Washington Episcopal School (WES), located in Bethesda, Maryland, is an independent private school serving students from Pre-K 3 through Grade 8. WES was started in 1986 by a small group of dedicated parents to inspire academic and personal excellence in a joyful learning environment to develop students who are kind, confident, and prepared.

WES is installing a 273.8 kW Solar PV System, which will produce 332,247 kWh of clean, renewable solar energy throughout the first twelve months of use. Over the next 20 years, the solar PV, which will be installed by Capital Solar Group, will avoid the consumption of 8,219,830 kWh of energy not sourced from the local utility provider, mitigating 5,522 metric tons of carbon dioxide, greenhouse gas emissions. The energy savings will lead to a projected savings of $2,558,536 over 20 years in reduced electricity bills for the school.

The Montgomery County Green Bank provided a direct loan of $545,932 to finance 80% of the cost of the new solar system at Washington Episcopal School.  The new solar system is net metered, allowing any excess energy produced by the system that is not used on-site to be credited back to the school, helping to further offset energy costs. By leveraging Green Bank financing and federal incentives, the school continues to expand its commitment to clean energy and sustainability.

The Green Bank will provide low-cost financing for WES, making the project more affordable than if WES used another lender, while maintaining long-term economic and environmental benefits. By providing low interest capital, the Green Bank helps expand access to clean energy solutions and increase renewable energy adoption in Montgomery County.