The UK government’s energy company, Great British Energy, has funded the installation of solar energy at 23 schools, as the full list of more than 250 schools set to receive solar energy funding has been announced.
After announcing in early October that the funding would be for schools, NHS sites and military sites to install renewable generation expanded to £255 millionGB Energy has now signed contracts with 255 schools across England that will receive a share of £100 million (increased from the initial £80 million commitment) in government-backed funding.
To date, GB Energy has financed 23 solar energy installations in schools. It will be covered by the scheme from September this year solar PV installations in schools had cost £1.3 million and a total power of 526 kW.
According to the government, the savings from solar energy generation will be reinvested in school services. Energy Minister Michael Shanks said: “Great British Energy is helping schools save money on bills, meaning more money for textbooks and technology.”
Under the scheme, at least ten schools in each region of England will receive funding to cover the cost of solar installations, with additional government focus on schools “grouped in deprived areas”.
According to Mark Greatrex, chief executive of the Bellevue Palace Education Trust, a school group in London, the group’s schools “collectively achieved a 9.4% reduction in energy consumption last year, saving £299,000 in energy bills”.
Colleges in each region where solar energy is installed in schools will work with the contractors appointed for the installation to promote careers in the renewable energy sector.
As part of the Clean Energy Jobs Plan, the government plans to do this establish five Clean Energy Technical Excellence Colleges (TECs). to specialize in training a skilled clean energy workforce for local and national companies.
This comes as the government has introduced curriculum reforms that it says will “strengthen climate and sustainability education”. These include a new Natural History GCSE – something the UK Department for Education has supported since 2022.
