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School to produce Lm1,000 worth of electricity yearly |
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| 12-04-2006 |
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School to produce Lm1,000 worth of electricity yearly |
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KIRKOP, Malta (di-ve news)--April 11, 2006 -- 1600CEST-- The Ministry of Education has embarked on an ambitious environmental protection programme so that in time the schools in Malta would be 'zero carbon dioxide contributors', Minister Louis Galea said on Tuesday while visiting St. Benedict College in Kirkop, where a new solar power system has been installed and which is expected to produce over 12,000Kw Hrs annually.
Minister Galea added that the government aims to have schools generating electricity through solar or wind power in such a quantity that the total electricity that they absorb from the Enemalta national grid would be balanced out by the production of 'clean' electricity.
He added that, with such systems, state schools would not only be producing clean energy and reducing dependency on fossil fuels, but they would also be educating children on how best to use the country's natural resources.
Each Kilowatt Hour of electricity produced through the burning of fossil fuels adds 0.75 kilograms of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Given that the photovoltaic panels installed at St. Benedict College are expected to produce 12,000Kw Hrs annually, nine tons of carbon dioxide should be prevented from being released into the atmosphere every year.
The photovoltaic panels installed at St. Benedict College have a lifetime of at least 36 years.
In monetary terms, the installation will save of Lm1,000 in the cost of electrical consumption yearly. Considering the current cost of electricity, the payback period for the equipment is estimated at approximately 18 years, meaning that the lifetime of the system is longer than twice this duration. The Ministry said that, in view of this, the investment will turn out to be very cost effective.
The Foundation for Tomorrow's Schools (FTS) is also in the process of investigating the best engineering solution and feasibility for the installation of a wind generation system which is envisaged to be of a higher output and even more cost effective with the scope of reaching the 'zero carbon dioxide contribution' level at St. Benedict College.
"It is important that schools are at the forefront of this development to show the way, especially to the young and future generations," Minister Galea said. He added that government schools -- which make use of over a third of a million Malta liri in electrical energy -- have enormous spaces available, including unutilised roofs, and these should be taken advantage of as alternative sources of energy are becoming more feasible and more necessary.
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