Ameresco Drives Cost Savings for Los Angeles Unified School District With Over 2.7 MW in Solar PV Projects

May 28, 2025 at 08:05 AM EDT

The $20 million bond funded projects will install EV chargers and PV shade structure technology at five middle schools as part of an initiative to build energy resiliency across Los Angeles

Ameresco, Inc. (NYSE: AMRC), a leading energy solutions provider dedicated to helping customers navigate the energy transition, today announced its partnership with the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) to develop and install solar shade and carport structures at five middle school campuses in the district.

Ameresco is developing over 2.7 MW of solar carport and shade structure PV systems, and electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, for five middle schools in LAUSD: Northridge Middle School, Pacoima Middle School, Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies, Sun Valley Magnet School and Sutter Middle School. The projects will provide shaded parking for faculty, staff, parents, and visitors to the schools, and EV charging stations to support city- and state-wide goals of widespread EV adoption over the next decade.

“We’re looking forward to working with Ameresco to reduce the district’s carbon footprint and lowering our operating expenses for utilities,” said Alberto M. Carvalho, Superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District. “Our K-12 school communities will benefit not only from the recurring cost savings from these projects, but also from the firsthand experience watching energy systems of the future installed at their own schools. It's a terrific way to prepare our students for the world they are going to inherit.”

In addition to project development and installation, Ameresco is providing operations and maintenance (O&M) of the installed systems, and a 25-year performance guarantee. The $20.7 million project being implemented by Ameresco is part of larger program to install solar at 21 LAUSD schools. This program supports the LAUSD Board of Education 2019 Clean Energy Resolution to provide 100% clean energy by 2040.

“Our team is always thrilled to have the opportunity to support school districts in their transition to clean energy solutions,” said Louis Maltezos, President of Central & Western USA, Canada Regions at Ameresco. “And, in light of the challenges faced by the community in and around the Los Angeles area during the recent wildfires, Ameresco is proud to partner with LAUSD to implement these clean, renewable energy projects that will provide direct benefits to the district while contributing to improved energy resilience in the area.”

LAUSD’s solar PV program also supports a larger effort to achieve 100% renewable energy by 2035 in alignment with the City of Los Angeles’ commitment to achieving the same goal. In 2021, the City and the LA Department of Water and Power (LADWP) adopted this goal based on a study from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the LA100 Study. The study demonstrated the benefits of targeting an ambitious goal to rapidly deploy wind, solar and storage technologies to modernize the city’s electricity infrastructure, build resiliency via diversified energy sources and increase equity in both participation and outcomes.

Further incentive for LAUSD to install PV technology, besides aligning with LA100 goals, is the net cost avoidance the project is expected to deliver. Including implementation, O&M and Performance Guarantee costs, the net cost avoidance from the 21-school program is expected to total up to $45.7 million. The utility cost avoidance delivered by the entire 21-school program is expected to amount to up to $168 million in general fund relief over the 25-year project term, allowing LAUSD to focus resources on student achievement and other core initiatives.

To learn more about solar and electric vehicle infrastructure project offerings from Ameresco, visit www.ameresco.com/renewable-energy/.

About Ameresco, Inc.

Founded in 2000, Ameresco, Inc. (NYSE: AMRC) is a leading energy solutions provider dedicated to helping customers reduce costs, enhance resilience, and decarbonize to net zero in the global energy transition. Our comprehensive portfolio includes implementing smart energy efficiency solutions, upgrading aging infrastructure, and developing, constructing, and operating distributed energy resources. As a trusted full-service partner, Ameresco shows the way by reducing energy use and delivering diversified generation solutions to Federal, state and local governments, utilities, educational and healthcare institutions, housing authorities, and commercial and industrial customers. Headquartered in Framingham, MA, Ameresco has more than 1,500 employees providing local expertise in North America and Europe. For more information, visit www.ameresco.com.

The announcement of a customer’s entry into a project contract is not necessarily indicative of the timing or amount of revenue from such contract, of Ameresco’s overall revenue for any particular period or of trends in Ameresco’s overall total project backlog. This project was included in Ameresco’s previously reported contracted backlog as of March 31, 2025.