A £10 million fund from Great British Energy is enabling local councils across England to install rooftop solar panels on community facilities like libraries, fire stations, and care homes, slashing energy costs by millions and reinvesting savings into frontline services.
Libraries, fire stations, and care homes across local communities in England are set to benefit from significantly reduced energy bills thanks to a £10 million grant fund awarded by Great British Energy, the government-owned clean energy company. This initiative, part of the government’s wider Plan for Change, aims to invest in publicly-owned clean energy projects that directly support frontline services frequently used by working people. Projects already underway include rooftop solar installations on care homes in Merseyside and leisure centres and libraries in Yorkshire, with additional installations planned for Greater Manchester and North Yorkshire.
The grants enable community institutions to save on electricity costs and redirect those savings towards essential services that strengthen local economies and community wellbeing. It is estimated that these schemes could generate around £35 million in lifetime energy bill savings. Beyond fiscal benefits, the projects contribute to enhanced energy security, job creation, and environmental sustainability, underlining Great British Energy’s commitment to delivering a cleaner and more affordable energy future.
Great British Energy is also concurrently making strides in reducing energy costs for public schools and NHS hospitals. The company is spearheading a £200 million investment programme to install rooftop solar panels on roughly 200 schools and 200 healthcare sites across England. Early implementations have already seen solar panels fitted on 11 schools, resulting in annual savings of £175,000, with plans to complete installations on all targeted sites by the end of the year. This expansive roll-out is projected to save up to £400 million over 30 years, with an emphasis on benefiting deprived areas, particularly clusters in the North East, West Midlands, and North West.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband highlighted the community-wide benefits of the initiative, stating that these clean energy schemes mean more money can be spent on services that make working people better off, reinforcing community ties. Dan McGrail, CEO of Great British Energy, emphasised the importance of communities seeing tangible rewards from the energy transition, with clean power projects designed to create jobs, lower bills, and foster a sustainable future.
Local authorities have submitted these projects through a competitive process, with regions like the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority expecting £4.6 million in lifetime energy savings by supporting solar PV installations on care homes and leisure centres. Greater Manchester’s installations on libraries, fire stations, police stations, and sports centres are expected to save more than £2.1 million over their lifecycle. Similarly, schemes in York and North Yorkshire, including powering an Edwardian swimming pool and multiple leisure centres, are forecasted to yield around £4 million in energy savings.
Taken together, these investments reinforce the government’s strategic clean energy superpower mission, aimed at protecting bill payers, enhancing energy security, and delivering sustainable local economic growth through public sector-led renewable projects. By expanding renewable energy infrastructure on public buildings, Great British Energy is striving to make the benefits of the transition accessible at the community level, ensuring that savings and clean power are reinvested into crucial public services.
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Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.miragenews.com/great-british-energy-slashes-bills-for-1497992/ – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/great-british-energy-to-cut-energy-bills-for-community-facilities – Great British Energy, the UK’s publicly-owned clean energy company, has awarded £10 million in grant funding to mayoral authorities for clean energy projects in local communities. These projects include installing rooftop solar panels on care homes in Merseyside and leisure centres and libraries in Yorkshire. The initiative aims to reduce energy bills for community services, allowing more funds to be allocated to frontline services that strengthen local communities and boost economic growth. The schemes are estimated to produce around £35 million in lifetime savings on energy bills, while improving energy security and creating jobs.
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/great-british-energy-to-cut-bills-for-hospitals-and-schools – Great British Energy’s first major project involves installing rooftop solar panels on approximately 200 schools and 200 NHS sites in England. This initiative aims to cut energy bills, with savings reinvested into schools and the NHS as part of the government’s Plan for Change to improve public services. The project is expected to save hundreds of millions on energy bills, providing power for pupils and patients. Great British Energy will also partner with community groups and devolved governments to fund local clean power projects across the UK.
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/first-schools-install-great-british-energy-solar-panels – The first 11 schools across England have installed solar panels backed by Great British Energy, collectively saving £175,000 per year. This initiative is part of the government’s £180 million funding to cut bills for schools and hospitals. The savings will be reinvested into schools as part of the government’s Plan for Change to improve public services, while providing clean power for pupils and teachers. The remaining schools set to benefit will be announced this summer, with all schools that are part of the scheme expected to have solar panels installed by the end of the year.
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/great-british-energy-to-cut-bills-for-hospitals-and-schools – Great British Energy’s first project will put rooftop solar panels on around 200 schools and 200 NHS sites, cutting energy bills. Savings will be reinvested in schools and the NHS as part of the government’s Plan for Change to fix public services – providing power for pupils and patients. Great British Energy will also partner with community groups and the devolved governments to fund ambitious local clean power projects across the UK.
- https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/03/21/gb-energy-invests-in-rooftop-solar-rollout-for-uk-schools-hospitals/ – Great British Energy (GB Energy) has announced a £200 million investment to install rooftop solar panels on approximately 200 schools and 200 NHS sites in England. This initiative aims to reduce energy bills and reinvest the savings into frontline services. The project is expected to generate lifetime savings of up to £400 million over around 30 years. The investment will target areas of deprivation in England, with clusters of schools in the North East, West Midlands, and North West selected for the installations.
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/great-british-energy-to-cut-energy-bills-for-community-facilities – Great British Energy, the UK’s publicly-owned clean energy company, has awarded £10 million in grant funding to mayoral authorities for clean energy projects in local communities. These projects include installing rooftop solar panels on care homes in Merseyside and leisure centres and libraries in Yorkshire. The initiative aims to reduce energy bills for community services, allowing more funds to be allocated to frontline services that strengthen local communities and boost economic growth. The schemes are estimated to produce around £35 million in lifetime savings on energy bills, while improving energy security and creating jobs.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative was published on 17 July 2025. Similar initiatives by Great British Energy were announced on 21 March 2025, including a £200 million investment in rooftop solar panels for schools and hospitals. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/great-british-energy-to-cut-bills-for-hospitals-and-schools?utm_source=openai)) The £10 million grant for local government clean energy projects was also announced on the same date. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/great-british-energy-announces-10-million-for-local-governments?utm_source=openai)) The current report provides additional details on the implementation of these initiatives, indicating freshness.
Quotes check
Score:
9
Notes:
Direct quotes from Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and Great British Energy CEO Dan McGrail are included. These quotes are consistent with their previous statements in related press releases. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/great-british-energy-to-cut-bills-for-hospitals-and-schools?utm_source=openai)) No significant variations in wording were found, suggesting the quotes are reused.
Source reliability
Score:
7
Notes:
The narrative originates from Mirage News, an Australian news aggregator. While it references official UK government press releases, the aggregator’s credibility is uncertain. The UK government press releases themselves are from reputable sources, including the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/great-british-energy-to-cut-energy-bills-for-community-facilities?utm_source=openai))
Plausability check
Score:
8
Notes:
The reported initiatives align with previously announced government plans to invest in clean energy projects for public facilities. The figures and project details are consistent with official statements. No discrepancies or implausible claims were identified.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative provides additional details on previously announced initiatives by Great British Energy, with consistent quotes and plausible claims. The source’s reliability is the only notable concern, but the information aligns with official UK government communications.
