An historic school in the Bronx has become the first in the state to sign up for a very modern clean energy program. NY1's Lindsey Christ filed the following report.

The New York Institute for Special Education is on a bucolic campus in the Bronx, but 14 buildings across 17 acres requires lots of energy to keep running. So the 185-year-old school - which serves 300 students, many of whom are blind - plans to cut its electricity bill by harnessing the power of the sun. 

"We knew that it would have some energy savings for us and that's important that we can put that back into the programs for the students," said Bernadette Kappen, the school's director.

It's the first school in the state to sign up for Governor Andrew Cuomo's new solar schools program. The non-profit private school serves students who come from low income backgrounds, so almost all of the funding is public. 

The idea behind the program is for schools to allow solar panels to be placed on their roofs by energy companies. The companies would then sell that solar power back to the schools at a discount - and use the rest to provide clean energy to the surrounding neighborhoods. Another benefit - the solar panels would be made upstate - boosting the economy there.

"It helps the schools, it helps our environment. But also, what a great source of new jobs for people," said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul.

The program is part of Cuomo's goal of having half of all energy come from renewable sources by 2030. Nearly 30 schools statewide have signed on so far.

But when it comes to city public schools, Mayor Bill de Blasio has his own solar program. He's set a goal of retrofitting all city public buildings for clean energy by 2025. Eleven schools already have solar panels, 24 more will be online this spring and 66 new projects are to be completed by 2018.  

Both the city and state programs include science lessons for the students learning underneath all those solar panels. 

"The hands-on component I think would be great for the visually impaired children of the program, like the younger kids would be very interested to work with the technology," said Nicholas Chimelis, a student.

The first panels will be installed on the Institute for Special Education's roofs later this year.