A CARLISLE school has submitted plans to go-green and install solar panels to produce its own energy.
Robert Ferguson Primary School, East Dale Street, is looking to install 78 panels on four roofs.
The city council recently said it would not object to the scheme, its also due to be considered by the county council.
According to planning documentation "the School uses 55,000.00kwhs a year - the installation will generate 26,000.00kwhs and it will pay for itself by year seven, this means that for the remaining lifespan of the system, 25 to 30 years, the school will benefit from free energy."
Graham Frost, headteacher, said: "Installing solar panels makes sense, and something we've wanted to do for years.
"It is about investing in our children’s futures.
"After the initial outlay, the school will soon be seeing the financial benefits as well as taking the climate emergency seriously.
"Even without the economic benefits, we all need to be finding ways to reduce our carbon footprint, it should be a legal requirement for all new builds.
"When we teach children about climate change, they often find it difficult to understand why there isn’t more being done.
"They have been asking me, as headteacher, 'what more can be done'.
"Making the school more sustainable is the obvious place to start, and builds on previous work in our school on reducing waste and efforts to recycle more, planting hundreds of trees around the school grounds, and growing our own vegetables.
"My hope's that government grants and subsidies might be made available to encourage and accelerate such projects."
Jayden Davidson, 10, said: "I think it is a good idea because we are helping the environment. The sun is going to help us get electricity instead of burning coal."
Luke Pescod, 9, said: "I think solar panels are great because we won’t be burning fossil fuels and polluting the air.
"I can’t wait to see what they look like on our roof."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel