Meridian Trust has begun the installation of solar panels on its 30 schools as part of its commitment to be carbon net zero by 2030.
The eight schools involved in the first phase of rollout are Sawtry Village Academy, Sawtry, near Peterborough; Sharnbrook Academy, Bedfordshire; Swavesey Village College, near Cambridge; Hatton Park Primary School, Longstanton, Cambridge; The Bluecoat School, Stamford; The Ferrers School, Northamptonshire; Weldon Village Academy, Weldon, Northamptonshire and West Town Primary Academy, Peterborough.
The first phase is expected to generate almost 900,000 kWh of energy resulting in a significant reduction of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere each year. The overall financial saving in the first year across all schools is estimated to be more than £300,000.
With the support of property consultancy Barker Associates, the first schools to have the solar panel installation are The Ferrers School, West Town Primary Academy and Hatton Park Primary School. The remaining schools will start installations over the course of this term with the aim of all the first phase having solar panels by October 2024.
Martin Hair, Director of Estates at Meridian Trust, said: “At Meridian Trust, we are committed to not only providing top-tier education but also to creating a sustainable environment for our pupils and staff. These solar panel installations mark a significant milestone in our journey towards becoming net zero.
“The money saved will then be reinvested back into the education provision at each school.”
As part of the programme, the aim is for pupils across the trust to learn about renewable energy through classroom projects. They will be given regular updates showing how much energy is being generated at each school and will watch live-streamed maintenance visits as the panels are serviced.
A live energy dashboard is used by Meridian Trust to monitor usage across school sites and to highlight areas where energy can be saved.
Hannah Quinn, Principal at West Town Primary Academy, said: ‘We are thrilled to be benefitting from Meridian Trust’s solar panel installation initiative. This project not only underscores our commitment to sustainability and saving energy, but also provides an opportunity for our pupils to learn more about solar energy and the importance of renewable resources. The children are all really interested to learn about why this is happening.”
The aim is for all 30 of Meridian Trust’s schools to have solar panels installed over the next two years.
