Green Limerick: Students from five schools on ‘weather watch’

FIVE SCHOOLS in Limerick have received their own weather stations as part of a new programme to “empower students” to take “proactive steps toward a sustainable future”.

ESB Networks has launched its new Weather Watch Schools Programme, aimed at supporting Junior Cycle and Transition Year (TY) Geography students to explore the links between weather patterns and renewable energy sources.

Nearly 8,100 secondary school students across 90 schools nationwide, including five schools in Limerick, are taking part in the programme.

Those five Limerick schools are: Colaiste Nano Nagle, Limerick city, Hazelwood College, Dromcollogher, Scoil Pól, Kilfinane, Mungret Community College, Mungret and Limerick Educate Together Secondary School, Castletroy.

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Each school has received a free weather station from ESB Networks to encourage learning around energy, electricity, and the impact weather has on renewable electricity generation.

Lindsay Sharpe, strategy and customer manager at ESB Networks, said: “The ESB Networks Weather Watch schools programme is a pivotal initiative that empowers the next generation with the knowledge and skills to understand the critical role of electricity and weather in our daily lives.

“By engaging students in meaningful conversations and practical activities, we aim to foster a deeper understanding of renewable energy and its impact on electricity consumption.

“This programme not only educates but also inspires students to take proactive steps towards a sustainable future.”

Through the use of outdoor weather stations and supporting learning materials, the programme links classroom theory with real-world applications.

Each weather station comes with a digital display directly linked to the station, allowing students to gather learnings from within the classroom.

The lessons teach students how weather, like wind or solar, impacts renewable energy in practice, and how this can be used to help make more informed decisions on energy usage.

Prizes are available for schools that submit the best video of a weather report as part of the programme.

Key features of the Weather Watch Schools Programme include: Hands-on learning, as weather stations give students direct access to the science behind renewable energy generation.

Students will develop and use critical thinking, data analysis and problem-solving skills and are provided the opportunity to broaden their understanding of sustainable practices in their everyday lives.

The programme also brings together knowledge from geography, maths, and environmental studies.

By creating discussions about energy use, the initiative also encourages participation in ESB Networks’ Is This a Good Time? programme.

This initiative supports tips about electricity consumption, helping people to make informed decisions about their electricity use, such as shifting electricity use away from peak times or to times when there is surplus renewable energy available on the network.

More information can be found here.