Great British Energy's first $260 mil project to put solar panels on schools, hospitals

Britain's newly-formed state-owned energy company Great British Energy will invest GBP200 million ($260 million) to install solar panels on hundreds of schools and hospitals across the UK, marking its first major project as part of the government's clean energy transition plan, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said March 21.

The initiative aims to reduce rising energy costs for public institutions while advancing the country's renewable energy goals. Around 200 schools and 200 NHS hospitals will receive rooftop solar installations, with the first panels expected to be operational by summer 2025.

"Great British Energy's first major project will be to help our vital public institutions save hundreds of millions on [energy] bills," the minister said.

The program allocates GBP80 million for schools and GBP100 million for NHS sites, which could generate lifetime savings of up to GBP400 million over 30 years, it said.

Individual schools could save around GBP25,000/year on energy costs, while NHS facilities could reduce bills by up to GBP45,000/year, it said.

Currently, only about 20% of UK schools and less than 10% of hospitals have solar installations.

The initiative will prioritize buildings in deprived areas, particularly in the North East, West Midlands and North West regions.

An additional GBP12 million will support community projects, while another GBP9 million is for public building solar installations across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Backed by GBP8.3 billion over this parliament (2024-2029), Great British Energy will own and invest in clean energy projects across the UK. This will range from supporting local energy to unlocking significant investment in major projects that will revitalize the UK's industrial heartlands, it said.

Platts, part of S&P Global Commodity Insights, last assessed utility-scale PV modules (5-50 MW, DDP Europe) at $0.108/W. Roof-top projects are generally much smaller, rarely exceeding 1 MW.

A standout project with 11,000 solar panels at Hull's teaching hospital can generate up to 50 MWh/day during peak summer, it said.

According to the latest Platts assessment, UK power for 2026 delivery was pegged at GBP77.79/MWh on March 20.