Solar for Schools

01/10/2026

☀️ Inspiring the next generation of green energy heroes! ☀️
Last week our very own Danielle Parker, Community & Education Development Manager, took to the stage at Solar & Storage Live UK to talk about something close to our hearts: getting young people excited about careers in renewable energy! 💚

The panel, "Attracting new recruits to the solar and storage sector," was hosted by John Davies from Solar Energy UK. Danielle shared how our education work in schools helps build a pipeline of future talent:
🎨 Primary schools: fun role-play activities, like dressing up as solar panel installers and other careers!
🎓 Secondary schools: career pathway workshops to help older students see where a green career could take them and learn about career paths they may not have previously considered.

A huge thank you to our fellow panellists for a brilliant discussion: Tracey Elliott (Eden Sustainable Power), James Cameron (Mission Community), and Jackie O'Meara (Department for Work and Pensions). We loved hearing about youth employment schemes and how armed forces leavers are bringing their skills into renewables too. 🙌

Who knows, the solar installers of tomorrow might be sitting in a classroom near you today! 👷‍♀️⚡

30/09/2026

☀️ A proud moment for the team!
Our very own Danielle Parker took to the main stage at the Energy Capital Partnership Conference 2026 at Millennium Point, Birmingham! 🎤

The panel tackled a big question: how do we make sure the move to cleaner energy benefits everyone? That means real skills, real jobs and real opportunities for people across the West Midlands.

Danielle shared our work at Solar for Schools and her role leading the West Midlands Solar Taskforce Skills Group, talking about why it's so important to bring young people, schools and industry together to build the workforce of the future. 💡

She was joined by Richard Parker - Mayor of the West Midlands, Ryan Shaw, a Heat Network Maintenance Technician apprentice at South and City College Birmingham with Guy Newey from Energy Systems Catapult chairing.

For us, solar isn't just about panels on roofs. It's about opening doors for young people like Ryan to build careers in clean energy. 🌱

A huge thank you to Energy Capital and Cheryl Hiles and the brilliant team at West Midlands Fire Service for inviting us, and to everyone who came along to listen and share ideas.

29/09/2026

Sometimes it is great to look back on some of our success stories!

Back in September 2015, we installed solar panels at Coopers Edge School, one of our very first school projects. Nearly 11 years on, the results are still shining:
🔆 760 panels installed.
⚡ 198 kWp of clean solar power.
🌍 800 tonnes of carbon saved.

But it's never just about the numbers. Every solar installation is a chance for young people to learn about energy, climate and technology, and to see that they can help shape a more sustainable future.

Hopefully we're sparking ideas and ambitions that stay with them long after they leave the classroom.

Watch Coopers Edge School's story below 👇

28/09/2026

🌍 Our very own Richard will be attending the Let's Talk Youth Climate Summit and it is almost here! 🌱

📅 Wednesday 30th September
🕤 9:30am – 2:30pm
📍 The Edge, Wigan

Pupils, students, schools and colleges from across Wigan and Leigh are coming together to share ideas and take action on climate change with:
✅ Interactive workshops
✅ Inspiring guest speakers
✅ An eco-marketplace
✅ Student-led presentations

Speak to Richard on the day if you are interested in solar power and bespoke sustainability and to find out more about what we do in our education work improving energy literacy among students.

We are really looking forward to this great event where young people are leading the way forward towards a greener, more sustainable future!

If you are unable to attend this event we will also be back at the Sustainability Learning Conference at Blackburn Rovers next June 24th.



Photo credit: Wigan Council 2025

25/09/2026

🎉 An exciting first for Solar for Schools! 🎉

This September we finished our very first solar façade at The Bemrose School and Sixth Form in Derby. That means solar panels on the walls as well as the roof! ☀️

264 panels are now generating 121 kWp of clean energy across the school's façade and rooftop.
Most people think school solar is all about roof space. Bemrose shows the whole building can be part of the answer. That's great news for schools that don't have as much roof space to work with.

A huge thank you to Let's Go Zero for connecting us with the school 🙌, and to Solar for Schools Community Benefit Society, whose funding made it all possible
🎉 An exciting first for Solar for Schools! 🎉

This September we finished our very first solar façade at The Bemrose School and Sixth Form in Derby. That means solar panels on the walls as well as the roof! ☀️

264 panels are now generating 121 kWp of clean energy across the school's façade and rooftop.
Most people think school solar is all about roof space. Bemrose shows the whole building can be part of the answer. That's great news for schools that don't have as much roof space to work with. 🏫⚡

A huge thank you to Lets Go Zero for connecting us with the school, and to for Schools Community Benefit Society, whose funding made it all possible 💛

Congratulations to everyone at Bemrose, the first school in our community with vertical solar panels! 👏

24/09/2026

☀️⚡ How does sunlight become electricity?
Teachers and parents, we've got a FREE resource for you! 🎉

Our Introduction to Solar Photovoltaics lesson is a fun, simple way to show kids how solar panels turn sunshine into power they can actually use. 🌞➡️💡

It's designed for KS2 (ages 7–11), but it's easy to adapt for other year groups too. It's great for sparking conversations about renewable energy, climate change and looking after our planet. 🌍

📚 Download it free here: https://lnkd.in/eju8KbDK or https://education.solarforschools.co.uk/resources/education-library

Know a teacher who'd love this? Tag them or share it with your school! 👇

23/09/2026

☀️ Welcome to the Solar for Schools family, Thomas Willingale Primary School and Nursery! 🌱

The school now has 150 brand-new solar panels on its roof with a 69 kWp system funded through the Solar for Schools Community Benefit Society. That means clean, renewable electricity made right there on site!

Over the next 25 years, the panels are expected to save around 273 tonnes of CO₂ 🌍 And the best part? Pupils get to see renewable energy in action every single day as part of their learning ⚡

A huge well done to everyone at Thomas Willingale for taking this big step towards a greener future! 💛 Thanks also to Essex County Council for their support.

21/09/2026

🌞🔋 Inspiring Futures with Solar Energy at OAI! 🔋🌞
We were delighted to welcome Richard Smith from Solar for Schools to ⛫ OAI recently! 🙌
Richard delivered a series of engaging workshops that really got our students thinking about 🌍 sustainability, ⚡ renewable energy, and the wide range of green careers available for the future. 💼🌱
What made it even more exciting? 🤩
All of the learning linked directly to our own school solar panels, helping students see how clean energy is already making a difference right here at OAI! 🔆🏫
From understanding how solar panels work 🔍 to exploring careers in engineering, environmental science, and beyond 🚀, students were inspired to think big about their role in creating a greener world. 🌿💡
A huge thank you to Richard and Solar for Schools for bringing learning to life and helping empower the next generation of changemakers! 👏
👉 Learn more about Solar for Schools: https://www.solarforschools.co.uk
👉 Discover more about renewable energy careers: https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-categories/engineering-and-maintenance
🌞🌍💚

21/09/2026

🌱 Today is Zero Emissions Day: a reminder that every choice we make toward cleaner energy adds up.

One of the most exciting shifts happening right now? The global move toward renewable energy, especially the exponential growth of solar power.

A few standout stats from Ember:

☀️ 75% of global electricity demand growth in 2025 was met by solar with clean power enough to cover all new demand.

⚡ Renewables reached a 33.8% share of global power generation, overtaking coal for the first time in 2025.

📈 Solar power grew 30% from 2024 to 2025; it has roughly doubled every 3 years, growing tenfold between 2015 and 2025.

You don't have to install panels yourself to make a difference. Skip the car for a short trip, unplug something you're not using, or simply learn a little more about renewables in your area. Small steps, multiplied by millions of people, become a real shift.

Here's to a cleaner, brighter, sun-powered future. ☀️🔋



Reference:

Solar surge halts fossil generation rise as clean power meets all demand growth and renewables overtake coal

15/09/2026

♻️ It's Recycle Week in the UK this week!

Here's a stat that may surprise you: around 80% of UK households put at least some recyclable items in with their general rubbish. That's roughly 2.3 billion recyclable items binned every year, nationwide. 😳

Here are our top tips for recycling!
✅ Rinse, don't scrub. A quick rinse is usually enough. Spotless isn't the goal, just not full of food.
✅ Squash bottles but keep the lid on. Flattened bottles save space, and the lid stays with it instead of falling through the sorting machinery.
✅ Loose, not bagged. Most councils want recycling loose in the bin. Bagged items often get rejected at the sorting stage.
✅ Foil counts too — ball it up (not flat) and it can usually go in with your cans.
✅ Batteries & electricals never go in the bin but most supermarkets and recycling centres have a drop-off point for these.

📍 One more thing: recycling rules vary by council, so it's always worth double-checking what your area collects. Some areas may surprise you!

This Recycle Week, small changes really do add up. 🌍

What's one recycling habit you've picked up recently? Is there one item you wish was easily recyclable which isn't?

Let us know below 👇