Great British Energy has announced its first major investment, allocating £200 million to fund renewable energy projects across England’s public sector. The initiative will see rooftop solar panels and other clean technologies installed at hundreds of schools and hospitals.
Around £80 million will support 200 schools, while nearly £100 million will fund clean energy at 200 NHS sites, helping to cut energy bills and reduce carbon emissions. The first solar panels are set to be installed by the end of summer, with savings expected from the start of the new academic year.
With energy costs soaring in recent years, the NHS, one of the UK’s biggest public sector energy users, has been particularly affected. Currently, only 20 per cent of schools and fewer than 10 per cent of hospitals have solar panels, despite the technology’s potential to reduce costs.
A typical school could save up to £25,000 annually, while an NHS site could save up to £45,000. Over 30 years, the investment is expected to deliver savings of £400 million and support the NHS’s target of reaching net zero by 2040.
Alongside this, £12 million will be invested in local clean energy projects across England, with a further £9.3 million allocated to similar schemes in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Great British Energy Chair Juergen Maier said the investment would help schools and hospitals generate their own power, lower costs and strengthen the UK’s energy security.
