Schools would welcome solar power

Schools would welcome solar power

24 July 2014

NZEI Te Riu Roa believes schools would welcome the opportunity to save money on power bills through the Greens’ Solar in Schools policy.

The $20 million policy to put solar PV systems into 500 schools is expected to save $41 million over the 25-year lifespan of the panels.

The principal of Papamoa’s Tahatai Coast School, Ian Leckie, said his large school had power bills of about $3500 a month.

“It would be fantastic to have a leg up to get into solar power and to be able to spend that money on resources for the kids instead. And I love the idea of being able to make money for the school over the summer holidays by selling electricity back into the national grid,” he said.

NZEI President Judith Nowotarski said that as long as the infrastructure and necessary support was in place, the policy could only be positive.

“Schools would welcome the opportunity to make their operations more sustainable environmentally and financially,” she said.

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