Schools are digging underground for their heat — and saving money

illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Washington Post or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Public schools across the United States are rapidly adopting geothermal heating and cooling systems to cut energy costs and reduce emissions
• Federal clean energy tax credits — introduced under the Inflation Reduction Act — have made these systems financially viable for many K-12 districts
• However, the potential repeal of these credits by a future Congress is now threatening the momentum of this transition

🔭 The context: Geothermal technology uses underground temperature stability to heat and cool buildings efficiently
• While it requires a higher upfront investment than traditional systems, long-term operational savings and recent federal incentives have made it increasingly attractive
• Schools, often burdened by tight budgets and rising energy bills, have emerged as early adopters of this decarbonisation pathway — viewing it as both cost-effective and educationally beneficial

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Switching to geothermal significantly reduces schools’ reliance on fossil fuels, cutting greenhouse gas emissions from building operations — a sector that accounts for nearly 30% of global energy use
• These projects also demonstrate how public institutions can lead in clean energy adoption when aligned with supportive policy frameworks
• Removing the tax credits would likely stall or reverse this momentum, prolonging the use of inefficient, carbon-intensive systems

⏭️ What's next: As Congress debates the future of clean energy tax credits, school districts are racing to begin geothermal projects while subsidies remain available
• If repealed, many planned upgrades could be scrapped or redesigned at higher costs
• The final decision will significantly influence whether schools nationwide continue investing in long-term clean energy solutions — or revert to cheaper but more polluting alternatives

💬 One quote: “School districts are really afraid they’re going to start down the road with these projects and the tax credits are not going to be there for them,” — Anisa Heming, director at the Center for Green Schools

📈 One stat: U.S. public schools spend over $8 billion annually on energy — making it their second-largest expense after staff salaries (U.S. Department of Energy)

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