ENERGY
Schools’
bright idea
Schools are becoming
partially powered by the
sun, thanks to a scheme
which has involved the
coming together of
community organisations,
the council and residents.
L
ocal sustainability group
Ealing Transition offered
residents a chance to invest
in clean energy for pupils
by paying for solar panels through
‘crowd-funding’ via the Schools Energy
Co-Operative. Ealing Council helped
by finding schools that were suitable
for the scheme and willing to take part,
and got the relevant paperwork done.
The panels will convert energy
from the sun into electricity to power
the school buildings – and the whole
process will be used by schools to
teach children about solar power,
science and the environment.
Schools Energy Co-Operative offers
the schools a deal where they have a
20-year fixed electricity charge of 9p
(the going rate is about 14p) meaning
each school will save money.
And, when the panels produce
more energy than a school requires,
it will be fed into the National Grid –
and any money the Schools Energy
22
around ealing December 2018
Co-Operative receives from this will
be profit-shared with the schools. The
crowd-funding investors will make their
money back in a similar way.
The very first school in the borough
to benefit was Castlebar Primary in
Ealing. Its new solar panels were
installed in 2016.
‘UNDERSTANDING GREEN ENERGY’
More local schools have since followed
suit with the council’s help – including
five over the course of the summer. One
of these was Lady Margaret Primary
School, in Lady Margaret Road, Southall.
Amanda Hancock, school business
manager at Lady Margaret, said the
panels were very quickly generating
more energy than had been forecast
because of the sunny summer
and autumn.
She said: “We are delighted that
our school was selected for the
installation. We are pleased to be
making a contribution to saving the
environment and reducing our carbon
footprint, and it will also give the
children an understanding of green
energy. The solar panels are something
we wouldn’t have been able to
afford ourselves.”
Another of the schools to have panels
installed this summer was Wood End
Infant School in Whitton Avenue West,
Northolt. Its headteacher Madhu Bhachu
said: “Team Wood End is very pleased
we have now become more energy
efficient thanks to the solar panels. As
eco champions, we are thrilled to be able
to make a difference to our environment
and help look after our planet for the
future of all our children.”