.

As the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project advances, the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation and NEED are working together to bring curriculum, teacher training and hands-on kits to Virginia’s schools. In 2022, New Horizons Regional Education Centers (Newport News, VA) and Ocean View Elementary (Norfolk, VA) were selected to receive a micro-wind turbine installation that also includes solar and storage. Installation is planned for 2023.

The installation will be an ARIS Remote Power Unit (RPU) similar to the ones pictured below:

Dominion Energy Wind for Students Program provides:

  • An ARIS RPU described as “A renewable off-grid lighting solution with the power, efficiency & reliability to work in a wide range of environments & remote locations. The off-grid RPU is the natural choice for providing reliable, independent lighting on roadways, walkways, parking lots and recreation areas.”
  • Renewable and storage technology included:
    • Wind Power
      • Rated power output 300w
      • Rated wind speed 9 m/s (20 mph)
      • Cut in wind speed 2 m/s (4.5 mph)
      • Height of tower: Approximately 30 feet
    • Solar Power
      • 1 or 2 mono or polycrystalline panel
      • 250w per panel
    • Storage
      • (2) 12v batteries for 24v storage
      • Capacity: 150/200/230 amp hour
  • An online monitoring tool, to provide real-time data on the system’s activity and the amount of electricity generated.
  • An online data display to show teachers, students, parents, and school visitors the output of the system.
  • Wind Energy training for classroom teachers and personnel at the school or institution.
  • Standards of Learning, State Standards, and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) aligned wind curriculum and hands-on kits that will teach students how wind energy works and how energy, the environment and economics are all part of energy decision making.
  • A Celebration to cut the ribbon and showcase the institution’s new installation for the local community.
  • Connections to other Wind for Students program participants to share data, partner on projects and expand learning.

For more info on the ARIS system.

Eligibility:

  • K-12 public schools or educational non-profit institutions served by Dominion Energy Virginia with STEM (science/technology/engineering/math) programming in following Virginia localities: Virginia Beach, Hampton, Norfolk, Newport News, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Portsmouth, Isle of Wight, Gloucester, Poquoson, York County, James City County, Williamsburg, and Surry County.
  • Schools and institutions that have full support from their board and leadership for both the installation of the micro-wind turbine installation, as well as curriculum and teacher training. For schools this includes school board, superintendent and school administration.
  • Teaching staff who are committed to teaching students about the value of wind energy and exploring energy in class, monitoring the data from the installation, and integrating a deeper understanding of energy into the institution.
  • Please note: To be selected to receive a micro-wind turbine installation, an applicant’s site must be evaluated for technical feasibility. Before final selection decisions are made, site visits will take place to evaluate technical feasibility including space of installation area, access to wind resources, soil type, safety, and security.

Please Note: It is important to have the support and approval from the entire school or institution team, so before submitting the application, please share this information with relevant teams at your school or institution, such as your principal and facilities team.

The application window has closed. Email info@need.org with any questions.

Dominion Energy Wind for Schools – Press Releases

Dominion Solar for Students

Dominion Energy Solar for Students

Dominion Energy has partnered with The National Energy Development Project (NEED) for over 3 decades to offer energy education curriculum and training to teachers and students. In 2015, Dominion Energy and NEED partnered to bring Virginia schools, museums and cultural institutions the Dominion Energy Solar for Students program that installed photovoltaic installations and provided hands-on solar kits and teacher workshops for four schools. Over the last four years, an additional fourteen schools and cultural institutions have received photovoltaic systems, teacher training and solar curriculum. NEED is proud to partner with NCi, of Richmond, Virginia, for installation of these photovoltaic systems.

Dominion Energy Solar for Students Program provides:

  • 1.2 kilowatt photovoltaic system that converts sunlight into electric power, often referred to as “solar on a stick”
  • An online monitoring tool, to provide real-time data on the system’s activity and the amount of electricity generated
  • A online data display to show teachers, students, parents, and school visitors the output of the system
  • Solar Energy training for classroom teachers and school personnel
  • Virginia SOL focused solar curriculum and hands-on kits that will teach students how solar works and how energy, the environment and economics are all part of energy decision making.
  • A Solarbration to cut the ribbon and showcase the school’s new installation to the local community
  • Connections to other Solar for Students program participants to share data, partner on projects and expand learning

Eligibility:

  • K-12 public schools or educational non-profit organizations with STEM (science/technology/engineering/math) programming in the regions of North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia where Dominion Energy provides electric service.
  • Schools that have full support of school board, superintendent and school administration for both the installation of the photovoltaic system, as well as curriculum and teacher training.
  • Teaching staff who are committed to teaching students about the value of solar energy and exploring energy in class, monitoring the data from the installation, and integrating a deeper understanding of energy into the school.
  • The school site will be surveyed for eligibility including space of installation area, access to full sunlight, access to electrical interconnection in the school building, safety and security.

The application window is currently closed. Any questions, please email info@need.org.

Solar for Students Schools by Year

Click the links to view live solar data being collected by the schools solar array.

Solar for Students 2022

Please note while the solar arrays have been installed, we are awaiting the IT process to complete and the school’s will be linked to their solar array data once that link is live and available for each.

2022 Dominion Energy Solar for Students installations at the following schools:

Virginia

South Carolina

Solar for Students 2019

In 2019, the Dominion Energy Solar for Students program nearly doubled in size with expansion to North Carolina and South Carolina, with installations at the following schools:

Virginia

North Carolina C.S.

South Carolina

Solar for Students 2018

In 2018, The Dominion Energy Solar for Students program moves to Southwest Virginia with installations on the following
schools:

Solar for Students 2017

In 2017, the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation and The NEED Project selected six (6) schools and museums in the Dominion Energy, Inc. service area to receive a solar installation, teacher training, and classroom curriculum. For more information, view the Dominion Energy Charitable FoundationMedia Release. Schools Selected in 2017 included: (Click on the links to view solar data for the schools.)

Solar for Students 2016

These four schools received a Spotlight Solar system installed by the great team at Sigora Solar. Click on the links below to view solar data for the schools:

Using the NEED Schools Going Solar Curriculum and the entire suite of NEED solar kits, teachers and students learn about solar energy for heating, lighting, and electricity generation.

NEED Solar Curriculum

The Sun and Its Energy (e-publication)
Wonders of the Sun Teacher Guide (e-publication)
Wonders of the Sun Student Guide (e-publication)
Energy From the Sun Teacher Guide (e-publication)
Energy From the Sun Student Guide (e-publication)
Exploring Photovoltaics Teacher Guide (e-publication)
Exploring Photovoltaics Student Guide (e-publication)
Schools Going Solar (e-publication)

Photos from Dominion Energy Programs

Please email info@need.org with any questions.