Twenty-four school districts in B.C. will share $5 million in funding for various energy projects, as part of the Carbon Neutral Capital Program (CNCP).

Lighting upgrades, boiler replacement, solar panels and electric vehicles (EV’s) are a few project proposals that met program guidelines for cost-effective greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction.

For instance, the Arrow Lakes school district, along with students, will install a new solar energy system at local schools to reduce GHG’s, while the Richmond school district plans to purchase three EV’s for its facilities and maintenance fleet and save $4,787 annually apiece.

Mary Polak, B.C.’s minister of environment said the program further supports the province’s carbon neutral mandate. “By investing in these projects,” she says, “school districts will reduce energy use and the money saved can be redirected to district priorities.”

Since the program was activated in 2012, school districts have reached an annual savings of more than $1.2 million in school and operating costs, with a reduction of 4,000 tonnes in carbon dioxide emissions.