IPPN

Published: 03 March 2009

Source : The Green Party

Statement by Paul Gogarty

Spokesperson on Education and Science; Sport; Dublin

Photovoltaic solar panels can cut school costs and earn money for says Gogarty

Cash-strapped schools now have the potential to cut their energy costs and earn additional revenue through the generation of electricity on-site, following the Government's decision to allow micro-generators to sell into the national grid.

Green Party Education Spokesperson Paul Gogarty TD has called on the Minister for Education and Science to act quickly and grasp the "huge opportunities" that exist for schools to cut their electricity costs and eventually earn an additional ongoing revenue stream.

"Following on from the decision by my Green Party colleague Energy Minister Eamon Ryan to allow micro-generators to feed into the national grid and get paid for it, there is now tremendous potential for schools to cut their electricity costs and sell off the surplus outside of school hours," he stated.

"School sites are ideal for photovoltaic solar panels. Even here in Ireland we get sufficient sunlight to generate electricity for much of the year. However up until recently the capital cost of installing a suitably-sized array of photovoltaic panels on a school roof or other suitable location would have been uneconomical. This was because much of the electricity produced during the summer and in the afternoon would have been outside school hours. In effect the schools would have been feeding the ESB for free but getting no return for the investment.

"This has now changed. Schools now have the potential to produce much of their own electricity requirements for at least half of the school year. But during weekends and especially during the summer months, schools will also be able to earn an income by selling the electricity generated to the ESB."

Deputy Gogarty has today tabled a number of parliamentary questions to the Minister for Education and Science regarding the potential of the new technology. He has called on the Minister to examine the benefits of the investment, including a loan scheme whereby new build installations or retrofitted solar panels could be funded by the Department, with the Department earning the revenue from the generation until the capital cost has been paid back.

"There are many ways for the scheme to work," said Gogarty. The options he proposes include:

1) Photovoltaic panels being installed as part of a new build or retrofitted, with the Department paying for the initial capital outlay. The money earned from the surplus electricity fed into the grid would go back to the Department until its initial capital investment is paid. The income after payback would then belong to the school.

2) Photovoltaic panels being installed as part of a new build or retrofitted, with the Department borrowing from an Irish bank under an initial capital outlay. The money earned from the surplus electricity fed into the grid would be used to repay the loan. The income after payback would then belong to the school.

3) The setting up of a loan scheme through the Irish banking sector whereby schools could apply for the capital outlay, pay back the loan and continue to earn revenue.

"Estimates as to the cost of a suitable array of photovoltaics vary, but it is fair to say that it would probably cost in the region of €100,000 for a medium sized school. But to put this in context, I recently visited a local school recently with eight classrooms. Their winter electricity bill was in the region of €8,000. It is easy to see that such a scheme would pay for itself in a reasonably short timeframe.

"This initiative does not take away from other schemes already in operation, such as the additional funding recently provided for insulation in schools. Proper insulation, good design and the ongoing progress in reducing the number of prefabs will always play a major role in cutting energy costs in schools. However the potential now exists for a new revenue stream for schools.

"I am calling on the Department of Education to take a proactive approach and set up a scheme whereby schools can apply for retrofiting of electricity-generating panels. Schools with high levels of disadvantaged pupils should be targeted first. This is a huge opportunity. I see it as a win-win situation and no doubt some progressive schools will identify its potential immediately, even if the Department does not run with the idea. I would also urge the Irish banking sector to respond positively to such capital investment as this is an opportunity to lend sensibly and receive a guaranteed return," stated Gogarty.