School going green with energy-saving solar panels
HUCKNALL'S biggest school is going green – thanks to the installation of £20,000 worth of solar panels over the summer holidays.
The panels will generate electricity for use on the campus at Holgate Comprehensive, off Nabbs Lane. They will also help slash electricity bills while reducing the school's carbon footprint.
Half of the funding has come through the second phase of the Co-op's Green Energy For Schools programme and the other 10,000 has come from the government's Low Carbon Building Programme (LCBP).
The panels, which will be installed by London firm Solarcentury, will be officially unveiled when pupils return in September.
It is hoped they will reduce the school's reliance on fossil fuels and highlight the issue of climate change.
A monitor in the school building will display how much energy the panels are generating and how much carbon dioxide they have saved.
Holgate will also be able to access energy data on the Internet as well as education materials for use in the classroom.
Head teacher Phil Crompton said: "It is fantastic to be given this opportunity to generate our own renewable electricity through this generous Co-op initiative.
"We have been working hard to make the school a sustainable site and these solar panels will boost our efforts while helping us to educate pupils about climate change and renewable energy."
The Co-op spent more than 1 million installing solar panels at more than 100 schools during the first phase of their initiative.
The Holgate cash is part of another 1 million allocated for the second phase.
Samantha Mellows is manager of the Hucknall High Street branch of Co-op Travel, who nominated the school for the project.
She said: "Installing solar panels at our local school is a great way of getting our climate-change message across to the community.
"As well as reducing the school's carbon footprint and saving money on electricity bills, the solar panels will help to inspire the children about environmental issues."
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Weather for Hucknall
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 12 C to 26 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
