Cowes Enterprise College is set to generate enough renewable electricity to power the equivalent of more than 45 homes through a pioneering solar carport scheme.
The Crossfield Avenue secondary school is to become one of the first schools in Britain to combine large-scale solar generation with electric vehicle charging infrastructure as part of a major investment by Ormiston Academies Trust.
The project, due to be delivered this summer by Solev Energy Group, will see 40 parking bays covered by steel canopies fitted with high-efficiency solar panels.
Once operational, the system is expected to generate more than 138,000kWh of electricity each year – enough to power around 45 average UK homes – while saving an estimated 17 tonnes of carbon emissions annually.
As well as producing renewable energy for the school, the installation will include a series of electric vehicle charging points for staff, visitors and members of the wider Cowes community.
The scheme has been funded directly from Ormiston Academies Trust’s capital reserves as a long-term investment aimed at reducing energy costs and improving sustainability.
Vicky Wells, Head of Cowes Enterprise College, said:
“Our students will walk past a renewable energy installation every single day.
Article continues below this advertisement “It will not just reduce our bills and our carbon footprint – it will be a living classroom.
“The solar canopy will be a talking point for our science and geography departments, and will send a powerful message about the kind of future we believe in.”
The school says pupils will also be able to use real-time monitoring data from the system to learn about renewable energy, data science and environmental sustainability.
The installation will have a design life of more than 60 years and has been designed so that no parking spaces are lost.
Solev Energy Group says it is already in discussions with other schools and academy trusts across the country about introducing similar schemes.
60 years ? when the life of a solar panel is ~25 years?