Renewable Energy Investments (REI) has granted a 25kWp solar system to North Hertfordshire College (NHC) as part of its solar power purchase scheme.

The system has been fitted free of charge at NHC’s Da Vinci Studio School and the college will sign up to REI’s solar power purchase scheme, under which it will purchase zero carbon electricity from the company at a discounted rate.

NHC will then assume complete ownership of the system after 20 years and Toby Smith, projects director at REI, said the model would deliver financial, environmental and educational benefits for the college.

“As well as cutting its carbon footprint, it represents savings which can be spent on priorities elsewhere.

“Importantly, it also provides valuable opportunities for pupils to learn more about solar PV and its role in enabling us to achieve the government’s renewable energy generation targets,” Smith said.

And Liz Leyden, commercial development manager for the project, said the money saved on energy bills could be diverted towards other areas.

“The solar PV system has also captured the students' imagination and we hope to be able to give them the opportunity to monitor the performance of the panels for their studies.
 
“It is absolutely brilliant from an educational point of view and links perfectly to their curriculum,” she said.