A ribbon cutting was recently held to celebrate the school district’s multi-million dollar investment in their students through a solar energy project.
Submitted photo
BRADFORD — Bradford Schools is celebrating the completion of a new solar energy project designed to reduce long-term operating costs and allow the district to direct more resources toward students and classrooms.
The approximately $2.14 million project includes a new roofing membrane and a 304-kilowatt roof-integrated solar photovoltaic system. The solar array officially went into service June 30, 2026, marking the culmination of more than two years of planning, research and collaboration.
The project began taking shape in February 2024 when Aaron Daniels of Ameresco approached Carla Surber, district treasurer, with the possibility of developing another solar project at Bradford Schools with assistance from an energy grant through the Ohio Department of Development.
District leaders saw an opportunity that aligned with Bradford’s history of seeking innovative ways to control operating expenses. Bradford Schools first invested in solar energy in 2008, becoming one of the early districts in the area to do so. More recently, the district transitioned its two-route bus fleet to electric vehicles and installed five charging stations with assistance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and AES Ohio.
As a small rural school district, Bradford has focused on finding creative ways to reduce expenses so that more local tax dollars can support education.
After months of research, meetings and financial analysis, the district submitted its grant application on June 17, 2024. Officials continued evaluating the project’s financial benefits, including whether the investment made sense given the district’s already favorable electric rates.
In July 2025, Bradford learned that its grant application had been approved. The district contracted with Ameresco in September 2025 to move the project forward.
The project included several significant improvements. Before installing the solar panels, the district replaced its 26-year-old roof with a new white roofing membrane installed by Cotterman and Company. The reflective surface is designed to work with the system’s bifacial solar panels, allowing additional reflected sunlight to contribute to energy production.
Ameresco managed the 304-kilowatt solar photovoltaic project, with Yellowlite completing the solar installation.
The project received a $500,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Development. District officials also anticipate significant federal direct-pay tax credits, potentially totaling approximately $500,000, which would further reduce the district’s overall investment.
District officials credited numerous partners with bringing the project to completion, including Daniels and the Ameresco team, Candice Brothers of the Ohio Department of Development, the Bradford Board of Education and district taxpayers.
Superintendent Joe Hurst and Director of Maintenance Skip Miller also played key roles throughout the project. Hurst provided leadership and support during the planning and implementation process, Surber handled all the financial matters and tax credits while Miller coordinated work behind the scenes through the project’s various phases.
For Bradford Schools, officials say the project’s importance extends beyond producing electricity.
The district expects the solar investment to generate long-term savings that can ultimately be redirected toward classrooms, teachers and students.
The completed project also continues a pattern of innovation for the rural district — demonstrating that a small school system can pursue ambitious projects through careful planning, partnerships and a willingness to explore new opportunities.
Bradford Schools marked the project’s completion as both an investment in energy efficiency and an investment in the district’s future.

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