Great British Energy has continued its rollout of solar to cut energy bills for public services, including panels for 70 more NHS sites.
As part of an expanded scheme to fund solar panels for NHS sites, military sites and schools, 34 NHS trusts across England, including 10 already in programme, will receive funding from Great British Energy and government for new solar panels.
In total, the scheme will see around 260 NHS sites benefitting with an estimated energy bill savings over the panels’ lifetime up to £65 million for the trusts from this additional spend.
The scheme covers more than a third of NHS trusts in England, helping them to power through homegrown energy, and sell leftover energy back to the grid.
At the present time, the NHS is the single biggest public sector energy user, with an estimated annual energy bill of around £1.34 billion, that has almost doubled since 2019.
The rollout could save energy bill for the NHS of up to £325 million across the lifetime of the scheme, with the average NHS site estimated to save around £35,000 a year in energy bills.
Earlier this month, the UK Government confirmed total funding for the solar scheme had increased to up to £255 million, allowing Great British Energy to support around 260 NHS sites, around 250 schools, and around15 military sites.
As part of the expanded scheme, 34 NHS trusts will receive a share of up to £30 million.
Energy minister Michael Shanks said:
“Great British Energy is helping your local hospital save money on its bills, to be reinvested into the frontline, from nurses to medical equipment.
“Across the country, solar panels are going up on rooftops or carpark canopies, to power 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.”
Great British Energy CEO Dan McGrail said:
“Great British Energy has been set up as a publicly owned energy company to help deliver the government’s mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower.
“Our ongoing solar rollout delivers tangible benefits to the people that need it most in our hospitals and schools. Our continuing work is ensuring money is being put back into frontline care and education, providing cheap, clean and secure power.”
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:
“There is not just a moral case for this investment, but a pragmatic one too. Every pound the NHS spends on rising energy bills is money that can’t be spent on cutting waiting times.
“By modernising the NHS and cutting wasteful spending, including taking back control of our energy, we will get patients treated faster.”
Chris Gormely, Chief Sustainability Officer, NHS England, said:
“Thanks to this expanded funding through the Great British Energy collaboration, NHS solar generation is set to triple, driving significant cost savings and improving patient care.
“This investment will help more trusts slash their energy bills and reinvest those savings directly into frontline care – continuing to support our patients and communities while driving further progress towards a lower carbon, more sustainable health system.”
Michele Moran, Chief Executive, Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trusts said:
“This investment will help us expand solar generation across key sites, reduce our reliance on grid energy and lower our carbon footprint. It’s a great example of how we’re investing in a more sustainable future for our services and communities.”
Dawn Hanwell, Chief Financial Officer and Deputy Chief Executive at Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust said:
“The solar installation will reduce our use of grid electricity and is estimated to provide 15% of our annual energy consumption. This will help us reduce our carbon footprint and contribute towards decarbonising our estate in line with our Green Plan. The reduction in energy costs will deliver long-term savings that can be reinvested in our other sustainability priorities and service user care.”
Simon Adamson, Director of Estates, Facilities and Capital Development at Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, said:
“We’re committed to reducing our impact on the environment while delivering excellent healthcare. This funding supports us to do just that. The solar panels will bring green energy to our hospital sites across Durham, Darlington and North Yorkshire, saving us money that can be used to provide safe and kind care to our communities.”
Michael Wright, Managing Director, Net Zero Lead, Barnsley Hospital NHS FT said:
“Installing solar panels across our buildings will not only help reduce our energy costs while powering our buildings with clean, renewable energy, directly supporting our commitment to achieving net zero.”
The Walton Centre Chief Executive Jan Ross said:
“The energy used in our buildings is the largest contributor to our carbon footprint. To address this, we are prioritising energy efficiency improvements as a central part of our strategy.”
Paul Fitzpatrick, Director of Estates and Facilities for NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, said:
“I welcome this additional funding from Great British Energy, which will enable us to install a further 2,000 solar panels across our estate. This builds upon the existing solar panel installations at our Aintree, Broadgreen and Liverpool Women’s hospitals, which alongside our other energy efficiency projects are helping us harness renewable energy, reduce carbon emissions and cut energy bills.”
Tendai Wileman, Chief of Staff & Director of Organisational Change and Net Zero Board Lead, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, said:
“The installation of solar panels will directly support the aims of our refreshed Green Plan, which outlines how we will protect the environment while continuing to provide high-quality care for our patients over the next three years.”
Sunil Vyas, Director of Projects and Estates at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, said:
“The solar panels will assist in our important ongoing work to hit the NHS Net Zero target by generating renewable energy and reducing our emissions, with the additional benefit of helping to reduce our energy bills.”
Director of Estates, Facilities and Capital Projects Sean Greene at Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust said:
“This initiative highlights our commitment to sustainability and reducing our carbon footprint. We’re investing in a healthier future for our community and money saved can be spent on patient care.”
Inese Robotham, Assistant Chief Executive and Chair of the Trust’s Climate Change Group at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH), said:
“This is further investment which aligns with our vision of sustainable health services and more modern facilities, creating a better environment for our patients and colleagues. It is a project that will reduce our carbon footprint further and contribute to savings of an estimated £1 million a year in energy costs.”
Rachel Barlow, Chief Development Officer at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust said:
“The installation of these solar panels marks a crucial milestone in our journey at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust toward a more sustainable and resilient healthcare system. Our patients, staff, and community deserve a healthy environment, and reducing our carbon emissions is vital. With a total capacity of 229 kWp, our new solar schemes planned for Sandwell Health Campus and City Health Campus are projected to save 39,000 kg of carbon annually.”
Ben Stevens, Chief Strategy and Partnerships Officer at East Kent Hospitals University Foundation Trust, said:
“This investment is a major step in reducing our carbon emissions and strengthening the energy resilience of our hospitals, and it aligns with our ongoing commitment to creating a sustainable, future-ready Trust.”
Chris Tidman, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Sustainability Lead, Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust said:
“We are delighted to be part of the Great British Energy solar panel scheme. Embracing clean energy is a key part of our sustainability strategy, which includes an ambition to create greener, more resilient facilities for our patients, staff and community. This funding will enable us to continue to lower energy costs, reduce our environmental footprint and drive further progress towards our Net Zero goals.”
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