Schools, Stations, and Care Homes Among Hundreds Tapping into £10 Million Clean Energy Fund

Libraries, fire stations, care homes, and other community buildings are set to receive a share of £10 million in funding for clean energy upgrades, the Government has announced.

The grants, awarded by publicly-owned Great British Energy, will support mayoral authorities in rolling out solar panels, battery storage systems, and electric vehicle chargers across public buildings. The aim is precise: to help communities reduce emissions, lower energy costs, and enhance local services simultaneously.

This announcement is part of a broader effort by GB Energy, which is also delivering clean energy projects to approximately 200 schools and hospitals, funded at £180 million.

The range of funded projects is broad and deeply rooted in local communities. In Merseyside, care homes and leisure centres will soon have rooftop solar panels. In Greater Manchester, libraries, police stations, fire stations, and sports centres will be fitted with solar panels, battery systems, and EV chargers to power up their operations more sustainably.

In Cambridgeshire, police headquarters will benefit. In Yorkshire, a bustling outdoor market will go green. Even a former colliery site in the East Midlands is being reimagined with clean energy in mind.

Further north, West Yorkshire is also making strides. Leeds City Council’s Arium plant nursery and the historic Lotherton Hall estate are among the local sites that will soon be powered in part by renewable sources.

The benefits go beyond emissions reduction. Officials estimate these schemes could generate about £1 million in annual energy savings and £35 million in lifetime savings across the various sites. That means less pressure on local budgets, more reliable public services, and stronger energy resilience in the years to come.

Clean power, lower bills, and smarter infrastructure, all while supporting good local jobs. That’s the kind of energy transition communities across the UK can get behind.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:  “Your local sports hall, library and community centre could have their energy bills cut by Great British Energy, the government’s publicly-owned clean energy company.

“Our plans will mean more money can be spent on the services that make working people better off and help strengthen the ties that bind us in our communities.”

Great British Energy chief executive Dan McGrail said: “Today’s support for new clean power projects in every region in England shows our mission in action – providing a lasting positive impact for the country by creating new jobs, lower bills, and a cleaner future.

“It’s important that communities feel the benefits of the energy transition and that we demonstrate the very real benefits it can bring,” he said.