Solar energy is radiant light and heat from the Sun that is harnessed using a range of ever-evolving technologies such as solar heating, photovoltaics, solar thermal energy, solar architecture, molten salt power plants and artificial photosynthesis.
>Every school has the potential to generate its own renewable energy. As most schools have a large roof, solar PV (electricity) is generally the standout choice. There are, however, alternatives, such as wind turbines, or for heat generation, biomass boilers or air/ground source heat pumps
How do they work?
1 – Solar panels collect sunlight
2 – Inverters convert solar power to usable electricity
3 – Solar electricity is used in the home
4 – Leftover solar electricity goes to the grid
5 – Electricity is measured by the net meter
The main benefits of going solar are:
Reduced electricity bills
Revenue generation
Reducing CO2 emissions
Education and engagement
A solar panel’s output is expressed in watts. On average, a domestic solar panel has a power output of around 265 watts, although it can range anywhere from as little as 225 watts to more than 350 watts. The higher the wattage of a solar panel, the more electricity it can produce under the same conditions.
To calculate how much electricity a solar panel will produce in a day, you simply have to multiply its wattage by the number of sunlight hours. For example, a home in Cambridge with a 280 watt solar panel that receives 4 hours of sunshine will generate 1,120 watt-hours (Wh) or 1.1 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity that day (280 x 4). In contrast, if that same home had a 320 watt solar panel, it would be able to produce 1,280Wh or 1.2kWh of power on that same day (320 x 4).
Here is a list of some of the currently available funding mechanisms that could help finance a school’s renewable energy project. It should, however, be noted that this list is by no means exhaustive, and does not come with a formal government endorsement:
How do I finance my installation?
Where can I get useful advice?
The Centre for Sustainable Energy (https://www.cse.org.uk/ ) and Which? (http://www.which.co.uk/documents/pdf/solar-pv-checklist-pdf-269629.pdf & https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/solar-panels/article/guides ) have both issued useful advice for domestic consumers, which may also have relevance for schools.
Are there any schemes in place now that the Feed-in Tariffs have ended? Check out the replacement scheme: Non-Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme
https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/environmental-programmes/non-domestic-rhi https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/environmental-programmes/non-domestic-rhi/applicants