USE OF FOSSIL FUELS THROUGH SOLAR ENERGY. METEOROLOGIST PETA SHERWOOD IS HERE WITH HOW ONE SCHOOL IS DOING JUST THAT. >>> ATHENS DRIVE MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL IS THE FIRST SCHOOL IN WAKE COUNTY TO HAVE SOLAR PANELS INSTALLED THROUGH A NONPROFIT GRANT. I SAT DOWN WITH A FORMER STUDENT WHO TRANSFORMED HIS HOMEWORK INTO A REAL-LIFE APPLICATION OF RENEWABLE ENERGY. >> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS ALWAYS FASCINATED ME IS RENEWABLE ENERGY. >> Reporter: HIS INTEREST IN SCIENCE LED TO A BRIGHT IDEA . >> I GUESS IT WAS THE SPRING OF MY SOPHOMORE YEAR THAT I HAD THE GOAL OF GETTING SOLAR PANELS ON ATHENS DRIVE. >> Reporter: DETERMINED TO MAKE IT HAPPEN HE APPLIED FOR THE NC GREEN POWER SOLAR PLUS SCHOOLS GRANT AND HIS SCHOOL GOT IT. NOW A DOZEN SOLAR PANELS STAND TALL AT ATHENS DRIVE MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL. THEY GENERATE ENOUGH ENERGY TO POWER THE SCHOOL'S OFFICE. >> WE ACTUALLY HAVE DATA THAT WE CAN USE TO ANALYZE ALSO SO WE ARE GETTING INTO THE PROCESS NOW AND THIS IS STILL A NEW THING. WE ARE WORKING ON HOW TO USE THAT DATA TO DO MORE WITH STUDENTS. >> Reporter: THE PANELS ARE HELPING TRIM THE ELECTRIC BILL. >> TOTAL SINCE WE'VE GOTTEN IT NOW, IT SAYS IT'S ABOUT $282, WE HAVEN'T EVEN HAD A CHANCE TO HAVE A RIBBON-CUTTING CEREMONY FOR THIS BECAUSE ALL OF THIS HAS HAPPENED WITHIN QUARANTINE TIMES. >> Reporter: NOT BAD FOR A PROJECT THAT CAME TO LIFE RIGHT BEFORE PANDEMIC. >> THIS IS SOMETHING WHERE I WANTED TO LEAVE A LASTING IMPRESSION BUT ALSO TO HAVE A REALISTIC APPLICATION OF SUSTAINABLE ENERGY IN THE CLASSROOM. >> Reporter: THROUGH THE SOLAR PLUS SCHOOLS GRANT, NC POWER HAS INSTALLED SOLAR PANELS AT 42 OTHER SCHOOLS ACROSS THE STATE AND MORE TO COME. APPLICATIONS ARE BEING ACCEPTED NOW AND YOU HAVE UNTIL THE END OF THE MONTH TO SUBMIT A PITCH