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The teaching staff and representatives of the HELPE Group and "AGONI GRAMMI GONIMI" in front of the school.
A 5kW photovoltaic system was installed at Donoussa Junior High School within the framework of the Corporate Social Responsibility program “Energy for Life Travels” of the HELLENIC PETROLEUM Group, implemented by the Agoni Grammi Gonimi non-profit organisation. The inauguration ceremony of the project took place in early October, in the presence of the Municipal Authorities and all of the school’s teachers and students.
This donation brings financial, environmental and educational benefits to both the School and the Municipality of Naxos & Lesser Cyclades, due to the reduction in electricity consumption, as the photovoltaic system generates approximately 6.500kWh in total per year while saving more than €550 per year for the Municipality and the Junior High School. At the same time, emissions of about 7.3 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) are avoided annually thanks to the operation of the photovoltaic system installed on the roof of the school. Furthermore, the generation of electricity through this system improves the quality of electricity in the area’s network and, by extension, the living standards of the inhabitants.
Of particular significance is the educational dimension of this project, since the photovoltaic system contributes to the familiarization of not just the students but all the inhabitants of the island of Donoussa with the Renewable Energy Sources and the positive effects of the utilisation of natural resources on the environment, the quality of life, and the economy. During the event, students and teachers had the opportunity to get acquainted with the “Earth 2030” educational suitcase, which disseminates in an experiential manner the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals aimed at ending poverty, protecting the planet, managing energy efficiently, furthering responsible water consumption, promoting health, and ensuring equal rights and well-being for all. Representatives of the HELLENIC PETROLEUM Group presented the educational tool, introducing the students to Goal #7 - Affordable and Clean Energy.
“For the HELPE Group, this is a project of utmost importance, which promotes affordable and clean energy in an island that acts as a model of environmental consciousness”, Ms. Rania Soulaki, the Group's Corporate Social Responsibility Director, pointed out. As she noted, the PV system was developed and licensed by HELLENIC PETROLEUM Renewable Energy Sources, a subsidiary of the Group, with great success, speed, consistency, and quality, despite the difficult weather conditions that prevailed during the project’s implementation.
Mr. Stefanos Nollas, the President of Agoni Grammi Gonimi, referred to the value created through this program, stating that: “Energy for Life travelled this year to beautiful Donoussa and its Junior High School, and we are very pleased to be able to offer and ‘return’ something back to the residents, in the form of money that the school will actually save”.
During the opening ceremony, the Deputy Mayor of Donoussa, Mr. Dimitris Prasinos, said: “We would like to thank all those who worked together to make this happen. We will try to implement even more such actions, which contribute a lot to improving the quality of life”.
As part of the HELLENIC PETROLEUM Group's “Energy for Life Travels” program, implemented by Agoni Grammi Gonimi under the auspices of the Ministry of Education & Religious Affairs and with the support of the United Nations Regional Information Centre (UNRIC), a similar installation of a photovoltaic system in the Junior High School of Heraklia in the Municipality of Naxos & Lesser Cyclades was completed in June 2018, while similar environmental actions are currently being planned, aiming at promoting Renewable Energy Sources and creating sustainable installations and cities.
A representative of HELPE Group presents to the students the educational suit "Earth 2030", which places the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals at the children's daily lives and aims to effectively shape the ethics and develop students' critical thinking to take action.
The modern photovoltaic power generation system installed on the school's roof.