By Abdullahi Lukman
Great British Energy, the UK’s new government-owned energy company, is set to invest £180 million ($232 million) in installing solar panels at hundreds of schools and hospitals across the country.
The initiative, which is expected to benefit both educational and healthcare institutions, includes £80 million ($103 million) for solar panel installations at approximately 200 schools and £100 million ($129 million) for rooftop solar at nearly 200 National Health Service (NHS) sites.
The project, which aims to reduce energy costs and promote sustainability, is expected to begin installations before the end of summer 2025.
Any surplus energy generated by the solar panels, which exceeds the needs of the schools and hospitals, will be fed back into the local energy grid.
Each school could save up to £25,000 ($32,300) annually in energy costs, while hospitals could see savings of up to £45,000 ($58,140) per year, particularly when paired with battery storage.
Over the next 30 years, the total savings for schools and hospitals could reach £400 million ($516 million).
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Great British Energy, launched in July 2024, focuses on clean energy projects and is closely aligned with the government’s broader sustainability goals.
The company’s initiative mirrors the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, which targets a 75 percent reduction in public sector emissions by 2037.
Currently, fewer than 20 percent of schools and 10 percent of hospitals in the UK have solar panels.
The project has been praised by both government officials and educational leaders.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson noted the potential for the project to save schools money and enhance educational opportunities in green energy.
Paul Whiteman, General Secretary of the NAHT, welcomed the initiative as a crucial step toward reducing schools’ financial strain due to high energy costs.
In addition to the solar installations, the project will collaborate with further education colleges to offer work placements, skill bootcamps, and other career development opportunities. Great British Energy has also allocated £5 million ($6.5 million) for community energy projects.
Juergen Maier, Chair of Great British Energy, emphasized the company’s commitment to expanding clean, homegrown energy solutions while creating job opportunities and attracting further investment in the sector.
