The Co-operative’s vision of every school in the UK having a green energy source by 2020 came a step closer today (26 August) when it opened nominations for schools to receive free solar panel systems as part of a new £1million fund for renewable energy.
The Co-operative is calling on other big businesses to follow its lead so that every school will have a renewable energy source before children starting school for the first time this month finish their A level studies.
As part of the UK’s largest renewable energy education programme, The Co-operative has already spent £1million fitting solar photovoltaic panel systems at 100 schools and it has now earmarked another £1millon for its Green Energy for Schools initiative, which will see 60 more schools fitted with solar panel systems. The Group will also be piloting three additional renewable technologies in schools – wind turbines, biomass boilers and ground source heat pumps - by way of broadening its support for the micro-renewable industry.
Under the solar scheme, the solar panel systems, which cost more than £20,000 to erect, are half funded through the Government’s Low Carbon Building Programme (LCBP) with The Co-operative financing the other 50 per cent.
Each solar system will generate more than 3,400 units of electricity, powering over 18 computers, or 34 thousand hours of computer use, at each school every year.
It has been calculated that if all 25,000 schools in the England fitted solar panel systems of this type, 48,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions could be saved annually. This is the equivalent carbon dioxide emissions of 145,000 people flying from Manchester to Madrid and back.
Patrick Allen, Director of Marketing at The Co-operative said: ”We believe that solar panels and wind turbines at a school make a huge climate change statement to children, teachers and parents and they play a major part in the delivery of the curriculum.”
“Not only are they highly visible symbols of the solutions available to tackle the problem, they also generate electricity and help reduce a school’s carbon footprint.
“We have shown that it is practical and cost effective, and if other businesses followed our lead every school could have some form of green energy in 12 years time”.
The Co-operative is now looking for another 60 schools to support with fully funded solar panels, and is inviting nominations from its members from now until 5 November. Full details on the scheme and how to apply are available at: www.co-operative.coop/greenenergyforschools.
-ENDS-
Notes to Editors
About The Co-operative Group
The Co-operative Group is arguably the most diverse business in the UK, with interests in Food, Funerals, Travel, Pharmacy, Financial Services and Legal Services. It has a turnover of more than £10 billion and operates 4,500 outlets and employs some 85,000 staff.
The Group is a strong supporter of micro generation and is actively developing smaller scale renewable energy projects across its estate. One of the most high profile schemes was the Solar Tower Project which transformed the 400 ft, 25-storey landmark Co-operative Insurance Tower with the installation of over 7,000 solar panels
The Co-operative Group led the switch to green electricity back in 1998 and its green credentials were further underlined in 2006 when it became the first major retailer in the UK to switch all its outlets to green electricity. Energy for all the Group’s mainland sites, from more than 3,000 retail shops to its headquarters complex in Manchester is now sourced from renewable energy.
2006 also saw the official switch-on of the Coldham Wind farm in Cambridgeshire, which is a joint venture between the Co-operative Group and ScottishPower. It was built on agricultural land, owned and farmed by the Co-operative Group, which also has wind turbine schemes on the drawing board that could lead to it supplying 100 gigawatts of electricity to the National Grid by 2009 – enough to power more than 20,000 homes.
www.co-operative.coop
About Solarcentury
Solarcentury is the UK’s leading solar energy company, specialising in the design and supply of building integrated solar thermal and solar electric technology. Solarcentury is in business for a purpose: to help create a cleaner world and a sustainable future. The company offers support and guidance throughout the entire micro renewable planning and development process, from land appraisal through to design, installation and marketing.
Founded by CE Jeremy Leggett in 1998, Solarcentury is based in London, with operations in the UK, France, Italy and Spain. It has installed over 600 solar systems including those on the Eden Project, Vauxhall Cross Bus Terminal and Europe’s largest vertical solar facade on the CIS Tower, Manchester. Solarcentury has helped thousands of homes go solar through its network of associate installers and is the founding company of the schools initiative Solar4Schools.
In 2006, Solarcentury was named the UK’s Fastest Growing Renewable Energy Company by The Sunday Times Tech Track 100. In 2007 it was awarded an Ashden Award for its commitment to renewable energy by Nobel Peace Prize winner Al Gore. www.solarcentury.com
Other partners
The announcement of the pilot of three additional technologies follows the formation of partnerships with Sundog Energy (for wind turbines) and RES Heat and Power (for biomass boilers and ground source heat pumps). Schools to benefit from these technologies have already been selected, and the Group hopes to learn valuable lessons from this pilot phase that will allow roll out of additional renewable technologies into schools.
About Sundog Energy
Sundog energy is a joint owner and lead partner within The Low Carbon Partnership (TLCP) which is a Framework Supplier under Phase 2 of The Low Carbon Buildings Programme. Sundog Energy is one of the UK’s leading renewable energy companies. Sundog Energy has been designing and installing systems since 1995. In that time Sundog Energy has installed many hundreds of systems, totalling over a megawatt of installed capacity.
Sundog Energy has provided systems for houses, schools, churches, offices, village halls, libraries, museums and many other sites. Sundog Energy’s clients have included councils, housing associations, developers, charities and homeowners - utilising many different technologies and products. Currently, the majority of Sundog Energy’s projects are for schools - a consequence of its framework supplier status under the Low Carbon Building’s program.
Martin Cotterell, founder of Sundog Energy, sits on many UK standards committees and also represents the UK on the IEC (International Electrotechnical Committee) photovoltaic standards committee. He has also authored several leading wind and PV installation guides. www.sundogenergy.co.uk
About RES Heat and Power
RES Heat and Power is part of Renewable Energy Systems Group. The Renewable Energy Systems Group (RES) is a leading renewable energy company, with offices across the UK and worldwide and is part of the Sir Robert McAlpine group of construction and engineering companies. The RES Group has to date completed over 2,700 MW of wind power capacity worldwide and is active in a range of renewable energy technologies (biomass, solar, ground source, wind), as well as sustainable building design. RES is a holder of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for its commitment to renewable energy and RES and Sir Robert McAlpine are sponsors of the London Climate Change Agency. For more information, visit www.res-group.com
Background notes
25,000 schools are capable of producing 85,000,000 units of photovoltaic generated electricity each year if schools are fitted with a 4kWp system capable of producing 3,400 kWh of electricity a year;
It is assumed that a 100 watt computer is used non stop for seven hours a day, five days a week for the following calculations: “3,400 units of electricity for the school, powering over 18 computers, or 34 thousand hours of computer use” and “85,000,000 units of electricity able to power 450 thousand computers”.
3,400 units of electricity can power 34,000 hours of internet use on a 100 watt computer. The Apple G4 Laptop is a 56w computer.
1 kWp of photovoltaics is expected to generate 850 units of electricity in the UK. The DBERR Microgeneration Steering Group Report "The Growth Potential for microgeneration in England Wales and Scotland" published June 2008 states "850 kWh/kWp per year" is "typical for UK PV installations."
CO2 savings based on emissions factor for grid-displaced electricity under SAP 2005 of 0.568 kg CO2 saved per kWh
The Green Energy for Schools Scheme
Any one wishing to nominate a school or obtain more details of the scheme should visit the website: www.co-operative.coop/greenenergyforschools