Schools benefit from the generation gain

SCHOOLS in Angmering and Littlehampton have been hailed as shining examples of acting quickly to make the most of energy generated from the sun.

The Angmering School and Cornfield Special School, Littlehampton, had just six weeks to install rooftop solar panels and register for the Feed in Tariff (FIT) scheme to receive income for the power they produced, before the government controversially slashed the payments.

The installations at both schools were completed before the December 12 deadline and now they and five other West Sussex schools are benefiting from the free electricity generated by the panels, and the generous FIT payments worth thousands of pounds each year.

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West Sussex County Council helped the schools with interest-free loans and by making surveys, planning and loan applications were approved in time.

“Most of the schools had their solar panels installed by energy efficiency company Anesco.

Peter Griffiths, county council cabinet member for education and schools, said: “Those eligible for loans had to demonstrate they followed our five-step carbon reduction process which included energy-saving behaviour campaigns and having automated meter reading technology installed.

“It was an excellent exercise in partnership with Anesco as the deadline for installation was very tight.”

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Stephen Jackson, estates manager at The Angmering School, said: “We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint and, along with the financial gains, there are also many educational benefits.”

n A legal challenge by Friends of the Earth and two solar energy firms could yet see the deadline change overturned.