Two Sanyo HIT solar module equipped photovoltaic (PV) systems have been installed at Rosa Street Primary School and Hamsterley Primary School in County Durham.

The two PV systems were awarded to the schools by Sanyo for their work in the Future Planets project, an eco challenge where pupils were tasked with creating a piece of work exploring the state of the planet in 25 years time if sustainable and non-sustainable choices are made.

The Future Planets project is part of the Recharging the Earth programme, an environmental education programme organised by County Durham’s Outdoor and Sustainability Education Service (OASES) and supported by Sanyo and Project C, NETPark’s (the North East Technology Park) community outreach programme.

Understanding and awareness

The programme, held for the second time last year, is aimed at developing an understanding and awareness of the need to live a sustainable lifestyle in primary and secondary school pupils in the north-eastern county. Both winning schools offered very imaginative and creative pieces for their Future Planets project, and the pupils from both schools were highly praised for the creativity of their work and their strong commitment to the environment.

Catherine Johns, Director of Innovation Development at County Durham Development Company, the company that runs NETPark, commented: “The Recharging the Earth programme was designed to really engage with young people and get them excited about science and technology. Getting young people interested in science from an early age is so important and Recharging the Earth will, I am sure, go some way towards showing young people and get them excited about science and technology.”

As their prize for winning the competition, each school was awarded a PV system utilizing 14 Sanyo HIT HIP-215NKHE5 solar modules. The PV systems will generate approximately 2,240kWh of energy per year, cutting energy bills and greatly reducing the CO2 emissions at each of these green-minded schools.

Colin Creggs, Headteacher at Rosa Street Primary School, said: “The children did brilliantly to win the Recharging the Earth project. The school is extremely pleased to have the solar panels fitted and producing electricity. It will help immensely to reduce the carbon footprint of our building.”