On June 28, the Open Society Foundations – Western Balkans established a cooperation with Municipality of Bitola for the installation of photovoltaic solar systems in six primary schools in Bitola.

The Open Society Foundations – Western Balkans will invest in the development of photovoltaic rooftop at six primary school buildings aiming to transform selected public schools into climate-resilient and energy-neutral entities and contributing to a more sustainable and resilient future for public schools and their surrounding communities. The Municipality of Bitola will undertake the maintenance of the installed photovoltaic systems which will meet the electricity needs of these schools. The produced electricity will be used by schools, reducing the total consumption from the public network of the electricity distribution operator and creating direct savings on electricity bills. Municipality agreed that the equivalent of the sum of the produced and saved energy will be made available to respective school based on the project ideas submitted by the schools community.

This investment is part of the “Sunny Schools Initiative” that promotes sustainable energy practices but also empowers communities and fosters local participation, paving the way for a greener and more resilient future in the Western Balkans. Previously, in 2022 and 2023, the Open Society Foundations – Western Balkans implemented the initiative in following municipalities in North Macedonia: Delchevo, Valandovo, Čučer Sandevo, Centar Župa, Chair, Berovo, and Shtip, along with other municipalities in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovia, Kosovo and Serbia.