Solar Power Project at Fazeley's Millfield Primary School

Year 6 pupils Lucy and Ben look at the energy display inside the school

The solar panel on the roof of Millfield Primary School, in Fazeley.

PUPILS from a Fazeley school are among 15,000 set to benefit from a pioneering Staffordshire-wide solar project.

Staffordshire Sunny Schools is a brand new initiative which will deploy solar panels on 25 schools in the county – including Millfield Primary School.

The systems will convert sunlight into electricity, which will be supplied free to the school and make huge savings.

Paul Moon, headteacher, said: "There will be significant benefits educationally – children will learn more about solar energy and will no doubt be inspired by being able to see the solar panels for themselves on our roof. Furthermore, we will be making significant savings on our energy costs which we will be able to use for the benefit of our learners, using the funds for school improvement projects."

The project will benefit through electricity savings of £90,000 per year across all 25 schools.

It is the latest community share offer from Gen Community – a community benefit society which aims to promote mutual local ownership of local energy generation for the benefit of the community.

Gen Community is aiming to raise £880,000 through the project. It expects to generate a surplus fund, which will then be distributed to community projects by way of a community fund.

Southern Staffordshire Community Energy will be the community fund delivery partner.