There are a number of options out there looking to help schools overcome financial barriers to renewable energy and become cleaner, greener places for pupils to learn. The most common of these are so called 'rent-a-roof' schemes where a third party effectively rents space on a school roof to install panels that they own - allowing the school to enjoy free or cheap energy, while the panel owner keeps the feed-in tariff.

While these can be a great option for lots of schools, especially those with a very large roof, we felt they missed an opportunity to use the excitement of a solar installation to leverage a whole range of other benefits. By providing schools with the tools, training and support they need to fundraise the cost of panels - not only do we help schools enjoy all of the financial benefits themselves (and avoid any long term contracts), but the fundraising itself creates an incredible opportunity. Our Solar Schools build networks, develop new skills and give each and every member of their community the opportunity to feel a sense of ownership over a clean energy project.

We advise participating schools to raise a minimum of £8,000 to install a solar system. However, we hope and expect many schools will be able to raise £10,000 and some as much as £30,000. There is no fixed upper limit. One of the reasons we chose to focus on solar PV is because its modular nature allows fundraising targets to be adapted to suit each individual school and each school selects a target based on their roof capacity and level of ambition!

Right now, Solar Schools is in its second year and the schools taking part are testament to what can be achieved. Together they've raised over £100,000 in just over one term, been celebrated in parliament and won awards for their efforts! Take a look at one school's inspiring story to get a flavour of what makes this project so special, then register for applications now to get involved.

"[Solar Schools] has been a turning point." Sarah Sharrock, governor and Solar Schools volunteer

Solar Schools is run by 10:10, a climate change project that offers positive, practical ways to cut carbon at home, at work and in your local area. We work with a brilliant set of partners: Mumsnet, Cooperative Energy, Lush, The Gulbenkian Foundation, NESTA, the Bertha Foundation and the Tudor trust to make it all happen.

The project is organised around the school calendar, so we welcome a new group of schools for each academic year. Taking part in Solar Schools is a major commitment for the team involved, so we ask prospective participants to complete an extensive application process to make sure it's the right project at the right time.

Applications are now open for Solar Schools 2013-14. After registering, we'll talk you through exactly what the full application process will involve.

We will accept applications from anyone willing to lead the Solar Schools effort on behalf of a school. But, in order to proceed with an application and be accepted onto the project, we do ask for evidence that all of the key stakeholders at that school (headteacher, governors, building owner, local authority or equivalent, PTA where appropriate) are supportive of the application and the person making that application. You can provide all of this information as you go through the application process and we'll guide you through the steps to get there.

If you know a school that could do something amazing then make sure they don't miss out - register for applications before 29 May 2013 and we'll help you do the rest.

The most important thing we need from you is enthusiasm – you don't need to be a solar expert or a fundraising veteran to take part! The majority of schools in the UK can support at least a small solar rig, but as part of your application we will ask you to have a basic building survey done by a solar installer (they will do this for free as part of their marketing). This should flag up potential barriers and also give you a sense of the potential capacity of your roof.

Beyond that, Solar Schools is at its best when the whole school gets behind it. So, as part of your application, we'll ask you to form a team of volunteers to run the project (staff, parents, governors, community members - anyone with a passion for your school and what you want to achieve) and demonstrate that you have the support and backing of all the key people at your school: headteacher, governors, building owner, local authority or equivalent, and PTA where appropriate. After registering to apply, we'll guide you through all of this.

We want to work with a whole variety of schools of different size, type and location. As long as you have the energy and enthusiasm to drive the project forwards then we would love to hear from you.

We want to Solar Schools to be the right project for your school. So, the application process is designed to make sure that all the building blocks you need for a successful project are in place and that no-one invests time and energy unless we are confident we can help them to succeed!

To get started, simply register for applications before 29 May by filling in some basic details here. After that, you'll get a login to our online application process that will guide you through the steps you need to take to complete an application. After finding out a bit more about you and your school, we’ll provide you with all the resources and support you need to get together evidence of three key things:

1. The support of all the key people at the school – we provide draft letters of support for headteachers, governors, PTAs, local authorities and/or building owners to sign.
2. A roof suitable for solar! We’ll talk you through having a solar installer check out your roof (don’t worry, it’s free).
3. A team ready and willing to work on the project with you.

After registering for applications, you’ll have till 26 June to get all of this together and we’ll be on hand the whole way to provide support and assistance.

We want Solar Schools to be open to all schools, that's why we fundraise to cover the costs of running the project and provide the website and tools free of charge. We don't ask schools to pay anything upfront to take part but, to help the project run long term, we ask schools to make a donation from the first feed-in tariff payment they receive once fundraising is complete and the school has installed solar. This donation will go towards the cost of supporting more communities to take part in the project the subsequent year.

We've structured it this way so schools don't need to stump up money from already squeezed budgets or raise any additional funds over and above what they want to spend on solar. Instead, the donation will come from the feed-in tariff income the school will receive as a result of taking part in Solar Schools - you can find out more about feed-in tariffs here. We'll continue to fundraise to cover the rest of the project running costs and keep helping schools and communities go solar for many more years to come!

We provide the resources, training and support that participants need to fundraise for solar panels - reaching out beyond the school gates to involve their whole community. Each school taking part receives:

• Their own page on the Solar Schools website. The webpage makes it easy for family, friends and businesses to donate in a simple and engaging way, while through the admin area, teams at each school can tell their story, communicate with past and future donors, and fundraise online like pros.
• Banners, posters and stickers to help schools spread the word locally.
• Training at regional induction sessions followed by review and refresh sessions in January.
• Ongoing support from Solar Schools staff providing individual and group assistance through newsletters, webinars and email and telephone support.
• PR support and the publicity benefits of taking part in an exciting national project.
• Advice and inspiration from other Solar Schools - past and present.

Solar Schools brings huge benefits to a school and their community. But, as with anything - you get out what you put in! We advise each school taking part to form a team of 3-6 individuals to drive the fundraising, ideally a mix of staff and volunteers, supported by students. Having a PTA or 'Friends of' on board makes a big difference too. Participants on each team will be able to attend regional training sessions and liaise with us throughout the year.

10:10, the organisation behind Solar Schools, will sign a contract with each school which has been designed to provide a clear agreement between all parties involved.

Solar panels are an incredible resource for a school, churning out data that can be incorporated into a variety of subjects. But the opportunities kick in before the panels are installed.

To successfully fundraise, a school needs to involve their whole community and we encourage our schools to put their pupils right at the heart of that effort. Solar Schools presents a unique opportunity to give young people ownership over a positive, practical project that actively tackles climate change while developing a host of other skills in the process.

We've seen pupils running their own fundraising events, setting up school-wide energy reduction campaigns, appearing in local media, writing and implementing communications plans and pitching to local business forums.

Sheets in the resource packs give suggestions for involving students in the journey and integrating panels into teaching, and we involve pupils in our online and offline training sessions. The best examples of student involvement are featured in our social media, blogs and email newsletters.

Solar Schools was a commended finalist in the educational initiative category at the 2013 Climate Week awards.

"Solar Schools has completely re-invigorated our students' approach to sustainability. We've had pupils queuing down the corridor to get into our eco-team meets" Gary, teacher.

We provide the resources, support and training that schools need to achieve incredible things. For some, that's turbocharging existing efforts; for others it might be the first big fundraising project their school has undertaken. We encourage our teams to be ambitious but realistic and work with them to set targets that they think are achievable. Our tools and support are designed to help schools reach beyond the usual suspects and bring a new audience closer to the school - for this project and hopefully others in the future too. Schools taking part this year have increased their usual annual fundraising targets approximately threefold and been amazed by the results.

"I cannot believe everyone's generosity this last week considering how badly the village was affected by recent flooding. We've raised nearly as much in one week as we normally raise in a year!" Trevor Caves, Headteacher

However, each school faces different challenges and we know that sometimes life (especially in a school!) can get in the way! When you're trying to do something ambitious, there's always an element of risk. We're here to help overcome challenges and explore new avenues but, in the event that a school doesn't hit their target, or discovers for any other reason that they can't install solar, there is the potential to invest the money they have raised in other energy saving measures. This may still be solar PV, but if not, we can help that school decide how to spend their money wisely and communicate this to their supporters. In our experience, donors trust a school's judgement.

The Solar Schools project has been designed to bring lots of benefits, other than just the eventual solar installation. When a school really gets into the spirit of the project and puts the time in, we hope that even in the event of targets not being hit, they still find it a hugely rewarding process to be part of.

We believe that Solar Schools can be an incredible thing for a school to take part in, and we'd love to work with every school in the UK. But, sadly places are limited. The application process is designed firstly to help schools work out if the project is the right thing for them. Beyond that, we'll be basing our selection on getting an even mix of different schools and different locations.

At the moment, Solar Schools is only open to schools in England and Wales. Differences in the way schools, and in particular their budgets, are handled in Scotland means that our model needs a bit of tweaking before we're confident it's fit for schools north of the border. However, we'd love to get it right. If you're a school in Scotland and you'd like to work with us to create something that suits then get in touch - hello@solarschools.org.uk

Prospective Solar Schools need to have started their applications by 29 May, and completed them by 26 June. We'll let all applicants know whether they've been successful by the end of June.

By the end of June, we will announce will schools will be joining the Solar Schools project in September 2013. At that point, each school will be asked to sign a contract between themselves and 10:10 - confirming their place on the project. Then it's a summer of hatching plans before we meet face to face at regional training sessions in September!

You don't have to be connected to a school to get involved! Here's how you can play your part:

1. Help us find the Solar Schools superstars of tomorrow!
   Applications for Solar Schools 2013-14 are now open, and we'd love your help to spread the word. Maybe your old primary would like to go green or you know a parent or teacher that's a Solar Schools star of tomorrow? Make sure they register for applications before 29 May 2013. http://www.solarschools.org.uk/apply
2. Donate to a Solar School, then tell the world!
   Every pound you donate will help a school save money to put back into their pupils' education, while also saving carbon and providing a great learning resource. Head to the homepage to find a school to support!

The simplest way you can help would be to encourage your organisation to sponsor a whole virtual panel (or more) for a school of your choice! On donations of £100 or more, you can personalise the virtual solar panel with your own message of support and a link to your businesses' website. Head to the homepage to find a school to support!

If you'd like to help a school another way - perhaps with an in-kind donation or an idea for a great fundraiser - then please do get in touch with them directly using the contact details on their page.

Thank you! After donating, the best things you can do are:

• Spread the word: Share the link on Facebook, mention us on Twitter, email your friends, bring it up at dinner - you get the idea!
• Donate some time: From organising a cake sale to running a sponsored marathon, our schools would love your help. If you can give more than money, get in touch with a school using the contact details on their page!
• Persuade your workplace to get involved: They could donate some money or support in other ways.
• Get another school involved: Applications for Solar Schools year two are now open! Schools have until 29 May 2013 to register to apply, and we'd love your help in spreading the word - http://www.solarschools.org.uk/apply.

Feed-in tariffs (FITs) are a government incentive scheme designed to encourage the installation of solar panels and other renewable energy in the UK. Anyone with a registered solar installation gets quarterly FIT payments based on the amount of energy their panels produce.

There are two rates of payment - one for energy produced and used by the school and one for any surplus that is exported to the grid. These payments are guaranteed for 20 years, providing a sustainable income for schools to spend as they please!

For example, a school raising £10,000 might install seven kilowatts of solar which, as well as saving approximately £400 a year on energy bills, would result in feed-in tariff payments totalling close to £950 a year.

You can find out more about feed-in tariffs and how they work on the government website.

Because we help schools to crowdfund the cost of a solar installation, the panels and all of the benefits associated with them belong entirely to each school. We do not handle any of the money: instead, the Solar Schools website is integrated with the payment system GoCardless that transfers money directly into an account of the schools choosing. By purchasing the rig themselves, the school avoids becoming entangled in complicated long-term leasing arrangements.

Solar Schools is not a solar installation company or partnered with any solar companies. Decisions around installers and technology will be made by the school in close cooperation with their local authority and/or building owner.

As with all parts of the project, our role is to provide each school with the support, resources and advice they need, in this case, to become savvy solar purchasers. Each school will need to abide by public procurement policy, and should get advice from their local authority accordingly.

As part of your application, we ask that you have a solar installer provide a free quote for your school roof to help identify any obvious problems. However, this is by no means comprehensive and there is always a risk that further surveying, or a change in circumstances, means that installing solar is no longer possible. In this event, the contract between 10:10 and a participating school specifies that any money raised can be spent on alternative energy saving measures at that school, like LED lighting.

10:10 will help a school communicate this to their donors who, in our experience, understand that these things happen and trust a school's judgement.

One of the things that we think is so exciting about Solar Schools is that it could be used in all sorts of different ways - for different renewable technologies and for different community centred buildings. We would love to hear your ideas. If we can demonstrate that there's a real appetite out there for other applications then we're more able to get the support we need to do it. Use this form to fill in some details and if we do branch out, you'll be the first to know.

The calculations and estimated returns we provide on this website are only designed to give an idea of the costs and returns that can be seen with solar. They should be taken as a very rough estimate. In order to do our calculations we make some assumptions.

For investments of:

• £10,000 and less we assume an install price of £2,375/kWp
• £10,001 - £15,000 we assume an install price of £1,750/kWp
• £15,001 - £20,000 we assume an install price of £1,375/kWp

Carbon savings are based on a grid average of 0.52kg CO2/kWh

Potential returns are based on an unshaded south facing roof at 30 degrees with a grid electricity price of 15.32p and a school using 50% of the energy they produce.

Feed-in tariff levels based on levels at time of writing i.e. 1 February 2013 - 1 May 2013.

To create a picture of overall returns, we have calculated feed-in tariffs over 20 years but carbon savings and energy bills over 25 years - reflecting the usual lifespan of panels.

This website is governed by the terms and conditions laid out here.

When you donate to Solar Schools we gather some data about you - the nature and use of which is laid out in our privacy policy.

We have a Code of Conduct which gives guidelines for messages posted on this website by users. You can read it here.