Easter energy saving work takes place at schools

Energy saving work at Denbighshire schools is continuing over Easter.

Denbighshire County Council’s Energy Team are continuing work to drive down energy usage and costs across four primary school sites over the Easter Holidays.

The team has managed projects across Council buildings, including schools to improve building energy efficiency and reduce emissions and usage costs over the longer term.

Latest work at schools by the Energy team includes increasing Rhyl High School’s solar PV system to 95kw to further improve onsite efficiency for energy use.

This work is part of the Council’s drive to address the climate and nature emergency declared in 2019 and reduce its own carbon footprint.

During Easter work will take place at Ysgol Llanbedr, Ysgol Henllan and Ysgol Cefn Meiriadog to install LED lighting systems across the three sites. These systems will help to reduce building lighting electricity consumption by around 70 percent and drive down long-term costs, saving over seven tons of carbon emissions each year.

Work will also take place at Ysgol Melyd to install a 10.68kW solar PV system enabling the building to harness energy from the sun to power the site, taking pressure off the local grid system and improving the reduction of carbon emissions on site. This will save the school annually around £2,376 in energy costs and nearly two tons of carbon emissions.

Martyn Smith, Property Energy and Carbon Manager, said: “We are carrying out this work at the schools to help improve onsite energy efficiency and also drive down energy bills long-term.”

Cllr Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, added “We are committed to reducing our buildings carbon emissions, reducing energy use and lowering long term costs at schools through this work. We thank the Energy Team for their proactive work and also the support from all the schools involved this Easter.