Maple Heights City Schools solar panels

Three Cuyahoga County school districts are set to split more than $1.3 million in federal funding to install rooftop solar arrays, a move officials say will cut energy costs, allow students hands-on learning opportunities and position the districts as leaders in renewable energy adoption.

The initiative will provide subgrants of up to $443,994 each to the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, East Cleveland City Schools and Maple Heights City Schools to purchase and install the solar equipment on three school buildings: Shaw High School in East Cleveland, Maple Heights High School and Max S. Hayes High School in Cleveland.

All three schools have flat, unobstructed roofs that make them ideal for solar panels, Valerie Katz, deputy administrator in the county’s Department of Sustainability, previously told County Council’s Education, Environment and Sustainability Committee. The systems are expected to generate between 300 and 400 kilowatts of power per district, which she said will not only result in cost savings, but give students opportunities to learn about solar energy, especially those in Max Hayes’ vocational program.