A NEW primary school in the Valleys is to get a share of £1.8 million to fit solar energy panels on the building.

The new Rhiw Sir Dafydd Primary - which is due to open on the site of Oakdale Infants next January - learnt it would get the cash this week. Councillor Allan Pritchard, chairman of the temporary board of governors for the new school, said: "We are looking to make it an eco-friendly school and minimise energy costs.

"We will also be using the surface water and drain water for flushing toilets.

"There is a higher capital cost but with long-term savings and it's more friendly towards the planet.

"We were depending on this money to upgrade it." The cash has come from the Department of Trade and Industry's programme to fit solar energy installation panels.

Oakdale Infants School currently provides for 240 pupils. An extension to the existing school has been designed by Caerphilly council to create a new primary, and when the new junior wing is completed it will provide facilities for a total of 540 pupils - many coming from the Rhiw Syr Dafydd Junior, which will close next year.

The solar photovoltaic system will be installed by Sundog Energy Ltd. It will be incorporated into the new junior wing and will comprise an integrated array of 288 tiles split across two roofs.

The aim is also to help educate the community in sustainability and energy efficiency, as well as providing a blueprint of what can be done in other schools.

Energy Minister Malcolm Wicks said: "Generating electricity at a local level from micro-technologies such as solar panels and micro wind turbines has the potential to make a significant contribution to the UK's future energy needs."