.png)
In a bold move toward a greener future, Great British Energy (GB Energy) is making its first significant investment—a £200 million initiative to install solar panels on hundreds of schools and NHS sites. This landmark project, backed by government funding, aims to dramatically cut energy costs, allowing institutions to reinvest savings into frontline services.
The funding doesn’t stop at schools and hospitals. Local councils and community groups will also receive support to develop clean power projects, including community-owned wind farms, rooftop solar installations, and river hydropower initiatives. The overarching goal? Reducing reliance on volatile fossil fuels and securing long-term energy stability.
With energy prices soaring in recent years, particularly after the global energy crisis, this investment couldn’t come at a more crucial time. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has emphasized the urgency of the initiative, citing skyrocketing bills for public institutions. The NHS, the largest single energy consumer in the public sector, now faces an annual energy bill of £1.4 billion—more than double its 2019 costs.
Significant Savings for Schools and Hospitals:
Under the plan:
£80 million will be allocated to equip 200 schools in England with solar panels.
£100 million will go to 200 NHS sites, allowing hospitals to cut costs and sell excess energy back to the grid.
Estimated long-term savings could reach £400 million over the next 30 years.
Beyond England, additional funding will flow to other UK nations:
Scotland: £4.85 million
Wales: £2.88 million
Northern Ireland: £1.62 million
The rollout is expected to begin swiftly, with the first solar panels set to be installed by summer 2025. The impact? A typical school could save £25,000 annually. At the same time, an NHS site could slash energy costs by £45,000—especially when paired with battery storage technology.
Funding will prioritize areas with the greatest need, particularly deprived regions in the North East, West Midlands, and North West, ensuring that lower-income communities benefit the most.
Additionally, each cluster of funded schools will include a further education college, which will partner with solar contractors to promote careers in the renewable energy sector—a move that could help drive the UK’s clean energy workforce of the future.
With nearly £12 million earmarked for local authorities and community energy groups, the initiative extends beyond large institutions. These projects aren’t just about cutting costs; they’re about empowering communities, fostering local energy independence, and creating reinvestment opportunities that could lower household energy bills.
As GB Energy embarks on this ambitious clean power rollout, the message is clear: The UK is taking bold, decisive action to slash energy costs, promote sustainability, and build a future powered by renewables.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: “Right now, money that should be spent on your children’s education or your family’s healthcare is instead being wasted on sky-high energy bills.
“Great British Energy’s first major project will be to help our vital public institutions save hundreds of millions on bills to reinvest on the front line.”
He added: “Parents at the school gate and patients in hospitals will experience the difference Great British Energy can make.
“This is our clean energy superpower mission in action, with lower bills and energy security for our country.”
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said installing solar would not just help schools financially but also promote careers in renewables, while Health Minister Karin Smyth said bill savings would be diverted to where “it matters most for patients and staff” – frontline services.
Great British Energy chairman Juergen Maier said: “By partnering with the public sector as we scale up the company, this will help us make an immediate impact as we work to roll out clean, homegrown energy projects, crowd in investment, and create job opportunities across the country.
“We will work closely with communities to learn from the scheme so we can scale up energy projects across the country.”
Comments