Great British Energy

Rooftop solar panels on 200 schools and 200 hospitals will be the first project to be undertaken by Great British Energy (GBE), the investment body and publicly owned energy generation company, ministers have announced.

The project is part of a £200 million government and GBE investment.

The first panels are expected to be installed by the end of summer 2025, with lifetime savings for schools and the NHS of up to £400 million over around 30 years.

Currently, only around 20% of schools and 10% of hospitals have solar panels.

The government will prioritise clusters of schools in areas of deprivation in the North East, West Midlands and North West, as well as at least 10 schools in each region. Each cluster will include a further education college which will work with contractors to promote careers in renewables.