Four Mayo schools taking part in landmark ESB programme

Four Mayo schools will be taking part in a unique initiative to learn more about the climate and renewable energy, as the ESB Weather Watch Schools Programme gets underway in earnest.

The initiative, created to encourage students to examine the link between renewable energy sources and weather patterns, will see weather stations installed in each of the four schools and prizes available for the schools that submit the best weather report video.

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The four schools that are involved in the project are Coláiste Chomáin, Ross Port Sancta Maria College, Louisburgh; Saint Gerald’s DLS College, Castlebar, and Saint Mary’s Secondary School, Ballina.

Over 8,000 students will be involved, and it is hoped that it can inspire future generations to become more conscious of the impact weather has on renewable electricity generation.

Noel McGreal, of Sancta Maria College in Louisburgh, labelled the new weather station as ‘an incredible learning tool’.

“It helps us understand real-time weather patterns and makes learning about the weather more engaging,” he stated.

"We have shared the weather station link in our weekly newsletter so students, parents, and the wider school community can both see the news and weather.”

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. Additionally, the weather station is linked to ESBNetworks.ie/weatherwatch, enabling each participating school to share their learnings. 

Key features of the Weather Watch Schools Programme include: 

• Hands-on learning: Weather stations are provided to all participating schools, giving students direct access to the science behind renewable energy generation.
• Skills development: Students will develop and use critical thinking, data analysis and problem-solving skills.
• Broaden sustainability knowledge: Students are provided the opportunity to broaden their understanding of sustainable practices in their everyday lives.
• Cross-curricular applications: The programme brings together knowledge from geography, maths, and environmental studies.

The programme encourages conversations beyond the classroom, helping students bring energy awareness into their homes. By creating discussions about energy use, the initiative 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 (5–7pm) or to times when there is surplus renewable energy available on the network. 

For more information, visit ESB Networks' Weather Watch | Sustainability Education or follow ESB Networks on Facebook., Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and X