SCHOOLS in Dorset can plug into the world's biggest light bulb thanks to a company's green scheme.

Under the Co-operative's Green Energy for Schools initiative, free solar panels worth £20,000 are distributed to selected sites.

The company has already spent £1m installing solar panels at 100 schools across the country during the past year - and has earmarked a further £1m for the second phase.

Underhill Junior School led the way when it became the first school on Portland to get solar panels in January.

The 130-pupil school was nominated by staff at the Co-operative store in Fortuneswell.

Headteacher Alan McKechan said: "As well as helping to reduce our electricity bills and cutting down on our carbon footprint the panels are a tremendous educational tool.

"We have a live display in the corridor which shows how much renewable energy is being generated so the children are always aware of it. They like to show it off during our open days."

The photovoltaic solar panels are installed by SolarCentury and are funded by the Co-operative and also through the Government's Low Carbon Building Programme.

Each system generates more than 3,400kWh of electricity each year - enough to power a school computer for 33,000 hours or make 180,000 cups of tea - saving in total around two tonnes of carbon dioxide.

Phase two of the scheme will see 60 schools receiving solar panels with the rest of the money being used to pilot three additional renewable technologies - wind turbines, biomass boilers and ground source heat pumps.

The Co-operative is calling on other businesses to follow its lead by setting up similar schemes.

Director of marketing Patrick Allen said: "We believe that solar panels and wind turbines at a school make a huge climate change statement to children, teachers and parents.

"Not only are they highly visible symbols of the solutions available to tackle the problem, they also generate electricity and help reduce a school's carbon footprint."

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