• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
One Step Off The Grid

One Step Off The Grid

Solar, storage and distributed energy news

  • Solar
  • Battery/Storage
  • Off-Grid
  • Efficiency
  • Software
  • Podcasts
  • Tariffs
  • Electric Vehicles
  • Electrification

Queensland to add 26MW rooftop solar to state schools to support air-con

February 27, 2020 by Michael Mazengarb Leave a Comment

Hundreds of Queensland schools are set to benefit from the rollout of additional rooftop solar systems, as part of a Queensland Government initiative to defray the costs of installing air-conditioning in every public school classroom.

The Palaszczuk government has committed to the four-year roll out that hopes to improve the learning environment in 650 state schools, and will install 26MW of additional solar capacity by mid-2022.

The Queensland government expects the role out to create an additional 1,000 jobs through in the installation of the solar systems.

The initiative will see an additional 80,000 solar panels installed across Queensland schools, expanding on the 110,000 panels being installed under the government’s Advancing Clean Energy Schools (ACES) initiative.

“This will be achieved through a $71 million boost to our Advancing Clean Energy Schools program, creating a virtual solar farm on school rooftops across the state,” Queensland education minister Grace Grace said.

The installations are part of a larger $477 million Advancing Clean Energy Schools (ACES) program, which is targeting the installation of air conditioning systems in every school classroom across Queensland.

The program will see air conditioning units installed across 650 state-run schools and in around 10,000 classrooms, libraries and staff rooms.

“We want our schools to be places where children can learn in comfortable environments,” Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said.

“Cooler schools, better grades, brighter futures – that’s what we’re all about.”

The solar systems will be used to offset the additional energy consumption of the air conditioning units and will avoid schools having to carry the costs of operating the new systems.

Queensland schools spend an estimated $71 million annually on electricity supplies and is targeting the rollout of rooftop solar and additional energy savings measures to reduce these costs.

The announcement follows the Northern Territory confirming the selection of 25 schools that will have rooftop solar systems installed.

The NT roll-out is being supported by grant funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, which noted that schools are ideal hosts for rooftop solar installations given their large amount of spare roof space and a demand profile that closely aligns with daytime hours.

Michael Mazengarb
Michael Mazengarb
Michael Mazengarb is a journalist with RenewEconomy, based in Sydney. Before joining RenewEconomy, Michael worked in the renewable energy sector for more than a decade.

Filed Under: Solar

Primary Sidebar

Sign up for our weekly newsletter

Emissions Counter

Renew Economy

RSS Energy News from Renew Economy

  • “Cakes of coal, volumes of gas:” Australia accused of being climate wrecker as it seeks to host COP31
  • Energy giant abandons plans to build new transmission links to renewable energy zones
  • A government owned retailer has just jacked up our electricity tariffs by 25 pct – because it can
  • Aussie remote and off-grid power specialist snapped up by US giant in $2 billion deal
  • World’s most isolated grid wants big batteries to last longer to fill gaps as last coal shuts down

RSS Electric Vehicle News from The Driven

  • The Model 3 refresh rebound was short-lived – how long will Model Y rebound last?
  • Why can’t we make it here? The birth of one of world’s first EV industry gatherings
  • Australian uptake of EV and plug in hyrbids could stall without tax breaks
  • The best EVs we don’t get – where are the small electric cars in Australia?
  • Astonishing: Xiaomi’s SU7 Ultra EV sets fastest production car lap, besting Porsche

Press Releases

  • Huge luxury Saudi resort goes 100pct renewables with one of world’s biggest batteries
  • How solar + storage can be a game-changer for people with disabilities

Footer

Technologies

  • Solar
  • Battery/Storage
  • Electric Vehicles
  • Energy Efficiency
  • Software/Gadgets
  • Other Renewables
  • Policy
  • Tariffs
  • Contact
  • Advertise with us
  • About One Step Off The Grid
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2025 · OneStep Genesis on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in