Ever.green, a marketplace that enables businesses of all sizes to participate in the energy transition through the purchase and sale of long-term, High-Impact Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), announced the completion of the first six solar systems across 15 schools in Wayne County, West Virginia. Working in partnership with West Virginia-based solar developer Solar Holler, Ever.green aggregated corporate demand to help finance the projects, delivering hundreds of thousands of dollars in annual energy savings to the rural school district while expanding access to clean energy in a region historically dependent on coal. The initiative demonstrates a model for community-focused renewable energy that creates impact beyond electricity generation.
Recognizing the potential for rooftop solar to lower long-term energy costs and redirect savings into education, the Wayne County School District entered into a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Solar Holler to secure a stable, long-term energy rate. Ever.green played a critical role by aggregating corporate buyers who valued High-Impact RECs, providing the additional revenue needed to make the projects financially viable. With six solar systems now operational and nine more underway, the school district anticipates approximately $150,000 to $200,000 in annual savings, which will directly support district operations. The installations are also expected to avoid around 2,400 metric tons of CO₂ annually—equivalent to taking roughly 560 cars off the road each year.
Cris Eugster, CEO and Co-founder of Ever.green, emphasized the broader significance of the project: “Our work with Wayne County Schools and Solar Holler shows how corporate climate commitments can be structured to support community-scale renewable energy projects that traditional financing often overlooks. Beyond emissions reductions, this initiative creates savings that directly benefit students and generates local clean energy jobs, supporting long-term employment in the region.”
Energy costs are among the largest operating expenses for many school districts, including Wayne County, and rising electricity prices have put additional strain on tight budgets. While district leaders understood that solar could lower long-term costs, the upfront capital required for these projects posed a challenge. Ever.green addressed this by structuring High-Impact REC contracts with corporate buyers committed to adding new renewable energy to the grid while delivering measurable community benefits. By providing revenue certainty through these long-term contracts, corporate buyers enabled Solar Holler to move forward with the projects and offered the school district a PPA rate that generated immediate financial relief.
Heather Ransom, Director of Marketing and Strategic Communications at Solar Holler, noted, “The contribution from Ever.green was what made these projects buildable. There are many pieces to the financial puzzle, and having revenue certainty at the right moment allowed us to complete the installations.” Todd Alexander, Superintendent of Wayne County Schools, added, “Over the life of this PPA, the savings are essentially enough to fund two teaching careers. The companies involved are helping contribute to our savings, which allows us to provide more services for students—benefiting the entire community.”
The Wayne County School solar projects illustrate how corporate climate commitments can directly support local communities and school districts. Across the United States, nearly 8,000 rural school districts face similar budget pressures, collectively spending billions of dollars on energy each year that could otherwise support students and educators. Ever.green’s approach demonstrates how corporate climate dollars, aligned with mission-driven developers and community needs, can create durable, locally grounded climate action with benefits that extend far beyond the grid.
