New research from HKBU’s Department of Geography and the Asian Energy Studies Centre in collaboration with Greenpeace has demonstrated the potential for schools to generate solar power and save energy.

The research team visited 22 primary and secondary schools earlier this year to estimate the solar potential of these schools.

The research estimates that if 19 of the 22 interviewed schools use half of their rooftop areas to install solar panels, an annual amount of over 2.4 million kilowatt hours of clean electricity could be generated. This is equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of 751 three-person Hong Kong households.

Dr Daphne Mah, Director of Asian Energy Studies Centre, said: “Renewable energy makes up less than 1% of the current energy mix in Hong Kong. The government needs to make good use of the solar potential available at over 1,000 primary and secondary schools to avoid wasting natural resources.”