Reducing Costs and Ensuring Reliable Power for Education Facilities

South African schools are feeling the impact of the recent electricity price increase. The need for affordable and reliable energy solutions has never been greater. Solar energy offers a powerful solution for schools looking to cut down on costs while ensuring uninterrupted power for education.

Why Solar Power is Perfect for Schools:

Solar energy is a clean, renewable source of power that provides long-term cost savings. Schools have large roof spaces, and electricity consumption patterns that are largely during sunlight hours. This makes them ideal candidates for solar installations, allowing them to generate their own electricity and reduce their dependence on the national grid.

The Financial Benefits:

With the recent annual electricity price hike, schools are seeing their operational costs rise significantly. By switching to solar, schools can lower their monthly utility bills and protect themselves from future price increases. In fact, schools that switch to solar can expect savings of up to 70% or more on electricity over a month.

Uninterrupted Learning:

Grid interruptions can severely disrupt school operations, impacting both students and staff. Solar solutions, when paired with battery backups, provide consistent power throughout the day, ensuring that learning is never interrupted.

Environmental Impact:

Solar energy helps schools reduce their carbon footprint, contributing to a greener, more sustainable environment. Teaching students about the importance of clean energy also instils a sense of environmental responsibility.

Government Incentives and Financing Options:

The South African government offers incentives and rebates for institutions that invest in renewable energy. Schools can take advantage of these financial benefits to make the transition to solar more affordable. There are also lucrative power purchase agreement (PPA) solutions available via financing partners. Zero Point Energy has trusted financial PPA partners we work with that can assist in financial assistance for schools to adopt renewable energy solutions.

 

Application Example:

Zero Point Energy was appointed as the EPCM (engineering, procurement & construction management) contractor for a portfolio of seven public school alternate energy projects earlier in 2024. The total capacity was 400kW of hybrid inverter capacity, 206 kW of solar PV capacity and 400 kWhr of lithium-ion battery energy storage capacity.

This project was commissioned and signed off by a South African public sector Provincial Department of Education. We successfully engineered and oversaw these projects, which have now been operational for over 4 months.

 

The impact has been substantial, providing significant savings on electricity bills for the schools and ensuring up to 4 hours of continuous load-shedding protection, thereby safeguarding valuable class time for students.

Solar power offers a transformative solution for schools. It reduces costs, ensures reliable power, and promotes environmental sustainability. As electricity prices continue to rise, now is the perfect time for schools to invest in solar solutions. Zero Point Energy has both the skills and expertise to assist schools with integrating renewable energy solutions into their existing systems and providing guidance on financing options.