Students and staff at Castlemaine North Primary School have celebrated the news that they are set to receive a free 5kW solar PV system which will cut the school’s electricity bill by around $2,000 each year.
The 20 panel system will be donated to the school by the MASH community solar bulk-buy once 100 homes in the Mount Alexander Shire have solar installed through the current round.
Bill savings will directly benefit students and staff. “The school will use the first year’s bill savings to purchase blinds for two classrooms in the senior building. This will reduce the temperature and glare in the classrooms making it more comfortable for the students. At the moment in summer, they have to leave these classrooms on sunny days and work elsewhere because the glare is too bright,” says Cheryl Neilson, President, Castlemaine North Primary School Council.
This system will be the fifth free community bonus system donated to local schools and community groups through the MASH community solar bulk-buy since it started in 2014.
“Electricity bills at Castlemaine North Primary are pretty high, despite the fact they already have a solar array,” said Jo Kaptein, Project Officer at the Hub Foundation. “It makes sense to add more solar because – like all schools – they use power when the sun’s shining so the bills savings can be significant. We hope that everyone will help by spreading the word about MASH. That way we will achieve our target of 100 installations and deliver on our promise to the students of Castlemaine North!”
MASH, the campaign for More Australian Solar Homes, is organised by local not-for-profit the Hub Foundation. 500 homes in the region have installed solar PV systems through MASH since 2014. The Hub Foundation is proud to have Mount Alexander Shire Council and Mount Alexander Sustainability Group as partners.