On 18 April 2024, the Energy Act for Ukraine Foundation officially inaugurated a hybrid solar and storage system at Irpin School No.1, holding an opening ceremony which was attended by Robert Habeck, Vice Chancellor of Germany and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, Jörg Ebel, Board Director of SolarPower Europe, and Yuliana Onishchuk, CEO of the Energy Act for Ukraine Foundation.
Irpin Lyceum No.1 suffered greatly during the Russian occupation; the school was extensively damaged. Together, the foundation, organisations and companies equipped the school with 64 solar panels with a capacity of 25.6 kW, and an energy storage system with a capacity of 40 kWh. The system will provide 25% of the school’s annual energy consumption, and is expected to generate annual energy cost savings of €1,123. It is also expected to prevent 596 metric tonnes of CO2 emissions, which is equivalent to the annual emissions of about 130 passenger cars.
Yuliana Onishchuk, CEO of the Energy Act for Ukraine Foundation, said: “... The support of partners and donors in the past 2 years shows that we share not only the vision of the greener reconstruction of Ukraine as a part of European society, but we want to cultivate the sustainable way of living in kids... By involving them in such projects, children from childhood perceive it as the norm...”
Jörg Ebel, Board Director of SolarPower Europe said: "As donors, our commitment extends beyond infrastructure; it's about empowering Ukraine to uphold its fundamental right to education, even amidst war. Through our contributions, we aim to stand alongside Ukraine in ensuring that every child has access to schooling, despite the challenges of the Russian aggression. Moreover, we see our support as a vital step towards the nation's recovery, fostering resilience and hope for a brighter future."
Under the Energy Act for Ukraine’s '100SolarSchools' campaign, SolarPower Europe members, the Energy Act for Ukraine Foundation, BayWa r.e., the German Solar Industry Association (BSW), IBC Solar, and Menlo Electric supported the completion of the hybrid solar and storage project. sonnen, Sungrow, Octopus Energy, and Unisolar, also helped make the solar project in Irpin a reality.
The ‘100SolarSchools’ campaign aims to equip 100 schools with solar panels and energy storage. SolarPower Europe supported the Irpin Lyceum No. 1 project, as part of our ‘Solar Supports Ukraine’ campaign, which we set up together with the German Solar Industry Association (BSW). The campaign’s objective is to help install solar on schools and hospitals in Ukraine, tackling energy outages. The Energy Act for Ukraine Foundation is also a partner in the campaign.
We are incredibly grateful for BayWa r.e., BSW, IBC Solar, and Menlo Electric’s support, and for other pledged contributions.
If you would like to make a more sizeable corporate donation to Solar Supports Ukraine campaign, please get in touch with us, to help keep the lights on in Ukraine.
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