Campion College to implement solar-powered water pumping system
C ampion College has received a grant of $500,000 for the implementation of a student-designed energy solution at the school.
The funding was part of the prize package that the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) awarded to Campion students who topped the 16 to 19 age group in the science category of the 2016 PCJ School Energy Competition.A release from the PCJ said the team won the prize with a model design which demonstrated how solar energy could be used to pump water to the top floor of a three-storey school building, which experiences low water pressure periodically.Since winning the competition in June 2016, the Campion team has liaised with the PCJ’s Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Department to iron out the specifications of the system. PCJ said the finalised solution will cost approximately $1 million, with the school matching the PCJ’s contribution.The system is expected to be in place by September for the start of the 2017-18 academic year.While handing over the contribution at Campion’s general assembly on Tuesday, PCJ’s manager, Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, Dr Peter Ruddock, said: “The Campion team submitted an impressive model which demonstrated their understanding of the importance of renewable energy and how to harness it for an energy solution that could reduce the shortage of water at the school.”“Their model was deemed feasible for implementation and the PCJ is happy to reward the students for their ingenuity while also assisting the school to manage their energy consumption,” he added.Campion College Principal Grace Baston lauded the PCJ for its contribution to the school and its continued support for youth development.“The Campion College school community thanks the PCJ for its recognition of the project designed by our students and for working with us to make it a reality,” she said.Herbert Morrison Technical High School in Montego Bay, who placed second in the 2015/16 Science Competition also received $500,000, which is financing the installation of a 3000-watt grid-tied solar photovoltaic system to supply power to its industrial arts staffroom.The system is expected to be up and running before the end of the current academic year in June, PCJ said.The PCJ recently held the display and judging for the 2016-17 Science Competition and the winners will be announced at an award ceremony in June. According to the release, the school which tops the 16 to 19 age category will also receive grant funding for an energy project.
