Africa-Press – South-Africa. The Western Cape education department (WCED) has pulled out all the stops to ensure schools are unaffected by load shedding.
A total of 41 Western Cape schools have applied to install solar panels to reduce their environmental impact and electricity costs.
The department said the combined peak capacity of these installations was 25.87 MWp.
Education MEC David Maynier said load shedding presented a challenge for schools.
“A number of our schools have already taken steps to become energy resilient, with 41 having applied for solar installations. In addition, 25 schools have had their existing lights replaced with energy-saving LED lights through a pilot project with Stellenbosch University,” he said.
Maynier said the department was committed to supporting schools reduce their energy consumption.
“Load shedding also presents a challenge when we process extremely late applications onto the online system, slowing down the process.
“We ask for parents’ patience and understanding in this regard as we all navigate the challenges of load shedding together,” the MEC said.
In one example, Tamboerskloof Primary School has installed a battery storage system to keep the lights on during load shedding and allow teaching and learning to continue.
These projects have been funded by the schools, either through school governing body funds or by entering into lease agreements with firms such as Sun Exchange, a solar leasing platform, valued at over R46 million.
The department provided 40% of the funding for the project in the 2021/22 financial year. The replacement of fluorescent lights with LED lights can lead to an annual saving of up to R36 000 per school.
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