Case Study - Noranda Primary School

Search all WA Government Sites

Print this page

Image of children looking at the solar panel located at Noranda Primary School

Its hard to imagine a primary school turning into a power station but that's exactly what happens at Noranda Primary School every time the sun shines.

In July 2000, the school installed a 3kW photovoltaic (PV) system to generate electricity from the sun. The system generates about 10% of the school's electricity requirements and the grid-connected inverter allows any excess energy that is generated at weekends or during school holidays to be sold to Western Power. The PV system is estimated to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by around six tonnes annually.

Before the PV system was installed electricity consumption was significantly reduced and the school plans to reduce its electricity consumption further by about five percent each year. This is despite an increase in the number of classrooms with air-conditioning, an increase in the number of computers on site and a new photocopier.

The PV systems was developed in partnership with Murdoch University, with funding being sourced through the Photovoltaic Rebate Program, the Education Department and the City of Bayswater.

Students at Noranda and Murdoch University monitor the system's input and output meters, solar radiation levels, climatic conditions and other factors that yield valuable information about the systems operation.

The next stage of the project is to develop a web-based learning package, in association with Murdoch University, to help teachers and students throughout WA learn about PV systems.