A new middle school in Texas will derive most of its energy from solar power, according to a recent report by the Star-Telegram.

Federal stimulus funds will be used to cover installation costs for the project, which is aimed at reducing energy bills for the district. The $2 million grant is administered by the Texas State Energy Conservation Office.

The number of solar panels and type of system have not yet been determined. The project, which aims to have a 500-kilowatt capacity, will be constructed atop a replacement campus for Carroll Middle School. This solar power may trim the district's energy bills by $76,000 a year, according to the report, and further its budget-tightening efforts.

"Any maintenance and operations dollars we save is something we don't have to cut," Superintendent David Faltys told the newspapers. "We want to make sure we're being good stewards of taxpayer dollars."

If the solar system creates more power than the building requires, this electricity can be sent back to the grid. This can be used to earn credit on the district's energy costs.

About $3 billion in funding has been made available for projects like this through the State Energy Program.