Colleen Lee, SCMP – Jan 17, 2009
A secondary school in Kwai Chung is to go green and use solar energy to power lighting on two of its floors from April.
Wong Shiu-hung, principal of the Kwai Chung Methodist College, said he expected the initiative to cut about 30 per cent of the school’s electricity bill of more than HK$300,000 a year.
“I hope the project can be tied up with the studies of physics, geography and integrated science as it involves environmental protection and the conversion of the sun’s energy into electricity,” he said.
“Students and visitors can see how it works and learn more about solar power.”
He said exhibition boards would be put up to explain the application of solar energy and how common it was in the city.
Mr Wong said that by training students to act as guides, he wanted to arouse pupils’ interest in and public awareness of green power.
The project was funded by the government under the Environment and Conservation Fund at a cost of HK$499,728.
The Legislative Council’s finance committee injected HK$1 billion into the fund last year to support green projects by local non-profit making groups, including schools.
Mr Wong said 36 solar panels, measuring 136.5cm by 98cm each, would be fitted on the roof of the school’s old wing by early April to convert light from the sun into electricity. He said these could power the lighting of the upper two floors of the four-storey building. The lighting of corridors and 16 classrooms would be supplied by solar energy on sunny days and by CLP Power (SEHK: 0002) on other days, he said.
The operating cost of the facility was low and its eight batteries, at about HK$2,600 each, would need replacing about every seven years.
A weather station would also be set up on the roof to measure the temperature and humidity.