Energy
September 2018
San Juan De Abajo, Mexico

The Escuela para el Futuro is soaking up the Vitamin D

A photovoltaic-system brings power to the school in Mexico.

By erecting solar panels at the Escuela para el Futuro in Mexico, the Greenfinity Foundation is ensuring that the school has access to a clean and affordable energy source. During the course of the school's expansion, the foundation was able to ensure a sustainable energy source for the school.

A school in the slums of León

Escuela para el Futuro is a private school for children in need which is financed using donations and, at the same time, constitutes the social centre of the poverty-stricken suburb, San Juan De Abajo, close to the city of León in central Mexico. The literacy and school drop-out rate in this part of the world is very high.  This school is often the only opportunity for poor children of this economically underdeveloped region to take the first step on their educational career path.  The school has been a blessing to the region but keeping it supplied with electricity has proved expensive.

Poverty in MExico
A school for a better future

We decided to take on the challenge and make some improvements to Escuela para el Futuro in cooperation with the Child & Family Foundation. Renovations have been going on since Autumn 2018: The school campus has been extended to include a pre-school, a kindergarten with playground and a garden.  The new buildings extend over a surface area of 800 square metres so there should be sufficient space for classrooms, staffrooms and hygiene facilities. So the 130 pupils can launch their educational career even earlier than expected. 

An alternative energy source on the roof

Sustainability is our top priority. So it is important to us that we are able to run the school and meet its energy needs in the long-term.  To get running costs down and to ensure that we are not dependent on the patchy electricity supply provided by the grid, we have financed the construction of a solar panel plant for the school.  This has been installed on the roof of the school and provides the school with affordable and clean electricity - a huge source of relief for those responsible for the school.  

Solar power for e mexican school in the slums
Solar power for e mexican school in the slums

The enthusiasm of both great and small

The school's management could not be more pleased about the installation of the solar panel plant: "Thanks to the solar panels, we are able to save a great deal of money and what is saved we can then be used to benefit the children", enthuses Ricardo García Frausto, the school's director.  "We are able to produce electricity ourselves and, in so doing, provide a real-life example of an alternative energy source during lessons."

A photovoltaik system for a mexican school

And those that benefit from this new technology, the children, are also very pleased.  Most of them have never seen such a construction on a roof but, when asked what it could be, all answered promptly:

"The sun brings electricity in our classrooms and this is terribly exciting."

Strom für die Escuela para el Futuro

However it's not only the reduction of the running costs and environmental pollution which makes Mexico the perfect place for solar panels, as the architect, Héctor Rabell, explains: "It is simply the most efficient form of energy production in our region as which other country has so many hours of sunlight a day?" We could only but agree with his argumentation. 

Projekt Info
Project Goals
  • Reduce the school's running costs
  • Install an alternative source of energy
  • Reduce CO2 emissions
  • Make the children aware of alternative energy sources
  • Ensure that the educational infrastructure in the region is sustainable
Projekt Location

San Juan De Abajo, Mexico

Project period
Autumn 2018 until Summer 2019
Concrete Realisation

Installation of a solar panel plant at the Escuela para el Futuro

Convenantee group

130 children who attend the preschool and kindergarten attached to the educational institution

Project partner

Escuela para el Futuro