Dave Layzell MP, Member for Upper Hunter today announced that a school in Upper Hunter is part of an innovative new program being piloted to explore the potential for schools to use solar PV panels and batteries to generate electricity for themselves, and create enough to supply electricity to the state’s energy grid.
Mr Layzell said he was thrilled to know that one of the rural and regional schools chosen to take part in the pilot was from the Upper Hunter electorate community.
“This is a great initiative for our local public schools in NSW, and I am delighted to know that our electorate will have one of the 25 NSW schools involved in this exciting initiative,” Mr Layzell said.
“Vacy Public School is taking part in the pilot, and I very much I look forward to hearing from the school principal and students about how the pilot progresses.”
The pilot project aims to assess the benefits and costs of the large-scale implementation of solar PV systems and batteries, together with other initiatives that can reduce demand on the energy network.
Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell said the potential of the Schools Renewable Energy Infrastructure Pilot Project is limitless.
“In NSW, we have 2,200 public schools, and combined they have a roof space of 8 million square meters. That is almost 2,000 football fields worth of space ready for power production,” Ms Mitchell said.
“By producing solar energy, schools will benefit from lower energy bills, and batteries will store any excess solar energy for later use or it can be sold to the energy grid.
“We estimate the 25 schools will save $300,000 in power bills, money which can go back into education, and any unused power can go into the grid.”
"NSW is leading the country in school design, and this pilot project is one innovative way we are looking at powering, cooling and heating our schools.”