Recife City Hall will save R$4,5 million with solar energy

A Recife city hall launched last week the Solar School in Grau, a program focused on photovoltaic power generation for schools and daycare centers in the city's Municipal Education Network.

The implementation will impact a 95% reduction in electricity bill of such municipal institutions, generating a annual savings of approximately R$4,5 million to public coffers.

In this first stage, 94 units will be included in the project, with the installation of solar panels in 40 of them. At the beginning of 2023, they will already be generating energy.

“This project was a commitment that we made at COP-26, in Glasgow, Scotland. We participated in the great global climate meeting and made a commitment that we would bring solar to all schools in our network”, said Mayor João Campos (PSB).

“We are starting to install the modules in 40 schools and what will be generated will supply these 40 and another 54 schools, totaling 94 supplied. This brings savings to the city council’s bill and we are also able, at the same time, to do something good for the environment”, he highlighted.

The municipal manager also recalled that R$15 million were invested initially and that in four years, at most, there will be a return on the investment to the public coffers.

“The plates are guaranteed to last for 30 years. We will have 25 years of free energy generation for schools”, he concluded. The choice of units involved several variables, from the type of coverage to the slope of the roof to ensure that the panels have better solar incidence.

In the second stage, Fred Amancio, Recife's Secretary of Education, pointed out that they will generate energy from a single solar plant for all other units in the network. “In other words, the initiative will generate energy for all 332 schools and daycare centers, in addition to the administrative buildings of the Department of Education.”

Capacity

In addition to the installation of photovoltaic systems, the project also envisages the engagement of the school community, in the implementation of equipment and in raising awareness among education workers, students and families about the importance of generating clean energy, the environment and conscious consumption of electricity. .

For the 6th year student at Escola da Mangabeira, Kauane Dolores, aged 12, it is a source of pride to study at an institution that has installed photovoltaic modules. “I think everyone here is very happy because with solar energy you will spend a lot less. We can learn more about the environment and will help preserve it,” she highlighted.