Ministers Foley and Smyth announce that the Solar for Schools Programme will now be extended to all schools nationwide

Minister for Education Norma Foley and Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, Ossian Smyth today announced that the Solar for Schools Programme will be extended to all school nationwide.

The scheme provides eligible schools with up to 6 kilowatts peak of roof-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) installations on their roofs, which equates to approximately 14 solar panels.

Since the launch of the first phase of the programme late last year, more than 1,100 schools have been approved for PV panels on their roofs in eleven areas around the country. More than 1,000 installations have been confirmed so far in Clare, Donegal, Galway, Kerry, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Limerick, Offaly, Waterford, Wicklow and the Dublin City Council area.

Funding has now been approved to proceed with solar PV installations on all remaining eligible schools in 16 counties – Carlow, Cavan, Cork, Dublin, Kildare, Laois, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Westmeath and Wexford.

This means that up to 4,000 primary, post-primary and special schools in the country are now eligible for PV panels.

Minister Foley said:

Minister Smyth said:

The Solar for Schools Programme is funded by the Government’s Climate Action Fund in line with the Government’s recognition that taking action on climate change is central to Ireland’s social and economic development. It is assisting schools in reducing their energy costs and carbon footprint as part of the response to meeting the 2030 and 2050 Climate Action Plan targets for the schools’ sector.

The solar PV panels in schools are being connected to the electricity grid, so that solar energy can power other homes and businesses when schools are closed at weekends and during school holidays.

The typical amount a school can save will depend on a number of factors. However, by way of example, a school with a 6 kW Solar PV installation could expect to save in the region of €1200-1600 per annum on their bill, including credit for their electricity export.

The overall programme will see up to 24 megawatts of installed renewable energy provision on schools with associated savings in the region of €5.5 million per year across 4,000 schools.

Monitoring software is also being provided to each school to allow review and discussion of the energy generated each day for staff and students.

As well as the obvious financial and climate benefits, the visibility of the solar panels on schools is also delivering the added benefit of encouraging discussion and uptake of the technology in the wider community.

The final phase of the scheme will open for applications on Monday 11th November 2024. All remaining eligible schools will be contacted by the Department and invited to apply from that date.

The scheme is designed to be as streamlined as possible for schools using an online system to facilitate communications with schools. In this regard, the Department of Education has set up School Hub, an online platform which is part of the Department’s geographic information system (GIS).The online platform provides a simple, clear and efficient application and approvals process for schools applying to take part.

Schools will be required to get five quotes from suppliers and submit to the Department of Education via the School Hub for review.

Some schools may not be able to avail of scheme funding immediately due to infrastructure that is not compatible with the new technology solar panels; this may include incompatible roofs or electrical systems.

The Department will be in contact with any schools that applied, but did not have their PV installations delivered during Phase 1, to discuss next steps. These schools will be treated as a priority in this next and final phase.

Notes to the Editor

The areas for the next phase of the scheme are:

The areas for the pilot phase were; counties Clare, Donegal, Galway, Kerry, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Limerick, Offaly, Waterford, Wicklow and Dublin City Council area. Details of these schools can be found here [link to county-by-county breakdown]

Savings for schools on energy bills and exporting to the grid

The typical savings a school can make from a 6 kW Solar PV installation (typically 14 panels based on latest technology) will depend on a number of factors, including panel orientation, how much of the generated electricity is self-consumed, how much is exported and the specific electricity tariffs that a school has with their energy supplier, for both the import and export of electricity. By way of an example, if a school were to consume 50% of their generated electricity and export the remaining 50%; then they could expect to save approximately €850 per annum in their bill, as well as receiving a further €525 in credit for their export; based on a tariff of 34c/kWh and a Clean Export Guarantee (CEG) rate of 21c/kWh.

This would yield typically €1,375 per school, or a saving of up to €5.5 million per year across 4,000 schools.

Climate Action Plan 2024

The Climate Action Plan 2024 (CAP24) is the third annual update to Ireland’s Climate Action Plan.

The purpose of the Climate Action Plan is to lay out a roadmap of actions which will ultimately lead Ireland to meeting its national climate objective of pursuing and achieving, by no later than the end of the year 2050, the transition to a climate resilient, biodiversity rich, environmentally sustainable and climate neutral economy. It aligns with the legally binding economy-wide carbon budgets and sectoral emissions ceilings that were agreed by Government in July 2022.

Climate Action Fund

The Climate Action Fund was established on a statutory basis in 2020 to provide support for projects, initiatives and research that contribute to the achievement of Ireland’s climate and energy targets, and for projects and initiatives in regions of the State, and within sectors of the economy, impacted by the transition to a low carbon economy. The Fund supports projects that would not otherwise be undertaken. The Fund is resourced from a number of sources, including official air travel emissions offsets and proceeds from the levy paid to the National Oil Reserves Agency (NORA) in respect of relevant disposals of petroleum products, after the funding requirements of NORA have been met.

Overview of the Solar for Schools Programme Application Process

The Schools PV Programme application process is a simple five step process mostly carried out online through the Department of Education’s School Hub.

On 11th November the school will receive its log-in details from SchoolsPVProgramme@education.gov.ie and can log into the School Hub and begin completing the 5 steps;

1. Complete Expression of Interest

2. Obtain Quotations for the Works

3. Funding Approval

4. Works Completion and Final Payment

5. Performance Feedback of PV 12 months post installation

Guidance for Schools

Guidance documentation for this phase of the programme will be published on the Department’s website from the opening date for applications, Monday 11th November .

If schools have a question about the Solar for Schools Programme following review of guidance documents, support will be available through the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) helpline at 01 808 2100 between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday, commencing on Monday 11th November 2024.