Russel Norman and Gareth Hughes with pupils from Laingholm Primary School. Photo / James Russell
Russel Norman and Gareth Hughes with pupils from Laingholm Primary School. Photo / James Russell
With sunshine hours coinciding with the hours that schools operate, putting PV panels on our country’s schools make a whole lot of sense.
The Green Party launched its 'Solar in Schools' policy last month at Laingholm Primary School in Auckland. If implemented, 500 schools will have solar panels installed over three years at a cost of $20m. The Greens have calculated annual savings off those schools' power bills of $1.64m, with a saving of $41m over the 25-year lifespan of the solar panels. The total installed capacity will be almost seven megawatts - the size of a small power station.
"In the same way that households are paying too much for power, schools' electricity bills are too high," Greens co-leader Dr Russel Norman said.
"Our Solar in Schools policy will allow them to save money on electricity - money which can be invested directly into teaching and learning instead.
"It's effectively increasing schools' operations budget, in a smart, green way."
Laingholm Primary School plans to install a 10kW solar system, which will save it over $2500 a year in electricity costs.
"A saving of $2500 on electricity would enable me to double the amount of money I allocate in my budget to literacy," Principal Martyn Weatherill said.
"I would much rather spend money on students than on power," he said.
"This policy will benefit the environment and improve student achievement."
Weatherill says that solar power is ideal for schools. "The time we need most power coincides with sunlight hours, for a start. But also we have a long-term view. We know we are still going to be here in 50 years - so investments like this make an awful lot of sense."
Element recently covered the installation of a 10kW grid-tied solar array at Peria School in Northland, which will save the school $6000 a year in power bills.
The greater savings from the same-sized system as Laingholm School intends to install is due to higher power prices in Northland and more sunshine hours.
Solar in Schools builds on previous Green Party energy announcements including Solar Homes, which will help households install solar on their roofs through a payback system added to their rates.
Pegasus Bay Primary School Pegasus Bay Primary School, which opened in May this year in Christchurch, is perhaps the most ambitious schools project, with 560m2 (or 90kW) of photo voltaic panels on its roof.
The array should be enough to make the school net zero energy, meaning that it generates as much energy as it uses. The school is connected to the grid, so power produced on school holidays actually earns the school money.
The electricity is used for lighting, computers and to power the efficient air-sourced heat pumps for underfloor heating. In addition five high performance solar hot water systems provide the children and staff with hot water. The low maintenance, closed-loop, drain-back hot water systems are designed to last thirty years and serve utility/toilet clusters and kitchens in each block.
Pegasus Bay School Principal Roger Hornblow says: "These children will have a new understanding of sustainability and eco-efficiency from attending Pegasus Bay. Our net zero energy school will educate our pupils and community about acting responsibly for the environment and their future."
The efficient building methods of the school complement the solar electric panels which generate about $20,000 of power a year (at 18c/kwh) and reduce carbon emissions of Pegasus School by nearly a 30 tonnes/year CO2 per year.
As well as the improved indoor environment benefits from natural ventilation, underfloor heating, solar control and good natural daylight, these energy efficient features and solar electric generation should achieve an anticipated payback on the additional investment of about twelve years.
This article on solar power is made possible with funding from SolarKing.
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