‘Green’ schools across the area are harnessing the power of the sun to help reduce their carbon footprint.
The council is working with United Welsh Housing Association on an ambitious Solar Panel installation scheme in nine local schools.
United Welsh have been given £317,000 from the Welsh Assembly Government’s Heads of the Valleys programme to pay for the environmentally-friendly rooftop Solar Panels and the scheme is proving to be a big success.
Jocelyn Davies AM, Deputy Minister for Housing and Regeneration visited Pontlottyn Primary School recently to see their new systems in action. “I am not only impressed with the physical elements of this project, but with the commitment of these schools to working with their children to teach them about climate change,” she said.
The first schools to benefit from the project were Pontlottyn Primary, Heolddu Comprehensive, White Rose Primary and Rhymney Comprehensive. Surveys for the remaining 5 schools are underway and all installation work will be completed by April.
Cllr Colin Mann, cabinet member for finance, resources and sustainability, said, “The council is committed to becoming cleaner and greener and has a 10 year Carbon Reduction Strategy aimed at reducing our emissions by 45%. We are introducing a range of exciting measures to improve efficiency across all our buildings and it’s great to see these schools are embracing this new technology. This latest scheme is an excellent example of how effective partnership working can deliver real results.”
