Alssundgymnasiet, Denmark

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In Sønderborg, we find Alssundgymnasiet (AGS), which annually accommodates 400 students and 50 staff members. Alssund Gymnasiet stands out from other high schools with its strong focus and commitment to the green transition.

This is demonstrated through a variety of initiatives, including:

• The school's work with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals through various annual projects.
• Its focus on inspiring and engaging the local community in green transition.
• Active membership in the Outdoor Council's "Green Flag - Green High School" project. This project is marked annually with the raising of a green flag, where the school and its new student body commit to taking responsibility for green transition and ESG (Environment, Social, Governance).
• Organizer and host of the climate people's meeting for school and high school students. Here, the ongoing focus on the green transition in education is conveyed and debated among participating students. The purpose of this day is to provide different perspectives on the climate and sustainability debate.
• Investment in renewable energy and energy storage.

Additionally, the school has invested in solar panels, which have since been connected to a VisBlue flow battery to increase the utilization of the solar panels.

With the investment in the flow battery, AGS has experienced significant annual savings on the electricity bill, as the school has become much more independent of the grid's fluctuating prices.

The battery works practically by storing the excess solar energy, allowing the school to use this power during periods when the sun is not shining, such as at night or during the winter months.

For an independent institution like AGS, where there is not much activity on weekends and holidays, the flow battery has proven to be an extremely sensible investment. During these periods, consumption is low while the solar panels still produce energy. The flow battery stores this energy and uses it when the school reopens and fills with life from the many students and teachers.

The collaboration between AGS and VisBlue should serve as a prime example that green transition is not necessarily only a benefit for the climate but also for the economy and operations. With the flow battery's long lifespan of over 20 years, it will save the high school from high operating costs in the future.

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