Intro

22 years ago the Solar Schools initiative was founded to help schools better monitor and manage their energy use, and also educate kids about energy. The program has been ‘incredibly successful’ at helping students and schools take charge of the energy they use. In 2023 the 600 schools they work with reduced 45,000 tons of CO2 and saved taxpayers about $7.8 million. But with increasing amounts of technology now being used in Australian schools, our schools are consuming energy at an ever-increasing rate. Rob Bruer, the co-founder and CEO of Solar Schools, outlines a case for installing solar and batteries in every school in the country, making it core to the energy mix in the country, and making energy literacy core to the school curricula. For more information about electrification and energy efficiency https://onestepoffthegrid.com.au