The London Assembly backs Green Assembly Member Jenny Jones’s calls for more solar installations on London schools, with the government estimating it could earn schools £3,400 per year.
Only one in fifteen London schools have taken advantage of the solar photovoltaic (PV) revolution, the Green Party’s Jenny Jones AM, revealed today. The figures are based on data supplied by Friends of the Earth, which is campaigning for it to be easier for schools to fit solar panels through its Run on Sun campaign. The government estimates a typical school system can generate an income of £3,400 per year as well as providing pupils with a working example of a renewable technology. The London Boroughs of Haringey, Richmond upon Thames, Lewisham have more than 20 schools with solar panels (see table of London boroughs below).
Jenny Jones (centre) photographed at Pooles Park Primary School with the headteacher Greg Crawford and Environment Teacher Sophia Ioannou.
Jenny Jones AM is lobbying Boris Johnson to set up a Solar PV Delivery Unit. Jenny’s proposal forms part of the GLA’s budget process for 2015/16, and would allocate £210k for deploying PV panels on schools, the GLA estate and to help new community schemes off the ground. A motion supporting the proposal for the Unit was agreed by the London Assembly and further motion supporting a solar school programme.
Jenny Jones AM said:
“If the Mayor could get solar PV panels onto half of the roofs of London schools, it would double the amount of electricity generating capacity the Mayor has managed through his decentralised energy programme. That’s why I’m glad the Assembly backed my call for the Mayor to give this a really big push”
“Boris Johnson’s plans to expand existing Mayoral programmes falls short of creating a dedicated Solar PV Delivery Unit and the crucial role that it could play in getting things moving in London. “
“Solar photovoltaics have the greatest potential of any renewable electricity generating technology in London and everybody should be benefitting from this clean energy source that not only cuts our bills but our carbon emissions.”
Solar PV Delivery Unit would take a lead role in promoting, co-ordinating the deployment of mid-sized solar arrays on London schools. It would provide support in undertaking feasibility and implementation work, capture and share best practice and provide advice on the range of available regional, national and European Funds and models used. Engagement will be with Local Education Authorities and Local Authorities, individual schools, the independent school sector and via community energy groups, social enterprises and other organisations involved with its rollout.
London Council
No. of schools (incl. nursery, primary, secondary, special, pupil referral unit, independent) *
No. of schools with installed Solar PV (data supplied by Friends of Earth ‘Run on Sun’)**
Haringey
101
24
Richmond upon Thames
77
23
Lewisham
98
20
Sutton
70
18
Barnet
164
14
Kingston upon Thames
61
13
Lambeth
99
13
Merton
71
12
Greenwich
103
9
Newham
109
9
Barking & Dagenham
57
7
Camden
96
7
Southwark
113
6
***
Hounslow
89
6
Tower Hamlets
120
5
Havering
87
4
Waltham Forest
87
4
Bexley
84
3
Brent
102
1
Croydon
146
1
Enfield
104
1
Hackney
107
1
Harrow
78
1
***
Islington
72
1
***
Kensington & Chelsea
78
1
***
Bromley
115
1
***
Hammersmith & Fulham
79
0
Ealing
115
0
Hillingdon
102
0
Redbridge
98
0
Wandsworth
115
0
Westminster
88
0
City of London
5
0
TOTAL
3090
205
* London Government Directory 2014/15
** Friends of the Earth ‘Run on Sun’ . Data obtained from FOI requests to Local Authorities, combined with the records of several groups installing solar on schools. However not all Local Authorities have records of solar installations on schools in their area. Therefore it’s possible there are other installations out there
***Additional schools identified by Green Party Group on London Assembly
