Stiv Naumov Elementary in Bitola becomes the city's first oil‑free 'green' school
Stiv Naumov Elementary will switch from oil to heat pumps and rooftop solar; local authorities report early financial savings of about €17,000 a year across schools with renewables.
From the coming heating season, Stiv Naumov Elementary School in Bitola will stop using oil for heating and become the city's first school to run without fossil fuels. The change follows a series of energy upgrades that city officials and school leaders say will cut local pollution and reduce operating costs.
The building was upgraded in stages: old windows were replaced, the roof structure renewed and an energy‑efficient façade added, and more recently photovoltaic panels and electric heat pumps were installed. According to the school administration, the new system will supply most of the school's needs with renewable electricity and heat.
Solar rollout and early savings
Photovoltaic arrays are already installed on ten primary and secondary schools in Bitola, and the plan is to expand that number to thirteen by the end of the year. Emilija Sarafska from the Municipality of Bitola says the first round of calculations shows measurable financial benefits.
“After the full calculation, about €17,000 are saved annually across all these facilities where renewable sources have been installed. We expect that now with heat pumps the electricity bills may be similar, since they operate on electricity, but savings occur because we no longer buy extra light heating oil,” said Emilija Sarafska of the Municipality of Bitola.
Part of the electricity generated by Stiv Naumov’s rooftop panels will be used on site; any surplus is sold on the open market and those revenues are reinvested in the school. The school says pupils will be able to propose projects to improve the learning environment funded from those proceeds.
Bitola regularly ranks among the country’s most polluted cities, particularly in winter months, when emissions come not only from industry and the nearby REK Bitola power complex but also from domestic and public‑sector heating based on fossil fuels. Municipal plans to bring district heating online foresee an initial phase that would connect 33 public buildings; until that system is operating, officials say investments in energy efficiency and renewables will be important tools for improving air quality.
Photo: press material from the event
