Lewis Girls’ School campaigns against climate change

New solar panels valued at £20,000 have been officially installed at Ystrad Mynach’s Lewis Girls’ School to help provide electricity and to teach students about renewable energy resources. The 24 solar panels at the school should reduce its carbon dioxide by two tonnes and produce about 3,300kWh of electricity per year.

As part of the school’s campaign against climate change, the technology will be added into the science curriculum to help teachers easily explain the methods employed at the solar panels. Head teacher Caryl Lewis informed that switching to solar panels could boost the school’s effort to reduce its carbon footprint and will send out a strong message about its commitment to help the environment.

The new solar panels had been installed with the help of Green Energy for Schools, jointly funded by the UK government’s Low Carbon Building Programme and The Co-operative. Since 2007, The Co-operative has given £2 million to fund solar projects in over 160 schools nationwide, including Lewis Girls’ School. The organization is also now piloting three more renewable technologies, namely wind turbines, ground source heat pumps and biomass boilers, at over 20 schools.

Michael Fairclough, Head of Community and Campaigns of The Co-operative, said that the scheme wants to inspire communities to minimize their carbon footprint and for them to take a role in the fight against global warming. By switching to solar panels, Lewis Girls’ School is providing learning to the next generation about climate change, while setting a good example to homes, businesses and other schools.