As mentioned in our recent news post, the Academy received grant funding from Low Carbon Dorset as part of the Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF) to aid in the purchase and installation of solar PV.
The panels were installed during the week of 10th June, by local Solar PV experts Flex Eco Services Ltd and despite wind and rain the installation was completed on the Thursday of that week. By the Friday morning, we were generating our first units of energy which for most of the day, especially with the current June sun, provide almost all of our daytime power. At times we’re able to send our excess back into the grid.
The panels form part of a three-stage development, all supported by funds from Low Carbon Dorset. The three stages are:
- Installation of 39 solar PV panels which have the potential of 17.36kWp. In the week since installation the panels have generated over 600kWh, 60% of which we have used ourselves.
- Replacement of the majority of the workshop’s remaining fluorescent tube lighting. In total 42 units will be replaced with LED units, reducing consumption for those lights from around 6kW to 3kW. This is ongoing, the lights on our mezzanine and in our lofting room having been replaced already, the remainder of the work will take place in the next month.
- Installation of air-to-air heating in our newer courtyard classroom to reduce reliance on high energy space heaters. This work is scheduled for the second week of September.
The work forms part of the Academy’s sustainability goals, which include the installation of waterless urinals, using fewer resins and moving towards the use of more locally sourced timber. We are currently using locally sourced or repurposed timber for training on our 12-week furniture making course.
