Investment in Schools with Solar Power... Busan Office of Education Promotes Clean Energy School Greenhouse Gas Reduction Project

Busan Metropolitan Office of Education. [Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Hwang Dooyul] The Busan Metropolitan Office of Education is the first in the nation to promote the ‘Clean Energy School Greenhouse Gas Reduction Project.’

This project installs solar power generation facilities at schools and reinvests the profits from selling the emission rights of the reduced greenhouse gases back into the schools.

The Busan Metropolitan Office of Education announced that the Clean Energy Schools have received approval for the greenhouse gas reduction project from the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

The entire project targets 60 Clean Energy Schools designated by the Busan Metropolitan Office of Education that have installed 50 kW-class solar power generation facilities per school from 2018 to the present.

The schools that have received project approval are 12 schools including Banyeo Elementary School, Jwadong Elementary School, Sinjin Elementary School, Daecheong Middle School, Dongbaek Middle School, Yangun Middle School, Haegang Middle School, Sinjeong Middle School, Busan Namil High School, Busan Dongyeo High School, Sinjeong High School, and Centum High School.

The remaining 48 schools also applied for project approval from the Ministry of Environment in June last year and are expected to receive approval by June this year.

The Busan Metropolitan Office of Education expects to reduce 18,000 tons of greenhouse gases over 10 years at the 60 Clean Energy Schools through this project.

By selling the emission rights of the reduced greenhouse gases, it is anticipated that profits ranging from a minimum of 400 million KRW to a maximum of 700 million KRW can be generated over 10 years, depending on price fluctuations.

From 2018 to 2022, the Office of Education has invested 16 billion KRW over five years to install 50 kW-class solar power generation facilities on rooftops, parking lots, and other idle spaces at 100 schools in the district.

The Busan Metropolitan City and the Busan Metropolitan Office of Education share the project budget equally at 50% each. Currently, installations have been completed at 60 schools.

The Busan Metropolitan Office of Education plans to additionally promote the greenhouse gas reduction project by installing solar power generation facilities at 40 more selected Clean Energy Schools.

Superintendent Kim Seok-jun stated, “We will promote this project to become a model case for realizing sustainable carbon-neutral schools.”

Flowchart of the 'Clean Energy School Greenhouse Gas Reduction Project'.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.