Solar boost for schools

Energised: Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison and Buninyong Michaela Settle were at Woodmans Hill Secondary Collage last week to announce that the school was getting a new $57,000 solar power system. Photo: SUPPLIED

THIRTEEN locations across eight school campuses in the greater Ballarat area are set to receive solar energy systems under a plan announced by the State Government.

Woodmans Hill and Mount Rowan secondary colleges, along with Woady Yaloak, Warrenheip, Lal Lal, Delacombe and Buninyong primary schools, and Ballarat Specialist School, will all share in just under $480,000 worth of funding for the projects.

The solar energy systems will generate a combined 390 kilowatts of power and Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle said the installations would have dual impacts.

“These projects will make a big difference for our local schools. Cutting emissions and cutting costs, that is good news for everyone,” she said.

“Up to 390 kilowatts of energy will be generated across these 13 campuses every hour on a sunny day and we are expected to save 590 tonnes of carbon from being released into the atmosphere every year.”

Known as the Greener Government School Buildings program, the initiative started in 2019 and has a total statewide funding of $8.8 million.

The 2021/22 allocation of money will run to $1.8 million across Victoria and look to add 6974 kilowatts of solar energy capacity.