All Carlow schools are now eligible to avail of free solar panels as the government’s Solar for Schools initiative continues its rollout and I'm urging all schools across the county to apply. Schools in Carlow can apply for 6 kilowatts of roof-mounted solar PV, or roughly 16 solar panels, for free, funded by the Government’s Climate Action Fund when applications open from Monday November 11th.
This is a great, practical measure, and an incredible opportunity for schools across the county to reduce both their energy bills and their carbon footprint. The scheme also includes monitoring software and teaching materials to allow students and staff to track how much energy is being generated each day. This provides an opportunity to educate students about the role of renewable energy in helping Ireland reach its climate goals and inspire them to bring home what they’re learning about the benefits of solar panels to their parents and keep Ireland’s ‘rooftop revolution’ going.
The scheme was first announced in November 2023 with over 1,000 schools in 16 counties taking part in the first phase. We saw a huge uptake for the free solar panels in Kilkenny in phase one with 84 of the 90 schools in the county getting involved and I’m pleased to see it extended to Carlow schools too.
The other huge advantage for schools is that their solar PV panels will also have the potential to feed surplus energy back into the electricity grid, so as well as saving money on their energy costs, schools can potentially generate income by helping to power homes and businesses with clean energy when the schools are closed at weekends and during school holidays.
I can’t imagine there is any school principal in Carlow who won’t be interested in availing of this scheme. It’s practical, it’s smart, and it’s win-win – schools across the county will now see their electricity bills drop while they also do their bit for the climate.
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