A secondary school in Dolj has the largest plant with photovoltaic panels in a rural area. More precisely, it is about 356 panels mounted on the roof, an investment that cost 530,000 lei.
The photovoltaic panels will also provide public street lighting in the commune. Photo source: archive
The photovoltaic panels were installed in December of last year, and now the first cost reductions are being recorded. In addition to the school and kindergarten, the gym is also supplied with electricity.
Expenses reduced by almost 2,000 lei
“Last year, before the installation of the panels, I was paying around 6,000 lei for the electricity bill, at least now, in January it dropped to around 4,000 lei, which means for some winter months, when the sun was not very strong, quite good”, the director of the school in Ișalnița told the local media.
At this time, electricity costs are reduced by 25%. The school's management estimates that with the arrival of the warm season, the percentage of coverage of electricity needs will also increase.
The photovoltaic panels installed on the roof of the school in Ișalnița will also provide part of the electricity for the public lighting in the commune.
This project is part of a series of initiatives that propose renewable energy resources in several schools in Romania, carried out within the Green Energy for Education campaign. The photovoltaic system, with a cumulative capacity of 163 kW, i.e. 66 solar panels mounted on the roof of the kindergarten, and 290 solar panels mounted on the school building, will ensure the energy consumption of the two educational units and contribute to a general cost efficiency.
What are photovoltaic panels and how do they work?
Photovoltaic panels convert sunlight energy into usable electrical energy. The panels do not produce greenhouse gas emissions or other pollution affecting the environment. They are composed of silicon cells that absorb the solar energy reaching their surface and transform it into electricity. The electricity is then transformed into direct current, but in order to be used it must be transformed into alternating current.
