Drax power station charity helps schools save £1.6m in energy costs

The Drax Foundation, started by the Drax Group which owns Drax power station in North Yorkshire, launched a three-year programme last year which aimed to help schools and community organisations become more energy efficient through £4.5m in donations.

Donations through the programme’s first year to the energy education charity Energy Sparks and energy efficient lighting specialists Goodlight helped both to work with a total of 148 schools to reduce their energy bills and carbon emissions.

Drax Foundation calculates the initiative has so far helped those schools save a total of £1.6m in energy bills and reduced their carbon emissions by an equivalent of 1,684 tonnes.

This was achieved by Energy Sparks providing 128 schools with free access to its online energy management tool, education programme and support services. The foundation was able to fund Goodlight to provide 20 schools, including Kirk Sandall Junior School in Doncaster, with energy-efficient LED lighting and sensors.

Kirk Sandall has so far saved £11,694 on its annual energy bills since the installation.

Kathy Thompson, Executive Headteacher at Kirk Sandall Junior School, said: “It’s so important that businesses support their communities and this initiative by the Drax Foundation is a really great way to help us save money, especially at the moment when energy costs and prices in general are so high. It also teaches pupils about the impact we have on our environment and how we can act responsibly to save energy.”

With the scheme planned to continue for another two years, plans are already in place to install solar panels at two schools in the Selby area in the coming months, having already completed a similar project at a school in Northampton.

Shona King, Head of Community at Drax Group, said: “We are proud that Drax Foundation has supported nearly 150 schools to save money on their energy bills and reduce their impact on the environment. We want to go even further this year, installing solar panels and LED lighting for more schools and helping them to engage their pupils in energy efficiency and actions to mitigate the impact of climate change.”