The ZSE Foundation has already announced the 3rd year of the Solar Roofs program, in which it will provide selected school and social facilities with photovoltaic solutions worth 100,000 euros. Projects can be sent until the beginning of December 2024.
Today, representatives of the company ZSE Energia, as and the ZSE Foundation officially handed over 24 photovoltaic panels for use at the Ladislav Sára High School in Bratislava’s Karlová Ves, which successfully applied for support in the previous year’s Solar Roofs program. The installation took place even before the beginning of this school year, in August 2024.
“We have been cooperating with ZSE for a long time, with its activities the company inspires teachers and also pupils and their parents not only to protect the environment, but also to improve it. In our school, environmental education and training is part of the subjects biology, physics, chemistry and geography. We also guide students to protect the environment and save energy resources through clubs, various activities and projects in which we are actively involved. We also cooperate with the Karlova Ves district in environmental activities. We therefore enthusiastically welcomed the opportunity to become part of the Solar Roofs program and use photovoltaics on the roof of our school. We thus have the opportunity to actively participate in environmental protection and use renewable energy sources. At the same time, it will help the school financially, application-wise, as well as motivationally,” stated when taking over the solution Mgr. Eva Ihringová, director of the Ladislav Sára High School in Bratislava.
The gymnasium operates in several buildings. In almost 3 months since the installation of the photovoltaic panels, they consumed around 8.6 MWh of electricity, while photovoltaics covered approximately 17% of this consumption. The school’s management estimates that the total annual electricity savings will reach approximately 15% to 19% thanks to photovoltaics.
35 photovoltaic solutions for 430 thousand euros
In 2021, the ZSE Foundation started a pilot program to install photovoltaic solutions at schools and other facilities in various conditions and locations in Slovakia. The program was started with a pilot installation in Svät Jura, and then installations continued at schools in Hamuliakov, Dvory nad Žitavou, Nižna, Sološnica, Nové Zámky, Senica, Levice and other locations. So far, 35 installations with a total value of 430,000 euros have been supported and successfully implemented in the program.
„The interest in the use of photovoltaic panels within the program was really great, which pleases us and obliges us at the same time, as we would like to accommodate as many applicants as possible. That is also why we announced the third year of the program, in which schools and social facilities can once again apply for the free installation of photovoltaic panels and thus use electricity produced from renewable sources. Within this year, an amount of 100,000 euros has been set aside for support,” said Juraj Bayer, chairman of the board and director of business at ZSE Energia, as “As part of the contract for the execution and donation of the work, we will ensure the complete delivery and installation of the technology – photovoltaic equipment. The supported school is thus freed from administrative tasks, gets a contractor for installation, does not pay any additional payments, does not have to deal with the connection of its photovoltaics to the system. After installation and connection to the distribution system, we provide the school with subsequent energy management of the solution, which means support and service.”
Part of the amount allocated to the program is paid from the revenues of the Green Electricity product. ZSE launched this product in 2020, while customers with this service are guaranteed that their consumption is covered by electricity produced from renewable sources.
„We greatly appreciate all those who, together with us, contribute to the greater sustainability of our natural resources. We have decided to fulfill our commitment to the environment in the regions where we operate with the help of the Solar Roofs program. As part of it, through the ZSE Foundation, we will redistribute part of the revenue for each responsible customer who uses the Green Electricity product for the installation of photovoltaic panels on selected objects meeting the conditions of the call.added Erika Škultétyová, program director of the ZSE Foundation.
Conditions for applicants
Schools and school facilities, facilities providing social services, sheltered workshops located in the territory of western Slovakia can apply for support from the program. For a more efficient use of photovoltaic panels, it is suitable if the school or other establishments operate their premises throughout the day, for example by renting or providing premises for community events and activities.
A device applying for support must meet several technical conditions. For example, the minimum annual consumption of the device is 5,000 kWh, the maximum consumption up to 30,000 kWh. It is no longer possible to guarantee an optimal size installation for devices with higher consumption. The facility must have a roof with an area of at least 50 m2 with orientation ideally to the south, the roof must be in technically good condition, which will not require reconstruction for at least 15 years.
Equipment that is in operation throughout the day has a greater chance of receiving support, that is, for example, if the school runs a school club or leases its premises to other entities. In this case, there is a prerequisite for a higher use of the photovoltaic solution. The environmental aspect is also important. When choosing a supported subject, emphasis is also placed on whether the school is actively involved in environmental projects to support environmental education of children (e.g. waste sorting, Zero waste), as well as grant programs to support environmental activities in or around the school (building school gardens, collecting rainwater, restoration of native plants around the school). The evaluation also takes into account whether the school teaches environmental education as a separate subject, or at least incorporates it as part of the content of selected subjects.
The deadline for submitting projects is 03 December 2024. Projects can be submitted via the online form on the foundation’s website – www.nadaciazse.skwhere interested parties can find all the detailed information.
Source: www.nextech.sk
