School Dist. 129 is expected to save $50,000 a year on electricity thanks to a grant that will pay for the installation of more efficient light fixtures.

Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation will provide approximately $120,000 to replace fixtures in West Aurora High School, Jefferson and Washington middle schools and Freeman, Goodwin, Schneider, Smith, Hill and Hall elementary schools.

Next year the district again will apply for grant money to finish the balance of the schools.

“This lighting grant will assist School Dist. 129 in reducing schools energy costs, providing better lighting for learning in classrooms and making hallways brighter and safer,” says Mark Engen, the district’s energy administrator who procured the grant.

Specifically, the grant money will pay for new T-8 bulbs and electronic ballasts that will replace less efficient fixtures.

The Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation is an independent foundation set up with a $225 million endowment provided by Commonwealth Edison. It provides financial support for projects that advance specific program priorities related to increasing energy efficiency, expanding the use of renewable energy resources, and preserving and enhancing natural areas and wildlife habitats throughout Illinois.