Australia Considers Putting All Schools on Solar Power
By: Richard Chapo
You have to love politicians. Jumping on the renewable energy bandwagon, they are suddenly coming up with all kinds of programs to solve energy problems.
In Australia, the Labor Party is throwing around a startling idea as part of its effort to win upcoming elections. In an effort to cut greenhouse emissions and create jobs the renewable energy industry, the Labor Party wants to convert all public schools to solar power.
To understand the motivation for making the proposal, one has to have a grip on what has been happening in Australia. Cutting to the chase, there have been allegations that utility giants are strong arming government agencies to prevent the implementation of green energy programs. Specifically, there have been claims that government agencies are so in bed with large energy companies that scientists are being pressured and even gagged on renewable energy subjects.
To resolve this, the Labor Party is promoting free and open debates as part of its political policy. It also intends to create a new council, the National Sustainability Council, to improve Australia’s environmental outlook. While this sounds fairly general, the Council would be charged with making objective observations as to whether industry was meeting environmental regulations.
As to the solar schools initiative, the Labor Party isn’t entirely clear how the conversion will be funded. There are vague assertions the money will come out of the current education budget, but most countries have very tight education budgets. Labor’s solar schools plan will be funded by dedicating some education money for school capital upgrades.
The switch is designed to help schools upgrade cooling and heating systems for classrooms, bringing relief and better concentration in extreme weather regions.
While it is easy to read the solar power school initiative in Australia as a pure political ploy, it should still be celebrated. Who would have every thought solar power would become a political weapon? It appears it has in Australia.
Rick Chapo is with SolarCompanies.com, a directory of solar energy companies. Visit us to read more articles on solar power and renewable energy.