The Challenge
Ukraine’s education sector faces an unprecedented crisis. In 2024 alone, schools experienced over 1,950 hours of blackouts, disrupting education for more than 3 million students. Less than 0.5% of Ukraine’s 10,000 public schools have backup power systems, leaving children without access to reliable learning environments and forcing dangerous reliance on diesel generators that expose students to toxic emissions.
The PowerSchool Solution
PowerSchool transforms public schools into energy-resilient community hubs by installing rooftop solar panels and battery storage systems. This innovation ensures uninterrupted education while creating safe havens for local communities during energy crises.
Direct Social Impact
For Students & Education
PowerSchool guarantees continuous electricity for classrooms, IT labs, and communication systems during blackouts, ensuring that learning never stops. The live solar systems serve as hands-on learning laboratories, providing real-world STEM education opportunities for students. The program ensures inclusive access by powering assistive technologies for students with disabilities, making certain no one is left behind. Most importantly, it eliminates student exposure to toxic diesel generator fumes and harmful particulate matter, creating a safer learning environment.
For Communities
Each equipped school transforms into a resilience hub capable of supporting thousands of local residents during power outages. These community centers provide essential services including reliable lighting, heating, and emergency communications during crises. The program significantly improves community health by reducing air pollution through the displacement of diesel generators. Additionally, it delivers substantial economic relief by saving communities millions of hryvnias annually in fuel and maintenance costs.
Gender Equality & Social Inclusion
PowerSchool actively promotes gender equality through targeted outreach that encourages female participation in energy stewardship roles and STEM programs. The program prioritizes support for vulnerable groups, including internally displaced persons, low-income families, and students with disabilities. Through inclusive design principles, the initiative ensures accessibility features and provides learning materials in multiple formats such as large print, audio, and braille. Community ownership is fostered through local training programs that create energy literacy and leadership opportunities for all residents.
Environmental & Health Benefits
Each installation delivers a measurable environmental impact by displacing approximately 1,458 tonnes of CO₂ annually per megawatt of capacity. The program dramatically reduces local pollution by eliminating toxic emissions from diesel backup generators that have plagued school environments. These improvements create sustainable learning environments that align with Ukraine’s broader green recovery goals and climate commitments.
Demonstration Project Impact
The pilot installation at a participating school will demonstrate the transformative potential of this approach. A typical school installation will directly benefit approximately 500 students by providing uninterrupted access to education, while supporting teaching staff with stable working conditions. The community impact extends to over 1,000 residents who will gain access to emergency shelter services when needed. The educational innovation component will engage multiple generations through enhanced energy literacy programs and hands-on learning opportunities.
Educational Innovation
PowerSchool creates living laboratories where solar installations become interactive STEM learning tools that students can engage with on a daily basis. The program includes comprehensive teacher training in renewable energy and sustainability concepts, ensuring educators can effectively integrate these resources into their curriculum. Student leadership development occurs through “energy steward” roles that foster both responsibility and technical skills. Knowledge sharing extends beyond school walls through community workshops that benefit the broader neighborhood.
Long-term Vision
PowerSchool establishes a replicable model for transforming Ukraine’s educational infrastructure into a comprehensive network of community resilience centers. By ensuring educational continuity during crises while promoting climate awareness among young people, the program lays the foundation for Ukraine’s sustainable recovery and energy independence. This approach creates lasting change that benefits both immediate educational needs and long-term community development goals.
