Schools to cut bills with Great British Energy solar panels

Pupils across the country will benefit from more money for textbooks and teaching, as Great British Energy’s solar rollout continues to help schools cut their energy bills.

As part of an expanded scheme to fund solar panels for NHS sites, military sites and schools, over 250 schools across England have signed agreements to benefit from a share of up to £100 million in funding from Great British Energy and government for new solar panels and other energy efficiency measures.

23 schools have now installed Great British Energy solar panels and are cutting their energy bills, including Notre Dame RC School, and Lipson Co-operative Academy with Boniface RC School and Holy Cross Catholic Primary School on the list for the scheme. This has allowed savings to be reinvested in school services as part of the government’s clean energy superpower mission, enabling communities to reap the benefits of homegrown, clean power.

This is part of the government’s drive to make all public buildings more climate resilient. The government is building all new schools to be climate-resilient and net-zero in operation as part of the School Rebuilding Programme.

Rocketing energy bills in recent years have eaten into school budgets. This has been driven by the UK’s dependency on global fossil fuel markets over which government has no control. By enabling schools to generate their own electricity, it is estimated schools will save millions, far more than installation costs.

Each region includes a further education college which will work with the contractors appointed to promote careers in renewables to support growth in the construction and renewables workforce. This could be through work placements, skills bootcamps and workshops.

This follows the government’s commitment to curriculum reforms which will strengthen climate and sustainability education across geography, science, citizenship, and design and technology – from year one through to a new Natural History GCSE – helping to ensure pupils understand the planet, take action on climate change and develop the skills for a greener future.

This is alongside all nurseries, schools and colleges being called upon to put in place a climate action plan, while empowering young voices through Youth Sustainability Champions to help advise, evaluate and champion sustainability in education.

The rollout of these solar panels marks progress in Great British Energy and government’s Local Power Plan that will ensure the benefits of the government’s clean energy mission are felt at a local level, with energy security, good jobs and economic growth – while also helping to rebuild the nation’s public services.