A school in Oxfordshire has now installed solar panels on the roof of its sports hall, following a consultation with a local solar installer.
Bartholomew School in Eynsham, Oxfordshire, has recently been awarded a silver Eco Schools Award, due to its existing commitments to carbon reduction. The new installation of solar panels only highlights their eco-friendly efforts.
Oxford-based installer Southern Solar suggested adding the 37kWp panels to the roof of the sports hall in order to generate up to 28,065kWh of renewable electricity every year. In total, the solar panels cover an area of 230 square metres.
A number of proposals were considered by the school before it settled on installing the solar PV, believing that the option would provide the maximum benefit.
The school will now be able to offer a tangible example of energy saving processes when teaching students about different carbon-reducing sources of power.
Headteacher of the school Andrew Hamilton said: “Renewable energy is an important part of how we educate the pupils to become global citizens.”
Students will learn all about the creation of energy by solar panels, and what role renewable energy plays in the reduction of carbon levels in the UK and worldwide.
In addition to the benefits to pupils’ education, the school will also see a reduction in its energy bills every year and, in turn, help the environment. Finally, funding will be provided via the feed in tariff scheme, meaning that the school will receive a small financial sum each year from the government.
Nark Harrison, site development officer, said: “The pupils want to know what’s happening with energy use and they are much more aware of the issues that come with it. It’s great for them to see the impact renewable energy can have in practice. Rather than it just being talked about in lessons, they can see it making a real difference to their school.”