Solar schools: Ukraine’s path in the global energy transformation

Ten years ago, solar panels were associated with something niche and far from the reality of most countries. They seemed like an experiment for individual enthusiasts or wealthy companies, but by no means a mass solution. Today, the situation has changed radically. Solar energy has become the main engine of the global energy transition. In 2024 alone, the world received almost 600 GW of new capacity, and more than 90% of this increase was provided by renewable energy sources. In fact, dozens of new solar and wind power plants were launched around the world every day.

The global leaders in this area are China and the European Union. China produces so much solar energy that in the coming years its volume will exceed the annual electricity consumption of the United States. Europe has adopted an ambitious plan: by 2030, almost half of its electricity should come from “green” sources. This is not a dream or a political declaration, but a clear, approved course that is already being implemented

Ukraine is also integrated into this process. Our National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) is not just a roadmap. For Ukraine, it has a double meaning: firstly, it is a strategy for energy development in the coming decade, and secondly, it is a prerequisite for European integration and access to financing within the Ukraine Facility. The plan stipulates that by 2030:

We are used to imagining energy as a complex system of large plants and powerful networks. But the energy transition begins with small, practical steps that are understandable to every community. Municipalities, schools and hospitals can be the first real examples of the transition to renewable energy. This is the so-called “landing” of the NECP at the community level, when strategic documents are transformed into concrete solutions – solar panels on the roofs of institutions that serve people every day.

There are more than 12 thousand schools in Ukraine. Their roofs are a huge, still almost untapped resource. An average rooftop solar station with a capacity of 30–50 kW is able to provide 30–50% of the annual energy consumption of an educational institution. If at least half of the schools implement such projects, we will receive hundreds of megawatts of clean energy. This will not only reduce electricity bills for educational institutions, but also help the country fulfill its climate commitments to the EU.

The benefits of switching to solar energy are not limited to ecology. For schools, this can mean savings of 1.5–2 thousand euros per year, for hospitals – up to 3 thousand euros. If such systems are combined with batteries, institutions can operate even in the event of emergency shutdowns. And communities can direct the saved funds to the development of education, medicine or social programs.

A school is not just a building, but a place where the worldview and future of future generations are formed. When children see solar panels on the roof of their own school, for them it ceases to be an abstract topic from textbooks. They understand that renewable energy is part of their lives today. For communities, this is an example of how “green recovery” works in practice. And the scale of the impact is enormous: hundreds of school roofs are gradually converting the strategic “27% by 2030” into specific kilowatts that are generated daily for the benefit of society.

Imagine one school that installed a 40 kW solar station. It produces as much electricity as is needed for 15 average apartments. Now imagine that there are thousands of such schools across the country. This is no longer a small saving, but a tangible contribution to the energy independence of Ukraine.

The future that starts today. The world is moving towards renewable energy, and Ukraine has every opportunity to be part of this process. Solar schools are not just a tool for saving money or increasing the resilience of communities. They are a symbol of a new approach to life, in which children grow up in a culture of responsible consumption. These are concrete solutions that allow our communities to join global goals and at the same time change everyday life for the better.