A carbon-conscious primary school has taken a giant leap into the future of renewable energy by installing 22 solar panels on its roof in time for the new school term.
Edward Feild School in Kidlington is set to save around £350 a year in fuel bills and boost the environment in the process after having the panels installed last month. The photovoltaic cells will provide around 3,500 kWh of electricity to the school each year - roughly the same as the annual electricity used in an average house.
Staff and pupils will be able to keep track of real time data on energy, cost and carbon saved through a visual display monitor. The idea was first raised two-years ago by parent Alan Asbury, who approached staff and governors about renewable energy options.
After the school opted for solar panels, Mr Asbury set about securing funding - eventually receiving grants worth more than £23,000 from the Government's Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and Barclaycard Pure.
Mr Asbury, whose son and daughter attend the school and on-site playgroup respectively, said: "The new solar panels will hopefully raise awareness of the need for and obvious benefits of renewable energy to staff and pupils at the primary school, their colleagues at the Robin Playgroup and all visitors and parents.”
Headteacher Cathryne Wilkes said: "I'd like to thank Alan for his hard work and determination in seeing the project through to completion."
Oxfordshire County Council said schools put out 36,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions every year. The authority's Cabinet Member for Growth and Infrastructure Ian Hudspeth said: "This is a great example of the innovative ideas and hard work many of our schools are putting in to become more energy efficient and meet the environmental challenges of the future. I'm sure the solar panels will be a great success and inspire others to pursue similar projects. Congratulations must go to everyone involved with the project at Edward Feild."
