Coventry’s school rooftops save more than £95,000 on electricity

Money previously spent on electricity can now support education at Coventry College and neighbouring Sidney Stringer Academy. Their rooftop solar panels saved more than £95,000 between March and August, according to figures published by the college.

Across four buildings in Hillfields, 1,643 panels generated 572 megawatt-hours of electricity during those six months. About 475 were used on site, reducing the amount the schools needed to buy from the grid.

The £825,000 installation combined a £700,000 government grant with £125,000 from the college and academy trust. The funding rules require recipients to keep generation data and energy bills, so reported savings can be checked over time.

These are the college’s reported figures for a spring-and-summer period, rather than a full year’s performance. Winter output will need its own accounting.

There is a practical benefit beyond the bills, too: electrical students have already taken part in a masterclass connected to the project, learning from renewable technology working on their own campus.

Sources

• Coventry College — Solar installation costs and six-month results
• UK Government — Mayoral Renewables Fund scheme guidance