Description
Proposal for the Installation of Solar Panel System for Beit Mery Public School
Proposed Project
In light of the ongoing energy crisis in Lebanon, many establishments are struggling to keep up with high energy prices and limited availability from EDL. Our project aims to help an integral part of these institutions, the public schools in Lebanon, meet their energy needs and divert a large portion of their limited budget to academic purposes. The project also has an environmental benefit by reducing the dependence of public schools on fossil fuels. Another advantage is that the energy requirements of the schools are mostly during the day when the sun is available and in Lebanon we have the advantage of nine solar months, which makes the system more efficient with battery power at night because there are some schools that teach Lebanese students in the afternoon.
Beit Mery Public School
We started with Beit Mery High School in Al-Matn, which includes 260 Lebanese students in elementary and middle school, and more than 120 Lebanese students in high school. The school consists of three sections, where an electrical engineering team began to study the secondary school’s need for energy.
Solar System Description
The proposed solar energy system comprises of 8.64kW of solar panels, coupled with an 8kW inverter and 10kWh of batteries. The hybrid nature of the system allows it to have 8 batteries for backup and the ability to feedback excess solar energy to the grid. The area of photovoltaic installation consists of a flat roof having a total surface area of 140m2. The roof does not witness any major shadows, and the solar panels will be mounted on the ground facing the South, at a 30 degree inclination for maximum efficiency. The system will have a minimum of 5-year warranty from the official distributors of the components that will be used, and shall have adequate protection from lightning and electrical surges. Finally, all the materials used should be compliant with the electrical and safety codes in Lebanon, as provided by the Ministry of Energy and Water (MEW).
It is estimated that 80-90% of the solar energy needs of the school will be supplied from the proposed system.
Environmental Benefits
The solar system is designed to supply around 13,000kWh of energy per year as per the most conservative estimate. This will reduce the carbon footprint of the school by around 8,200kg of carbon dioxide every year. Also, the school is currently paying an average of 0.4$ for each kWh they consume. Based on that, the yearly energy savings in USD are around 5,200$.
Project Schedule & Budget
Following a brief market study, the budget for our project is 6800$ (Six Thousand Eight Hundred US Dollars Only). This budget will cover all the required material and steel structures, the engineering and labor fees, as well as any additional fees related to acquiring the relevant permits.
The duration of execution ranges from 3 to 5 business days, and the works will be done after school hours for the safety of students and staff.
This is a model that we will implement in cooperation with residents and expatriates through donations, and we will continue to study the rest of the 28 schools, and we will present them later.
The following are the 28 public schools under study:
Baskinta Public Primary School
Al-Shuwair Mixed Public School
Mazraat Yachouh Public Complementary School
Al-Mansouriah Mixed Official Intermediate School
Sin El Fil First Public School
Sin El Fil Third Primary Public Mixed School
Bourj Hammoud First Public School
Dekwaneh official middle school
Sadd El Bouchrieh First Official Intermediate School
Sadd El Bouchrieh Intermediate School for Girls
Sadd El Bouchrieh Official High School for Boys
Zalka Official Intermediate School
Aaqabat Biakout Public School
Jal El Dib Intermediate Official Mixed School
Dbayeh Official Primary School
Baskinta High School
Dhour Choueir High School
Bikfaya High School
Mazraat Yachouh High School
General Jamil Lahoud Official High School – Baabdat
Beit Mery High School
Sin El Fil High School
El Dekwaneh High School
Al Akhtal Al Saghir High School for Boys
Zalka High School
Dbayeh High School
El Mtein Technical School
Beit Chabab Technical School
It is to note that our funding is done through donations, and all our team members, including the president of the organization, Mrs. Raghida Kawerkian, are volunteers and do not accept salaries. Moreover, all donations and spending are properly documented and audited with a global company to achieve maximum transparency.