Hundreds of schools and NHS sites will get funding for renewables in the first major investment by the publicly owned clean energy company.
The first major project for publicly owned Great British Energy will fund solar panels on the roofs of hundreds of schools and hospitals, the Government said.
Commercial Solar Installation – Ryedene Primary School, Essex (Image: Tanjent)
A £200 million investment from the clean energy company’s Government-funded budget will put rooftop solar on schools and NHS sites in efforts to save hundreds of millions of pounds on energy bills and free up cash to reinvest in frontline services.
The investment also includes funding for councils and community groups to build local clean power projects, such as community-owned onshore wind, rooftop solar and hydropower in rivers.
Hospitals and schools have faced soaring bills in the face of the energy crisis, driven by volatile fossil fuel prices, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) said.
The NHS is the single biggest public sector energy user with an estimated annual bill of £1.4 billion – a cost that has more than doubled since 2019.
Read more: Independent