The system was donated by a local business and was installed in two parts: one at the end of March and one in April. By the time of Ed Davey's visit, the panels had already generated 2,000 ‘units' of electricity (2,000kWh). This is about half what an average house uses in a year – and all that during the wettest April since records began! In general, these two solar systems are expected to generate about 10 percent of the school's consumption and reduce its electricity bills by a similar amount.
Damon Hart-Davis, the governor who organised the installation said: "Solar power is good for the school, for the surrounding area, and for the planet: having solar power means that we can burn less gas and coal to make electricity for the country, leaving more for other important uses and reducing the threat of climate change. King Athelstan putting its roof to good use!"
King Athelstan is thinking ahead, helping its children to think ahead, and helping to ensure that the world that the children grow up in is as good as it can be. As part of our Eco-Schools involvement, we are constantly looking for ways to reduce our energy consumption and our carbon footprint. We might be able to cut the school's energy bills in half if we remember to turn lights, computers, screens and projectors off when we are not using them, and keep windows and doors shut in winter as far as possible. While not as pretty as new solar panels, ‘conservation' can actually do more to save the planet and keep funds for teaching and learning.
