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Schools won't pay for solar panel rollout

Author
Rosie Gordon,
Publish Date
Wed, 25 Oct 2017, 12:31PM
The costs of putting panels in every school are not yet known. Photo/Getty
The costs of putting panels in every school are not yet known. Photo/Getty

Schools won't pay for solar panel rollout

Author
Rosie Gordon,
Publish Date
Wed, 25 Oct 2017, 12:31PM

Principals are behind an idea to fit schools with solar panels - but aren't prepared to foot the bill.

The Green Party plans to request the incoming Climate Commission to transition to 100 percent renewable electricity by 2035.

The Greens agreement with Labour says fitting schools with solar panels could be considered as part of that plan.

New Zealand Principals' Federation, Whetu Cormick, said solar would teach kids about climate - but the Government would have to fund it.

"We have about two and a half thousand schools, so that would be a very very big work program for the
ministry to work through," he said.

Installing solar panels in schools has been Green policy since 2014, when then co-leader Russel Norman said the party would invest $20 million to kick-start the program.

He estimated it would save $41 million over 25 years.

While the Labour-Green deal announced yesterday had no updated costings for the scheme, there were details for a $100 million Green Investment Fund for low carbon industries.

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