First sites get share of £180m GB Energy support

The first school and NHS sites have benefitted from a share of a £180m investment in solar power by GB Energy.

Five NHS sites and 11 primary schools will save a combined total of £3.8m on their energy bills after installing panels thanks to backing from the state-owned company.

Across England, around £80m is supporting around 200 schools, alongside £100m for nearly 200 NHS sites, covering a third of NHS trusts.

The NHS is the single biggest public sector energy user, with an estimated annual energy bill of £1.4 billion, that has more than doubled since 2019.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: “Across the country, solar panels are going up on rooftops or carpark canopies, to power classrooms and operating theatres with clean, homegrown power.

“This is our clean energy superpower mission in action, protecting our public services with lower bills and energy security.”