Press release

Great British Energy to cut energy bills for community facilities

Great British Energy to cut energy bills for local community libraries, fire stations, care homes and community centres.

  • Libraries, fire stations and care homes in local communities will benefit from cheaper energy bills through Great British Energy community funding as part of Plan for Change听

  • Mayoral authorities to receive a share of 拢10 million for publicly-owned clean energy projects听听

  • Complements Great British Energy鈥檚 drive to cut bills for around 200 schools and 200 hospitals, which is already seeing savings

Libraries, fire stations and care homes in local communities will benefit from cheaper energy bills as Great British Energy delivers on the government鈥檚 clean energy superpower mission to make working people and their communities better off.听

Great British Energy, the government鈥檚 publicly-owned clean energy company, has awarded mayoral authorities a share of 拢10 million in grant funding to roll out clean energy projects at the centre of communities 鈥 including rooftop solar on Merseyside care homes and on leisure centres and libraries in Yorkshire.听听

These grants will mean that the community services and institutions that working people use will be able to save on their electricity bills and spend more money on the frontline services that strengthen local communities and boost local economic growth.听听

It is estimated that these schemes could produce a total of around 拢35 million of lifetime savings on energy bills, while improving energy security and creating good jobs.听听听

As well as solar panels on public buildings, the grants will pay to install batteries for community buildings in areas including Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire, so they can store renewable energy and use it later. The grants will also fund EV chargers in Greater Manchester, to make it easier for drivers to benefit from cheaper to power electric vehicles.听听听

Great British Energy is already cutting energy bills for public services, with solar panels already installed on 11 schools as part of plans to roll out the panels on around 200 schools and 200 hospitals in England.听

The government鈥檚 clean energy superpower mission will protect billpayers, create jobs and bring greater energy security through delivering clean power by 2030. Great British Energy will accelerate this by developing, investing and building clean energy projects across the UK.听

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:听

Your local sports hall, library and community centre could have their energy bills cut by Great British Energy, the government鈥檚 publicly-owned clean energy company.听听

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.听听

This is what Great British Energy is all about - taking back control to deliver lower bills for good.

Great British Energy CEO Dan McGrail said:听

Today鈥檚 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.听

It鈥檚 important that communities feel the benefits of the energy transition and that we demonstrate the very real rewards it can bring.

Earlier this year, all Mayoral Strategic Authorities were invited to submit expressions of interest for funding renewable energy projects that can be delivered in the 2025/2026 financial year.听听

Liverpool City Region Combined Authority鈥痺ill use the money to support a rooftop solar project to support care homes and leisure centres, cutting听 around 拢4.6 million on lifetime energy bills, while Greater Manchester will also roll out rooftop solar on libraries, fire stations, police stations and sports centres, leading to estimated savings of over 拢2.1million on lifetime bills. Projects in York and North Yorkshire are estimated to bring around 拢4 million in lifetime bill savings, they include solar panels to help power an Edwardian swimming pool in York and leisure centres in Whitby, Ripon and Thirsk.听

It follows the government鈥檚 announcement in March to award 拢180 million of funding for schools and hospitals to install rooftop solar, marking the first major project for Great British Energy - a company owned by the British people, for the British people.鈥疶his could see millions invested back into frontline services, targeting deprived areas, with lifetime bill savings for schools and the NHS sites of up to 拢400 million over the next 30 years.

Notes to editors听

Successful Mayoral schemes:听

The figures below were estimated by DESNZ in collaboration with MSAs, based on a combination of project-level data and DESNZ standard assumptions. It should be noted these are initial estimates that will be refined as projects become operational and actual data is collected.听

MSA Technology Project Type Grant Funding Requested (拢) Total expected project cost (拢) Estimated Net Yearly Average Energy Bill Savings 听(拢 undiscounted, 2025 prices) Estimated Net Lifetime Energy Bill Savings 听(拢 undiscounted, 2025 prices)
Greater Lincolnshire Solar Leisure centres and fire stations 拢607,845 拢627,845 TBC TBC
South Yorkshire Solar Schools, outdoor covered market and library 拢572,025 拢615,397 拢51,938 拢1,558,131
Greater London Authority Solar Schools 拢607,838 拢674,220 拢30,376 拢911,280
Hull and East Yorkshire Solar Service buildings and car parks 拢700,000 拢1,842,879 拢89,822 拢2,694,647
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Solar Police headquarters, car park and border canopies 拢700,000 拢774,226 拢51,630 拢1,548,886
Greater Manchester Solar, Battery and EV Libraries, fire stations, police stations and sports centres 拢695,900 拢1,301,800 拢71,846 拢2,155,384
North-East Solar Schools 拢700,000 拢749,946 拢46,060 拢1,381,806
York and North Yorkshire Solar Leisure centres, libraries, schools, transport sites 拢700,000 拢1,219,948 拢134,898 拢4,046,936
West Yorkshire Solar and Battery Police stations, Arrium plant nursery, primary school, sports centres and Lotherton Hall Estate 拢700,000 拢1,154,838 拢275,669 拢8,270,082
Tees Valley鈥疌ombined Authority Solar Solar on roof of depot and public buildings 拢444,738 拢444,738 拢34,664 拢1,039,911
Liverpool City Region Solar Leisure centres and care homes 拢700,000 拢1,460,319 拢152,402 拢4,572,054
East Midlands Solar Former colliery 拢700,000 拢1,900,000 拢113,340 拢3,400,200
West Midlands Solar Schools 拢700,000 拢820,000 拢58,474 拢1,754,207
West of England Solar Schools 拢700,000 拢1,657,522 拢54,123 拢1,623,697
Total 拢9,228,346 拢14,543,678 拢1,165,241 拢34,957,222

Updates to this page

Published 17 July 2025
Last updated 21 July 2025 show all updates
  1. Update to total expected project cost for Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.

  2. First published.