The first project from Great British Energy, the new government-owned renewable energy investment body, is to put solar panels on around 200 schools and 200 NHS sites in England.
Around £80m in funding will support around 200 schools, alongside £100m for nearly 200 NHS sites, covering a third of NHS trusts, to install solar panels.
The first panels are expected to be in schools and hospitals by the end of this summer, saving schools money for the next academic year.
The NHS is the single biggest public sector energy user, with an estimated annual energy bill of £1.4 billion, that has more than doubled since 2019.
The government hopes that Great British Energy’s first investment could see millions invested back into frontline services, with lifetime savings for schools and the NHS of up to £400m over 30 years.
Estimates suggest that a typical school could save up to £25,000 per year, while the average NHS site could save up to £45,000 per year on their annual energy bill if they had solar panels with complementary technologies installed, such as batteries.
In addition, local authorities and community energy groups will also be supported by nearly £12m to help build local clean energy projects – from community-led onshore wind, to solar on rooftops and hydropower in rivers.
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 frontline. Great British Energy will provide power for pupils and patients.
“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.”
Currently only about 20% of schools and fewer that 10% of hospitals have solar panels installed. Those that have them report savings. Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust installed a solar canopy over the car park at its Wharfedale Hospital site and reckons it is saving £75,000 a year as a result. Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust’s new solar farm at a former landfill site is expected to power the entire hospital site with self-generated renewable energy for around 288 days a year – saving an estimated £15m to £20m over the next 20 years.
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