PV for Schools

The new UK 'Feed-in tariff' introduced in April makes it easy for schools to go green and at the same time earn a guaranteed income for 25 years if they install a solar photovoltaic system.

Choosing A Solar Photovoltaic system for the Public Sector

Embracing renewable energy technology makes a lot of sense for the public sector and schools as it meets the Government sustainability goals and provides a financially viable means of achieving carbon savings while offering income potential.   It also acts as a statement of social responsibility and helps your organisation  promote a green image, developing awareness of climate change and setting a clear example to the wider community.

The most common avenue clients choose are photovoltaics (PV) panels.  photovoltaic systems generate electricity using just daylight so are perfect for the UK climate, they are simple to install and can be tailored to meet specific requirements.  The PV panels Salop Energy use are from the world leaders companies such as SANYO, SHARP, and YINGLI the modules consist of thin layers of a semi-conducting material, usually silicon, which generates an electric charge when exposed to direct sunlight - the greater the intensity of the light, the greater the flow of electricity.

PV panels are generally installed on the roof or can be integrated into the building exterior this is also known as" facade" this is an option when there is no available roof space. A photovoltaic system requires very little maintenance and provide a means of producing energy for way beyond the manufactures 25-year warranty period on the modules, in fact a life expectancy of 40 years plus is often the case.

Public sector buildings and schools are both eligible for the feed-in tariff introduced on the 1st of April 2010. The feed in tariffs or clean energy cash back scheme as it is also known is providing added impetus to the installation of Photovoltaic systems as it will pay for the electricity generated and exported by a photovoltaic system.  The credit given for the electricity will be guaranteed at the same rate for 25 years and will go to the landlord, if installed on flats, schools or similar buildings, thereby providing savings and income potential for the system’s lifetime.

Photovoltaic systems are an excellent solution when it comes to meeting the ever-increasing sustainability levels demanded in both new and existing buildings.  Housing associations, in particular, must meet the Code for Sustainable Homes.  Each Code level requires a certain percentage of the building’s CO2 emissions to be decreased using renewable technologies.

When it comes schools, the Building Schools for the Future programme means that the Government would like all schools to be models of energy efficiency and renewable energy by 2020.  Installation of PV system on school buildings is an opportunity to reduce energy bills and secure energy prices while helping to educate and remind our future generations of the benefits of sustainable energy solutions.

Salop Energy are able to provide public display monitors that can be incorporated within schools, and the common areas of public sector buildings, to show the energy being generated by the system as it is happening and thus generally raise public awareness of the issues concerning energy consumption and its responsible use.

Salop Energy are fully focused on assisting Local Authorities, Schools, Housing Associations, and Hospitals to achieve their energy reduction and sustainability goals, and to help them make use of the feed in tariff available for both electricity generated and exported.

For more information on how PV Solar Panels can benefit the Public Sector contact Salop Energy.

TYPICAL EXAMPLE

Here’s an example of what this could mean, based on a typical size (4 kWp) school solar system on a south-facing roof in the UK.

• For a fully installed 4 kWp system, the typical cost is around £18,000.
• The system should generate approximately 3400 units of clean electricity every year.
• The school will receive 41.3p for every unit generated resulting in an income of £1400 per year
• Some of the electricity from the system will be used by the school instead of grid electricity, and the rest exported to the grid - If this is split 75:25, the school will get £331 of electricity savings and £25 of export income as well as the £1400!
• A total of £1756 of income and savings per year.

These values are inflation-linked, so what the school receives will go up each year. The system will pay for itself within approximately 10 years.

PLEASE CONTACT SALOP ENERGY TODAY FOR MORE DETAILS