The UK Government and Great British Energy have announced a £200 million investment to install rooftop solar panels across schools, hospitals, and community buildings as part of a national drive to lower energy bills and boost renewable energy.
Under the initiative:
- £80 million will fund solar for around 200 schools in England.
- £100 million is allocated to install panels at nearly 200 NHS sites, representing about a third of NHS trusts.
- The first installations are expected by summer 2025, helping schools reduce costs for the next academic year.
Typical annual savings could be:
- £25,000 per school, and
- £45,000 per NHS site, especially when paired with battery storage.
These savings will help reinvest into frontline services, particularly in areas of high deprivation, delivering estimated lifetime savings of up to £400 million across the public sector.
Only around 20% of schools and less than 10% of hospitals currently have solar. This initiative aims to significantly increase uptake, prioritising eligible buildings in the North East, West Midlands, and North West, with at least 10 schools in every region.
Further support includes:
- £12 million to help local authorities and communities develop small-scale clean energy projects.
- £9.3 million for devolved governments to support rooftop solar and community energy in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
- £6.8 million for Local Net Zero Hubs to help councils get projects off the ground.
The programme is part of the government’s wider clean power mission by 2030, led by Great British Energy, which is also backing community-led renewables and helping deliver energy security and lower bills across the UK.
