Wykeham goes green with solar

The Wykeham Collegiate (TWC) has become the first private school in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands to install a solar panel system.

In line with the progressive and forward-thinking ethos of the school, the solar panel system was recently installed by Genset & Solar Power Solutions.

Prior to this, learning and teaching at the school was interrupted frequently by power outages. In addition, the rising cost of electricity prompted the school to make the decision to convert to solar energy.

“The cost of electricity has been increasing exponentially, not to mention the effect of electricity blackouts,” said Cecelia Thomas, the school’s bursar.

She said the installation of the solar panels will benefit the school by decreasing the monthly cost of electricity. Furthermore, they will have access to an uninterrupted power supply during blackouts.

In addition, the solar supply will also power the swimming pool heat pumps without any additional electrical costs.

The school envisages that the capital expenditure outlaid on the solar panels will be paid back within four and a half years.

In going solar, the school is striving to achieve a ‘go green’ policy with recycling being another project that they have embarked on.

All the stakeholders of the school have reacted positively to this new development.

“We have had full board approval since inception. The results we have achieved have been very positive, which has allayed any fears the board might have had,” concluded Thomas.