Solar for Schools is an initiative offering free solar panels to Brighon and Hove schools, Brighton Energy Coop recently signed a contract with Brighton and Hove City Council (BHCC) so that – as a local community energy organisation – we can provide solar for schools at up to fifty locations, saving thousands on school electricity bills
By community-funding schools’ solar, this innovative initiative by BHCC means that our schools can save thousands on their electricity bills (just like a similar BEC partner Portslade Academy have been doing) – at no cost.
The solar for schools initiative could reach 2MW, a signifant addition to Brighton and Hove’s solar capacity (which already includes several MW of community energy).
To see the full list of schools under the agreement, see here.
How it Works
BHCC have facilitated the rollout of solar for schools by running a tender process in which contractors (including BEC) have signed up to a council-written lease.
This means that schools can have confidence that BHCC has approved the people they work with. Brighton Energy Coop came first place in the tender process, scoring 93.5%. Two other contractors were also selected; schools are now free to select which contractor they choose. For more detail on how it works see here.
Schools choosing to work with Brighton Energy Coop will join a growing list of organisations choosing community-funded renewable energy. Only yesterday we announced 30kWp of new community energy with our sixteenth partner – Littlehampton-based Naiad Plastics
Naiad Plastics in Littlehampton will be BEC’s 16th solar partner
Help put Green Energy at the Heart of our Community!
You can help us make this happen by letting schools know what’s going on. You can share this blog post on your social networks; we’re on Twitter here (this is great to retweet) and Facebook here (check out the funky video of the project here).
The rollout of solar schools in Brighton and Hove will be a great community effort, particularly as the Feed in Tariff is due to end in April 2019.
Please help us spread the word – and let’s see our schools going green this year.
