Green Limerick: Schools to benefit from solar rays
LIMERICK schools are now able to benefit from the commencement of the first phase of the Solar for Schools Programme.
The announcement was made by the Government last week, and Limerick is one of the 11 counties to benefit from the first phase of the programme.
The first phase will help schools in Limerick to reduce their energy costs and their carbon footprint. The solar panels will also be connected to the electricity grid so that the schools can generate income by powering other homes and businesses in the community with clean energy when schools are closed at weekends and during school holidays.
Limerick Fianna Fáil TD Willie O'Dea welcomed the news.
“It’s excellent news that schools across Limerick can apply for free solar panels under the Solar for Schools Programme from November 30. All schools will be contacted by the Department and invited to apply and I would encourage them all to do so – this is an excellent scheme that will provide tangible financial and climate benefits while also delivering the added benefit of encouraging discussion and uptake of solar panels in the wider community.
“Fianna Fáil in Government strongly believes in helping schools to reduce their energy costs. This scheme will help schools to manage those costs in the near future while also helping them in terms of their energy independence and climate concerns in the long term,” Mr O’Dea added.
The programme will provide eligible schools with 6 kilowatts of roof-mounted solar PV, which equates to approximately 16 solar panels.
The scheme will be funded from the Government’s Climate Action Fund, in line with the Government’s recognition that taking action on climate change is central to Ireland’s social and economic development.
The scheme will assist schools in reducing their energy costs and their carbon footprint as part of the response to meeting the 2030 and 2050 Climate Action Plan targets for the school sector.
The solar PV panels in schools will also be connected to the electricity grid, so that the schools can generate income by powering other homes and businesses.