Schools around country to avail of solar panels fund

All schools in the country can apply for funding to cover the cost of installing solar panels on their rooftops from next month.

More than 1,000 schools have already installed panels in the first phase of the Solar for Schools Programme and now the scheme is being extended to all schools.

Solar PV panels in schools are connected to the electricity grid so that solar energy can power homes and businesses when schools are closed at weekends and during school holidays.

While the amount of money a school can save through the use of solar panels varies, the Department of Education says a school with a 6kW installation can expect to save in the region of €1200 to €1600 per annum.

The department expects overall savings in the region of €5.5 million per year across 4,000 schools when the programme is fully implemented.

Schools will be contacted by the department and invited to apply.

They are required to get five quotes from suppliers and submit these to the Department of Education.

Announcing expansion of the scheme, Minister for Education Norma Foley said it had delivered "a rooftop revolution in more than 1,000 schools so far".

"It has helped these schools to reduce their carbon emissions," she said.

"It also has the potential to save our schools millions of euro on their energy bills not just for one year, but every year."

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, Ossian Smyth said the project had cost less than expected so far "and will easily pay for itself with the money saved".

Monitoring software is also being provided to each school to allow review and discussion of the energy generated each day for staff and students.