Objective:

 

The school’s objective was to implement a renewable energy technology that would work practically and benefit the school, local authority and community, from cheaper energy bills and also provide a teaching point around renewables and fossil fuels, energy generation, and costs to the environment.

 

Approach: 

The school has a strong commitment to reducing its carbon footprint, achieving a silver Eco Schools Award, a project that was largely student-led with support from members of staff, raising awareness of recycling and energy usage.

 

The roof of the sports hall at Bartholomew School in Eynsham now boasts a new 37kWp solar PV system consisting of 149 Solar Modules installed by Southern Solar Ltd.

 

The school is very energy aware, implementing a new energy management system using the Stark Online Energy Management System as a resource, which enables the school to draw reports of their monthly, weekly or daily energy use "Now, if we want to install 30 new computers we know what impact that will have on the school’s energy"

 

Mark Harrison, Site Development Officer

 

Impact: 

The school looked at a few options for renewables and chose Solar as it provided the most financial benefit to the school. The system is expected to prevent 14846kg of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere.

 

Mark Harrison, Site Development Officer believes that it is important that the students realise the environmental effects of using fossil fuels ‘They want to know what’s happening with energy use and they are much more aware of the issues that come with it. It’s great for them to see the impact renewable energy can have in practice, rather than it just been talked about in lessons, they can see it making a real difference to their school.’ The solar system will act as a teaching aid in Science and Geography lessons as well as in PSHCE programmes which teach community responsibility. Mr Hamilton, Head Teacher says ‘renewable energy is an important part of how we educate our pupils to become global citizens’

 

Bartholomew School also boasts an onsite Eco house which is powered entirely by a wind turbine. It forms part of the curriculum, where students can work on their ‘Greenpower project’ which gives the students the opportunity to design build and race an electric car. Bartholomew school is taking part in the project for the second year running.

 

With more energy saving measures in the pipeline. Such as LED lighting, for which they are having surveys done with a view to implementing in 2013. The school has already taken steps to reduce the amount of water they use by turning down the water pressure to the school and are looking at Stark Water Metering to further their aims in addition to the online energy monitoring.

 

Bartholomew School has a strong sense of community, opening up its sports hall to members of the public to use in order to get the most out of the facilities, even when school isn’t in session. This movement was very much led by the school itself who roped in the council in order to make it happen. Now that the roof of the sports hall is solar powered, the benefits of generating their own electricity can be experienced even when the school is closed.