Green energy provider Good Energy has announced a new partnership with 10:10 Solar Schools to help schools generate their own electricity.
The partnership will see the companies work with 20 schools, providing fundraising training, materials and mentoring in order to help crowd-fund the necessary capital to install and benefit from solar arrays.
Commenting on the scheme, Good Energy CEO and founder, Juliet Davenport, said: “It’s important for school children to get first-hand experience of renewables and see science at work. By taking part, children can discover for themselves not only how harnessing the power of the sun can turn into lighting and power for computers in their classrooms, but also how to get support from their local community through crowd-funding.”
Amy Cameron, Solar Schools campaign manager, 10:10 added: “The last few years of Solar Schools have seen communities from the Scilly Isles to Stockton-on-Tees achieve incredible things. Armed with our toolkit, they've raised over £350,000, while bringing people together to tackle climate change in a way that's local, tangible and positive. Thanks to Good Energy, we've got 20 places on the project up for grabs. I can't wait to meet the schools who'll be lucky enough to come on board.”
Greg Barker and Michael Gove recently identified British schools as prime candidates for solar installations in the UK’s recent Solar Strategy. The department of education will actively encourage the deployment of PV on schools in addition to boosting energy efficiency. Commenting on the potential of solar, Education secretary Michael Gove said: “Solar panels are a sensible choice for schools, particularly in terms of the financial benefits they can bring. It is also a great way for pupils to engage with environmental issues and think about where energy comes from.”
Applications for Solar Schools 2014/15 are now open