Parents for Climate, Future Ready Schools, and the NSW/ACT Electrical Trades Union (ETU) have welcomed a motion passed at the NSW Labor Conference on the weekend calling for a comprehensive rollout of solar generation and battery storage at every public school and early learning centre in New South Wales.
The motion, which calls on NSW Labor to deliver solar and batteries at public schools and childcares across the state, reflects what parents have been saying for years: clean energy on school rooftops is one of the most practical, popular and cost-effective investments a government can make.
Parents for Climate, which represents more than 25,000 parents, grandparents and carers across Australia who want practical climate action for families say a state wide roll out would create thousands of good jobs, and give students a real world opportunity to learn about clean energy.
Great signal
Nic Seton is the CEO of Parents for Climate. He said, ‘This is a great signal from NSW Labor, and we are genuinely excited to see it.
‘Solar and batteries on schools isn’t a radical idea, it’s common sense. It cuts energy bills, keeps classrooms cooler and safer, and puts more clean energy into the grid where communities can benefit from it. We’re glad the party agrees.’
Electrical Trades Union (ETU) NSW Secretary, Allen Hicks said, ‘This is a common-sense move that would not only provide schools and daycares with clean energy, but would also provide around 2000 new local jobs.
‘What better way to show the kids of NSW what the future of clean energy looks like – and what a career in the clean energy industry can look like – than to have solar and batteries installed in their very own school.
‘This move would be a win for our kids, a win for local jobs and a win for the community as a whole.’
Beth Mitchell, founder of Future Ready Schools, said ‘Solar and batteries for public schools is a fantastic way to bring the benefits of clean energy to the whole community.
‘Schools are spread right across our towns and cities, and they use energy at different times to households, particularly outside the evening peak and during school holidays. That means these systems can cut costs, reduce pressure on the grid, and strengthen local energy resilience. Reinvested back into schools, these benefits can help improve classroom comfort and deliver classrooms that are safer and more comfortable in extreme heat and cold.’
Savings
According to modelling by Beyond Zero Emissions in 2020, large schools could save around $114,000 per year on energy bills, money that goes back into classrooms and student support rather than electricity retailers.
‘Parents for Climate found that early learning centres could save up to $14,600 annually, helping to ease pressure on fees for families. Battery storage means schools can keep the lights and air conditioning on during blackouts, and can feed stored energy back into the grid during peak demand period,’ said Nic Seton.
‘This would help to lower power prices for the whole community. New South Wales has the largest public education system in the Southern Hemisphere. A coordinated rollout across every public school and preschool would be one of the largest distributed clean energy projects in the country’s history, putting solar close to the communities that use it.
‘Passing the motion is the right first step. Now we want to see the NSW Government commit to funding it. Parents across the state will be watching, and they will be cheering the government on.’
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