French renewable energy company CVE's South African subsidiary will fund a large solar power and battery project, valued at R20-million, that will provide clean power and loadshedding relief to High Technical School (HTS) Drostdy, in Worcester, in the Western Cape.

The project will supply more than half of the school's power requirements.

By using solar leasing platform Sun Exchange to buy all the solar cells for HTS Drostdy, CVE South Africa is unlocking sustainable energy for education in South Africa, while creating an alternative income stream for its business over the 20-year lifespan of the solar project.

“HTS Drostdy gets solar at no upfront cost, while CVE will earn an income on the electricity generated by their solar cells. The 470.88 kW solar and 700 kWh battery storage project will provide clean power to the 120-year-old high school in the Paarl Winelands,” Sun Exchange said.

The project uses a carport solar photovoltaic structure and will provide essential backup energy, as well as greatly reduce the impact of near-daily scheduled power cuts on teaching and learning for the school’s 60 teachers and 1 053 students.

The project will reduce the school's associated greenhouse-gas emissions by 13 000 t/y of carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions, which is equivalent to driving more than 196-million kilometres in an average passenger vehicle.

“Our students already live in and will soon work in a highly digital world. We prepare them for this world by drawing on the latest technologies and innovations in our teaching, our robotics, three-dimensional design and coding classes and most other classes for that matter, rely on access to an uninterrupted energy supply,” said HTS Drostdy principal Louis Steijn.

“This project will deliver reliable and clean energy, while also presenting a valuable opportunity to teach students about the powerful role of technology and innovations, like Sun Exchange, in addressing the impacts of climate change,” he said.

Further, CVE South Africa GM René Laks emphasised the importance of education and the wellbeing of future generations in the context of climate change.

“At CVE, we are committed to placing people and the planet at the centre of tomorrow's energy solutions. Sun Exchange shares our vision and values, and we are delighted to collaborate with them on this innovative and high-impact project that unlocks decentralised renewable energy for South Africa's education sector,” he added.

South African schools face an uphill battle against rising electricity costs, loadshedding, and the need to transition to clean energy for the sake of future generations, said Sun Exchange MD Saul Wainwright.

“CVE's purchase of the entire HTS Drostdy solar project through our platform demonstrates that businesses can be a powerful driver of sustainable energy for schools, while also looking after their bottom line,” he said.