The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero are funding rooftop solar panels for schools and hospitals across England, as part of the government’s public services ‘Plan for Change’ and goal of reducing energy costs and making Britain a ‘clean energy superpower.’
The government, and the recently established public-owned energy company Great British Energy, are investing £180 million in the project, with the goal of reducing energy prices for the NHS and the education sector.
Solar panels have already been installed at 5 NHS locations and 3 schools, with another 8 schools due to receive them in the autumn. It is estimated that the total lifetime savings from these 16 sites will be £3.8 million, all of which will be reinvested into public services.
These sites will be just the beginning of the programme, with 200 schools and nearly 200 NHS locations (covering a third of NHS trusts) set to receive solar panels as part of the scheme. £80 million has been allocated to schools, whilst the remaining £100 million has been designated for the NHS.
The health service is the public sector’s single-largest energy consumer, with an annual energy bill of roughly £1.4 billion. This has doubled since 2019, which the DESNZ says is due to ‘the UK’s dependency on global fossil fuel markets over which government has no control.’ With this new programme of publicly funded solar panels, it is estimated that schools and hospitals could save up to £400 million.
Energy Secretary Ed Milliband said that such savings could be reinvested into ‘teachers,’ ‘textbooks,’ or ‘medical equipment,’ and that this programme was an example of the government’s ‘clean energy superpower mission in action.’
Meanwhile newly-appointed GB Energy CEO Dan McGrail said that this solar panel scheme will ‘deliver tangible benefits to the people that need it most in our hospitals and schools,’ whilst Chris Gormley, the Chief Sustainability Officer of NHS England, said the programme will allow them to increase their solar power generation by more than 300%. Gormley added that the scheme will save the NHS more than £8 million per year.
This solar panel rollout programme is part of GB Energy and DESNZ’s Local Power Plan, which aims to ensure that ordinary people across the country feel the benefit of the government’s net zero and clean energy mission.
The LPP will also see a £10 million grant awarded to English mayoral authorities to deliver green energy projects. This programme is projected to help public services, such as fire departments and libraries, save more than £30 million in energy costs.
Furthermore, whilst the solar panel rollout only covers England, the devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Norther Ireland will receive a combined sum of nearly £10 million from Westminster to invest into renewable energy projects.
Today’s announcement also comes shortly after the government announced the Atlantic Partnership for Advanced Nuclear Energy, which will see billions invested into British nuclear energy by American companies, and closer collaboration between researchers and regulation authorities on both sides of the Atlantic.
Last month, Ed Milliband set out his plan for how GB Energy can become a ‘new national champion and allow us to reap the benefits of Britain’s abundant natural resources,’ and today and last week’s announcements seem to fit well with his vision.
3 specific areas were outlined as crucial to the DESNZ and GB Energy meeting their objectives – increased investment in established clean energy sources, activity in domestic supply chains, and ensuring that people feel the benefits of clean energy in their own communities – and today and last week’s announcements seem to fulfil all of them, assuming that UK based companies play a part in this solar panel rollout.
The government has also confirmed that Great British Energy will publish its first strategic plan within six months, setting out how it will accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels and expand public ownership in clean power in more detail. Ministers have said that this plan will prioritise energy security, value for money for taxpayers, and protection from global price shocks.
As installations progress, all participating schools and hospitals are expected to have solar panels up and running by April next year. Officials expect that the scheme will immediately begin to deliver savings for frontline services, with benefits felt in classrooms and hospital wards across the country.
Supporters of the programme argue that this rollout demonstrates the practical benefits of clean energy – not only cutting carbon emissions, but also reducing pressure on public budgets and creating skilled jobs in the green economy.
As Milliband concluded: ‘This is not just about climate action. It is about rebuilding Britain’s public services, protecting billpayers, and proving that the transition to clean energy can and must be a mission that delivers for everyone;’ many will hope that he can be successful, as the whole country feels the weight of some of the highest energy prices in the world.
