Sunday, 2 October 2011

Solar schools program lights up UK

UK climate activist group 10:10 has started a great new solar project, Solar Schools. The project, basically, tries to get individuals and local businesses to invest in solar panels for their local schools using a fun, interactive website.

From Angela Bryant, executive director of 10:10:

“The idea is simple: we help schools get their own solar panels by giving them tools to raise money from the local community. This cuts their carbon emissions, generates long-term income via the Feed-in Tariff and provides a brilliant educational resource for the pupils.”

More specifically, this is how it works:

Each school is given a fun, professional website that shows the school with solar panels on it. Anyone can chip in to fund portions of the solar panels for £5 per square. (Yes, this would mostly be parents, generous neighbors, former students, and local businesses, but hey, you could even chip in.)

Once you chip in, you get your photo, name, and a quote on whatever portion of the solar panels you buy (unless you want to remain anonymous, of course). You can see an example page for the New Christ Church Primary School (screenshot above). Notice the anonymous donor who decided to put a picture of a cat up in his/her place?

Cool idea. And my guess is that it would really stimulate donations. The page, if you didn’t notice, even features a call to action and note of thanks from a teacher at the school.

Another great collaborative way to get solar power rolling. I’d love to see something like this get started in the U.S.

http://cleantechnica.com/2011/10/02/solar-schools-lights-up-uk/?utm_source=feedburner&ut m_med ium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+IM-cleantechnica+%28CleanTechnica%29

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