The first 500 schools to benefit from the government's Solar in Schools programme have been announced.

Three hundred and forty schools in the North Island, 157 in the South Island and three in the Chathams will have solar panels installed as part of the pilot for the $30 million programme announced in this year's Budget.

Energy minister Simeon Brown and Education minister Erica Stanford made the announcement at Te Papapa school in Auckland on Monday.

Brown said it moves the programme from "planning into delivery to help lower power costs for schools."

He also said the announcement, while providing certainty to schools which are eager to adopt solar power, would support regional and local businesses and present "a significant opportunity" for the industry to build capability.

"By generating more clean, renewable energy on school rooftops, we can cut schools' electricity use from the grid, reduce emissions, and lower their power bills at the same time," Stanford said.

The 500 schools were selected because they are "experiencing energy or fuel insecurity, facing higher energy costs, are scheduled for gas or diesel boiler replacements, or have a need for greater energy resilience".

The installation process would take place over three years.

Stanford said large schools were expected to save around $8000 a year on average on electricity.

More to come ...