Green School Scheme of Tamil Nadu can offset 91% power use of govt schools, hospitals if scaled up: study

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government’s 'Green School Scheme' could potentially offset nearly 91 per cent of the total electricity consumption of the state’s government educational and hospital institutions if scaled to all 45,000 government schools, according to an official impact study released here on Monday.

The state government launched the Climate Education and Cool Roof initiatives in 300 green schools in Tamil Nadu. Finance and Environment Minister Thangam Thennarasu and Minister for School Education Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi inaugurated the initiative on Monday.

According to the impact study prepared in collaboration with the Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS), rooftop solar installations have already reduced grid electricity consumption by approximately 46 per cent per school. On average, each green school saves about 3,572 kWh annually, translating to fiscal savings of approximately Rs 26,000 per school per year.

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"Extending the green school energy savings to all 45,000 government schools in Tamil Nadu will result in annual reduction in electricity use would be equivalent to roughly 91% of the current annual consumption of all government and aided educational institutions and hospitals in the state," the study found.

"While indicative, this comparison highlights the transformative potential of school-based rooftop solar and efficiency measures. At this scale, the aggregate monetary savings could reasonably be expected to offset, over time, a substantial share of the capital investment required for solar installations and associated infrastructure," report of the study said.

Green School Scheme prioritises student health by addressing extreme heat, which Tamil Nadu has formally recognised as a state-specific disaster. Officials noted that classrooms with concrete roofs often reach temperatures of 38–40°C, causing a significant "cognitive drop" where exam pass rates can fall by 10 per cent when thresholds exceed 32°C. The "Cool Roof" initiative, piloted in Ambattur, uses high-reflective coatings to reduce indoor temperatures by 3–4°C and ceiling surface temperatures by 4–5°C.

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"Thermal comfort goes beyond cooling; it plays a critical role in supporting students’ attention and learning outcomes," a government publication stated. The scheme also proposes a holistic climate action with smart water management by installing rainwater harvesting structures (initiated in 79 per cent of evaluated schools) and drip irrigation (57per cent) and waste management by implementing source segregation and vermicomposting to process organic waste into manure for school gardens.

Climate literacy is also part of the scheme and so far 4,000 teachers across all 38 districts have been trained as volunteer "Climate Ambassadors" to lead student nature camps and environmental audits. The initiative is supported by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) under the BeCool Project, funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). UNEP Country Head Balakrishna Pisupati described the effort as a national benchmark for sustainable educational spaces.

Tamil Nadu government is planning to continue the phased integration of these measures, with the latest phase targeting 100 schools for passive cooling retrofits including shading, natural ventilation, and green cover, stated a press release issued by the government.