RENEWABLES FOR SCHOOLS

WHO WE ARE

OUR STORY

Renewables for Schools started life back in 2013 operating as an initiative of Funky Renewables; a south London based renewable energy company. Our vision was in combining the learning opportunities which solar PV helped to provide, along with energy efficiency measures, so that schools could make a serious reduction on their CO2 and energy bills, and reinvest those savings in other areas. Our initial business strategy was focused on engaging directly with as many schools as possible and getting them to share our vision.

GATHERING PACE

Renewables for Schools's first major milestone came in April 2014 when we were kindly given the opportunity to help the Department of Energy and Climate Change put together their "Power to the Pupils" pamphlet.

At last, schools were being provided practical advice by the Government on how to get started with solar PV.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/power-to-the-pupils-solar-pv-for-schools

We continued to visit and engage with schools. We met with lots and lots of great people, from business managers to principals and from premises managers to school governors, and this was when we began to see a pattern emerging. They could all see the great benefits that going solar, being more energy efficient and increasing environmental awareness could bring to their schools, but they were confused about their options and the true motives behind the people who were offering them. We aimed to remove those confusions.

THE CHANGEOVER

We soon realised that Renewables for Schools could make a far greater social impact as a non-profit than it could as an offshoot of a renewable energy company. We decided it wasn't enough to simply be another renewable energy company espousing sustainability in schools. We needed to drive change on a much larger scale, and we needed to build trust and partnerships with the very best organisations in the country to bring together resources, expertise and answers to the issues we were facing. So after a series of talks and meetings, followed by even more talks and meetings: Renewables for Schools C.I.C. was born.

WHAT WE DO

Simply put, we empower schools and communities to adapt to climate change. By providing the framework for schools and communities to share common sustainable values, we help them to save energy, reduce water consumption, reduce their CO2 emissions, increase sustainable learning and enhance job opportunities.

We develop educational awareness around renewable energy, sustainability and climate change and provide a transparent platform to enable schools to communicate with each other. We further promote community cohesion by enabling communities to become directly involved with schools and their renewable energy installations.

Any surplus we make is reinvested to make sure that schools in the UK can increase their capacity to provide their pupils with environmental education and awareness, increase their deployment of renewable technology and energy efficiency measures, and reduce their levels of CO2 emissions.

WHAT MAKES RENEWABLES FOR SCHOOLS ANY DIFFERENT TO OTHER SCHOOLS SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES?

Whether it is the easy way or the hard way; Renewables for Schools will do whatever it takes to make it national policy for all schools to boycott fossil fuels and eventually be powered exclusively with 100% renewable energy by the year 2030. We will stop at nothing to make sure that sustainability and the environment is at the heart of the learning process in every school.

WHY WE DO IT

Money doesn't make the world go round.

Nature does.

And according to the World Wildlife Fund, earth has lost half of its wildlife in the past 40 years. The prospects for the next 40 years aren't looking so great either, according to the IPCC:

http://www.wri.org/resources/data-visualizations/infographic-choose-your-future-4-possible-emissions-pathways

It breaks our heart to see nature, the very thing which makes the world go round, being forced to have to suffer this fate simply because we sat around and did nothing. The future has not yet been written. So we believe that if we help schools to cut their CO2 and bills, generate clean energy and empower pupils with the right learning skills, then the next generation will be in a position to fight climate change much more effectively than we ever did.

We know that the good work we do in schools will in turn provide community members with the inspiration to take similarly environmentally proactive measures in their homes. In this way, we can give the Government's 2020 and Renewable Energy Directive targets the best chance of being met, whilst simultaneously progressing towards future targets, such as the 80% reduction of greenhouse gases by 2050.

This is serious business. Our planet is dying NOW, and we can do something about it. And if combatting climate change is all about education, then where better place to start?

TESTIMONIALS

KEVIN DWYER

Deputy Headteacher

St Joseph's College

Upper Norwood

With rising energy costs and climate change becoming more and more of an issue these days, the Governors and management team felt it important, as a school, to try and do as much as we possibly can to help save energy and educate our students to look after the world’s scarce natural resources.

We are excited to be the first school to take part in the ‘Renewables for Schools’ initiative. Under this initiative, they carried out a complete turnkey solution for our photovoltaic system; from applying for planning permission, DNO application through to installation. In addition, one of our members of staff was sent to Austria to attend a course in sustainability, energy efficiency and waste management

All in all, we were very satisfied with the service that we received and we are particularly happy with the fact that we could rely on them to come up with a tailored solution which was pertinent to our needs. We are looking forward to working again with Renewables for Schools to take further energy saving measures, energy monitoring and to help educate students.

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Renewables for Schools C.I.C.

4 Charan House

18 Union Road

London

SW4 6JP

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