Mount Vernon School Activates Large Solar Array

The Sandy Springs school now powers its facilities with over 500 rooftop solar panels.

Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Secondary Education

Mount Vernon School Activates Large Solar Array

Live Poll

Should private schools invest in solar power to reduce their environmental impact?

Mount Vernon School in Sandy Springs has officially activated a solar energy system featuring more than 500 panels. The project supplies over 15% of the campus energy demand.

Why it matters

School leadership pursued this clean energy investment to model environmental stewardship for students following a student-led research project on sustainability. The installation serves as both a functional utility upgrade and a practical educational tool for the campus community.

The system produces more than 300,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, which is sufficient to power approximately 25 homes. This output has already avoided 200 metric tons of carbon emissions.

The players

Mount Vernon School

This private school based in Sandy Springs serves students in the Middle and Upper school grades.

Cherry Street Energy

Based in Atlanta, this company specializes in financing, building, and operating distributed solar infrastructure.

The details

The solar panels are installed on the rooftops of the Middle and Upper School buildings and have been in operation since August 2026. Cherry Street Energy financed the project and continues to manage maintenance while selling the electricity to the school at a fixed price.

The student-led project research began in 2024.
The solar panels officially began operating in August 2026.
Students performed a ceremonial switch flip on October 28, 2026.

Culture Shift

The project reflects the broader shift toward the Power Purchase Agreement model, which allows non-utility organizations to adopt renewable energy without high upfront capital costs. This strategy is increasingly popular among institutions looking to align their operations with student-led sustainability goals.

The school's move reduces its reliance on the local grid by meeting 15% of its own power needs. Residents may notice the change as a local example of how institutional energy habits are shifting toward renewable rooftop infrastructure.

The takeaway

Schools can successfully integrate renewable infrastructure by partnering with specialized firms to manage the technical and financial requirements. This project demonstrates that student-driven research can lead to tangible changes in campus energy management.