100 schools cutting bills with Great British Energy solar panels 5.3.2026 | Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs 100 schools across England now cutting energy bills with Great British Energy solar panels. First 100 schools across England have now installed Great British Energy solar panels and are cutting their energy bills with clean, homegrown power in total, around 250 schools will benefit from Great British Energy’s solar roll-out with millions to be reinvested into schools schools and colleges set to save up to an estimated combined £220 million over the lifetime of the solar panel Classrooms and pupils are benefitting from lower energy bills thanks to Great British Energy-funded solar panels, as 100 schools and colleges have now completed their installations – with around 250 schools and colleges in total to have solar panels by Summer. Great British Energy and government have targeted schools and colleges primarily clustered in areas of deprivation in the North East, West Midlands and North West, ensuring areas in most need get the support, as well as at least 10 schools in each region of England. Around 250 schools and colleges are set to save up to an estimated combined £220 million over the lifetime of the solar panels, taking pressure off finances and securing more money to be reinvested in classrooms. Great British Energy and government is investing up to £255 million in total to install solar and complementary technologies, including batteries, on around 250 schools and colleges, around 260 NHS sites and multiple military sites, generating estimated lifetime savings for vital public services of up to £520 million across schools and NHS sites alone. It comes as the government and Great British Energy published the £1 billion Local Power Plan last month for communities to own and control clean energy projects, creating revenue for places of worship, social clubs and community centres. Energy Secretary, Ed Miliband said: Great British Energy has now helped 100 schools and colleges to save money on bills, meaning more money for textbooks and technology. Across the country, solar panels are going up on rooftops to power classrooms with clean, homegrown power. This is our clean energy mission in action, protecting our public services with lower bills and energy security. Great British Energy’s CEO, Dan McGrail said: Great British Energy is delivering affordable, clean power where it matters. Reaching 100 schools is an important milestone in our mission to cut energy bills and means more money can be spent on education. Our Local Power Plan will build on this success so that by 2030, every community in the UK will have the opportunity to own and benefit from a local energy project. Minister for Education, Josh MacAlister said: Schools and colleges are saving thousands on their energy bills thanks to our new Great British Solar panels, with the money saved going straight back into our children’s education to support pupils to achieve and thrive. This is all part of our 10-year plan for a decade of renewal to transform the education estate so children and young people across the country are able to learn in brilliant, climate-resilient classrooms that are fit for the future. Solar panels are not just good for the planet – they are an investment that keeps paying back into our schools and our children’s futures, and shows our children that they matter. This follows the Education Secretary unveiling the new Education Estates Strategy, which sets out a decade of national renewal to transform schools and colleges across the country, so children and young people have high-quality classrooms that are fit for purpose. Each region includes a further education college which will work with the contractors appointed to promote careers in renewables. This will in turn 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 primary through to a new Natural History GCSE – helping to ensure pupils understand the planet, climate change and develop the skills for a greener future. This is alongside the expectation that all education settings have the opportunity to learn in safe and sustainable settings. The government will continue to support all settings with delivering and implementing climate action plans through the Sustainability Support Programme until at least 2030. Ms Helen Khinich, Kilburn Grange School’s Headteacher, said: Over the past 12 months, we have reduced our electricity use by 35%, and the installation of 28 solar panels on our roof is projected to save our school a further £3,000 a year in energy costs. The Great British Energy’s solar programme has really helped schools drive down energy costs and provide much needed funds to reinvest into core education, as well as trips and experiences that make a real difference to children. Alun Williams, CEO of the Midsomer Norton Schools Partnership Trust, said: We were delighted for Peasedown St John’s Primary School to be part of the Great British Energy solar panels project. We are already seeing the positive impact of the solar panel installation in the form of reduced energy costs. These savings have been reinvested into providing high quality resources for the children at the school. Notes to editors List of 100 schools School Name Postcode Local authority Region MP Clowne Junior School S43 4BS Derbyshire East Midlands Natalie Fleet Firbeck Academy NG8 2FB Nottingham East Midlands Lilian Greenwood Westfield Primary Academy CB9 0BW Suffolk East of England Nick Timothy Harris Academy Chafford Hundred RM16 6SA Thurrock East of England Jen Craft St Marys C of E Academy SG5 4DL Central Bedfordshire East of England Alistair Strathern Roydon Primary Academy CM19 5HN Essex East of England Chris Vince Laureate Community Academy CB8 0AN Suffolk East of England Nick Timothy Kedington Primary Academy CB9 7QZ Suffolk East of England Nick Timothy Place Farm Primary Academy CB9 8HF Suffolk East of England Nick Timothy Harris City Academy Crystal Palace SE19 2JH Croydon London Steve Reed Kilburn Grange School NW6 7UJ Brent London Georgia Gould Halley House School E8 2DJ Hackney London Ms Diane Abbott Harris Primary Academy Benson CR0 8RQ Croydon London Natasha Irons Harris Garrard Academy DA18 4DW Bexley London Ms Abena Oppong-Asare Bowburn Primary School DH6 5FP County Durham North East Alan Strickland St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Blackhill DH8 8JD County Durham North East Liz Twist Ebchester CofE Primary School DH8 0QB County Durham North East Liz Twist St John’s Church of England Aided Primary School DL4 2EQ County Durham North East Sam Rushworth St John’s Catholic School & Sixth Form College DL14 6JT County Durham North East Sam Rushworth Westoe Crown Primary School NE33 3NS South Tyneside North East Emma Lewell Prince Bishops Community Primary School DL14 8DY County Durham North East Sam Rushworth Mortimer Community College NE33 4UG South Tyneside North East Emma Lewell Christ’s College SR4 8PG Sunderland North East Bridget Phillipson Wyvern Academy DL3 9SH Darlington North East Lola McEvoy St Alphonsus’ Catholic Primary School TS3 6PX Middlesbrough North East Andy McDonald Riverside Primary School NE29 6DQ North Tyneside North East Sir Alan Campbell St Hild’s Church of England School TS24 9PB Hartlepool North East Jonathan Brash Hebburn Lakes Primary School NE31 2SL South Tyneside North East Kate Osborne Tyneview Primary NE6 3QP Newcastle upon Tyne North East Mary Glindon Christ The King RC Primary School Manchester M40 1LU Manchester North West Lucy Powell Acton C of E Primary Academy CW5 8LG Cheshire North West Aphra Brandreth Lime Tree Primary Academy M33 2RP Trafford North West Mike Kane Benchill Primary School M22 8EJ Manchester North West Mike Kane Dixons Brooklands Academy M23 9BP Manchester North West Mike Kane Ladybarn Primary School M20 4SR Manchester North West Jeff Smith The East Manchester Academy M11 3DS Manchester North West Lucy Powell Whalley Range 11-18 High School M16 8GW Manchester North West Afzal Khan Brownedge St Mary’s Catholic High School PR5 6PB Lancashire North West Maya Ellis Croxteth Community Primary School L11 0BP Liverpool North West Dan Carden Litherland High School L21 0DB Sefton North West Peter Dowd Litherland Moss Primary School L21 0DB Sefton North West Peter Dowd Horton Mill Community Primary School OL4 1GL Oldham North West Debbie Abrahams St James CofE Primary School, Farnworth BL4 9QB Bolton North West Yasmin Qureshi Four Oaks Community Primary School L5 1XP Liverpool North West Kim Johnson Park Brow Community Primary School L32 6QH Knowsley North West Anneliese Midgley St Gabriel’s Catholic Primary School WN7 2XG Wigan North West Jo Platt Blackpool Gateway Academy FY1 6JH Blackpool North West Chris Webb Dukesgate Academy M38 9HF Salford North West Yasmin Qureshi Littlemoor Primary School OL4 2RR Oldham North West Debbie Abrahams Unity Academy Blackpool FY2 0TS Blackpool North West Lorraine Beavers Marton Primary Academy and Nursery FY4 5LY Blackpool North West Chris Webb Malvern Primary School L14 6XA Knowsley North West Ian Byrne Broken Cross Primary Academy and Nursery SK11 8UD Cheshire East North West Tim Roca Stockton Wood Community Primary School L24 3TF Liverpool North West Maria Eagle Upton Priory School SK10 3ED Cheshire East North West Tim Roca Lyndhurst Primary and Nursery School OL8 4JD Oldham North West Jim McMahon Cardinal Langley Roman Catholic High School M24 2GL Rochdale North West Mrs Elsie Blundell Co-op Academy Medlock M13 9UJ Manchester North West Afzal Khan Cravenwood Primary Academy M8 5AE Manchester North West Graham Stringer Mount Carmel Roman Catholic High School, Hyndburn BB5 0LU Lancashire North West Sarah Smith Dixons Croxteth Academy L11 4SG Liverpool North West Dan Carden Oasis Academy Leesbrook OL4 5JE Oldham North West Debbie Abrahams The Albion Academy M6 6QT Salford North West Rebecca Long Bailey Woodchurch High School CH49 7NG Wirral North West Matthew Patrick Oasis Academy Clarksfield OL4 1NG Oldham North West Debbie Abrahams Oasis Academy Oldham OL8 4JZ Oldham North West Jim McMahon Dallam Community Primary School WA5 0JG Warrington North West Sarah Hall Tameside College OL6 6NX Tameside North West Angela Rayner Lostock High School M32 9PL Trafford North West Andrew Western Co-op Academy Hillside CH43 9HG Wirral North West Alison McGovern Co-op Academy Portland CH41 0AB Wirral North West Alison McGovern Oasis Academy Broadoak OL6 8QG Tameside North West Angela Rayner Meadowside Community Primary and Nursery School WA2 9PH Warrington North West Charlotte Nichols Charles Warren Academy MK6 3AZ Milton Keynes South East Emily Darlington Whiteknights Primary School RG2 8EP Wokingham South East Yuan Yang Oasis Academy Sholing SO19 8PH Southampton South East Darren Paffey Iqra Slough Islamic Primary School SL2 5FF Slough South East Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi Oasis Academy Skinner Street ME7 1LG Medway South East Naushabah Khan Notre Dame RC School PL6 5HN Plymouth South West Fred Thomas St Boniface’s RC College PL5 3AG Plymouth South West Fred Thomas St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School BH12 4DZ Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole South West Jessica Toale St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Axminster EX13 5BE Devon South West Richard Foord Peasedown St Johns Primary School BA2 8DH Bath and North East Somerset South West Anna Sabine Holy Cross Catholic Primary School PL4 9BE Plymouth South West Luke Pollard All Saints’ Academy GL51 0WH Gloucestershire South West Cameron Thomas St White’s Primary School GL14 3GD Gloucestershire South West Matt Bishop Richard Lee Primary School CV2 5FU Coventry West Midlands Mary Creagh Ormiston SWB Academy WV14 0LN Wolverhampton West Midlands Pat McFadden Kingsbury School - Tamworth B78 2LF Warwickshire West Midlands Rachel Taylor All Saints Bedworth CofE Academy CV12 9HP Warwickshire West Midlands Rachel Taylor Woodloes Primary School CV34 5DF Warwickshire West Midlands Matt Western Oak Meadow Primary School WV11 2QQ Wolverhampton West Midlands Mrs Sureena Brackenridge Feversham Primary Academy BD3 9EG Bradford Yorkshire and the Humber Imran Hussain Oasis Academy Nunsthorpe DN33 1AW North East Lincolnshire Yorkshire and the Humber Melanie Onn West End Academy WF 9 4QJ Wakefield Yorkshire and the Humber Jon Trickett Trinity Academy Akroydon HX3 6PU Calderdale Yorkshire and the Humber Kate Dearden Francis Askew Primary School HU4 6LQ Kingston upon Hull, City of Yorkshire and the Humber Emma Hardy Trinity Academy St Peter’s HX6 1HB Calderdale Yorkshire and the Humber Kate Dearden Kingsway Primary School DN14 5HQ East Riding of Yorkshire Yorkshire and the Humber David Davis Walkley Primary School S6 2RZ Sheffield Yorkshire and the Humber Abtisam Mohamed Lifetime energy bill savings estimates are calculated on the total project value (including match-funding), using DESNZ assumptions agreed with delivery partners. These estimates are undiscounted and calculated net of operating costs. They remain uncertain, as they are sensitive to key input assumptions, particularly future electricity retail prices. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/100-schools-cutting-bills-with-great-british-energy-solar-panels