City school first to switch on to solar power

DONNA PAGET/Waikato Times

BRIGHT IDEA: Vardon Primary School students, from left, Zahle Bannister, Bhaven Mistry, Devin Hutchenson, Dean Tola-Levvy and Kale Apiti-Kahui - all aged six - had their school equipped with solar panels this week.

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Hamilton's Vardon Primary School switched on to solar energy this week.

The 350-pupil decile four school became the first of seven in Hamilton to join Genesis Energy's Schoolgen programme, which saw the school's library roof fitted with photovoltaic solar panels for electricity generation.

The other participating schools are St Peter Chanel Catholic School, Maeroa Intermediate School, Hamilton Girls' High School, St Paul's Collegiate School, Fairfield College and Forest Lake Primary School.

Students, staff and parents watched a presentation giving them information on how solar energy technology worked, discussing aspects such as photons, electrons and sustainable energy sources.

Technicians then set to work installing the solar panel system, which will produce 2kW of power for the school.

Genesis Energy public affairs manager Richard Gordon said the company's investment in the school's technology was about $40,000. A total fund for the programme of $2.5 million is to be spent on 56 schools nationwide over the next three years.

"There's absolutely no cost to the school we're paying for the installation of the panels and the hardware."

Mr Gordon said the 12 panels would "inject" power into the school's electrical system, potentially enough to light two classrooms.

The programme is complemented by the Schoolgen website www.schoolgen.co.nz which outlines the scheme and gives information on energy production.

"It's all about sustainability we've chosen schools because (with students) they have tomorrow's generation."

The schools in the Schoolgen programme are already Genesis customers, and six more Hamilton schools will be wired up in the coming weeks.

Vardon principal Marcus Freke was delighted his school was the first in the city to be plugged into the solar energy technology.

"It's very exciting for the school and neat to be leading the way for this brilliant educational initiative."

Mr Freke said joining the Schoolgen programme enhanced Vardon's standing as an Enviroschool. "It (the environmental aspect) is a real focus for the school, and a real message.

"It's good to be leading the way. We envisage our students will be teachers of other kids in our community and district. It's also a really neat resource for other schools in the area. It's going to be very valuable."

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