The project is expected to save £42,000 in annual costs (Image: Powys County Council)

Five Powys schools, each with a community centre, have been fitted with solar panels, batteries, LED lighting, and loft insulation.
This initiative aims to make the establishments more sustainable.

The work on the schools is expected to save around £42,000 in annual costs and reduce carbon emissions by an estimated 23 tonnes of CO2e.

The schools benefiting from the scheme developed by Powys County Council's Property Design Services are Berriew County Primary School and Community Centre, Newbridge-on-Wye Church in Wales School and Community Hall, Ysgol Cwm Banwy and Canolfan y Banw in Llangadfan, Ysgol Glantwymyn and Community Centre, and Ysgol Dolafon and Bromsgrove Hall in Llanwrtyd Wells.

This initiative comes on the heels of similar improvements at school and community centre sites in Arddleen, Tregynon, and Llangattock last year.

The project has been made possible thanks to the Assets Collaboration Programme Wales grant from the Welsh Government (Ystadau Cymru).

The work completed in 2024 includes the installation of 11 kWp solar panels with 11 kWh battery storage, LED light fittings, and 200mm of loft insulation at Berriew County Primary School, Berriew Community Centre, Ysgol Cwm Banwy, Ysgol Glantwymyn, Glantwymyn Community Centre, and Ysgol Dolafon.

Newbridge-on-Wye Church in Wales School received an installation of 11 kWp solar panels with 11 kWh battery storage, while the community hall had 3.69 kWp solar panels with 5.8 kWh battery storage fitted.

Canolfan y Banw and Bromsgrove Hall also benefited from new LED light fittings and 200mm of loft insulation.

Councillor Jake Berriman, Powys County Council’s Cabinet Member for a Connected Powys, said: "We are grateful to Welsh Government for this grant funding, which we anticipate will help the schools and community centres that have benefited to cut their electricity bills by up to a third.

"It is also helping them to cut their carbon footprint and moving us towards our target - set by Welsh Government - to be net zero for greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

"As a council, we want to support our communities to be more sustainable for future generations as part of our Sustainable Powys approach."

The projects were delivered by Ian Jones Electrical Contractors of Caersws.

Further funding for the work was provided by Powys County Council’s Schools Major Improvements programme.

Jayne Bryant MS, Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, added: "The Welsh Government is proud to support sustainable initiatives in Powys through Ystadau Cymru and the Assets Collaboration Programme Wales grant scheme.

"This project is a significant step towards our ambitious goal of achieving net zero by 2030, while also encouraging sustainability for future generations."

TrendForce 2024 Global LED Lighting Market Analysis
Release Date: 01 February 2024 / 31 July 2024
Language: Traditional Chinese / English
Format: PDF and Excel
Page: 90-100 / Semi-Annual