Why schools and colleges should act now.
Installing renewables and efficiency measures reduces your operating and usually maintenance costs, and boosts your estate’s sustainability credentials.
Recent public programmes, including the Great British Energy (GBE), are accelerating installations on all public buildings. At the same time, the Feed-in Tariff is now closed and export income now comes via the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), so maximising self-consumption and considering batteries or PPA models might be a more profitable route for your school.
Solar PV for schools and colleges.
While core teaching is usually a higher priority for your capital expenditure, solar PV will fix your energy costs for up to 30 years, with a typical ROI of only 3-5 years. You’ll also be protected against expected energy price rises.
If you are the acting landlord of your school or university estate, you also need to comply with EPC C ratings by 2027, and B by 2030. Solar PV is a good way of improving your SAP score, and therefore your buildings’ EPC ratings.
Large, flat roofs on school halls and sports centres are perfect for rooftop solar. Solar PV generates free energy that your school can use to power your operations. Schools are some of the best organisations to install solar as they are usually only using electricity during daylight hours, which is when panels are generating electricity.
We design systems that suit your roof condition, electrical load and curriculum goals. Installations include export metering and integration with existing switchgear. If you already have older, underperforming panels, we can remove and recycle them and fit modern, higher-efficiency modules.
EV charging for staff, parents and visitors.
Thinking about incentives for new staff? Consider installing EV chargers. Not only do EV chargers enhance your school’s reputation, they also give staff a reason to switch to electric vehicles, and you can offer reduced price charging for those staff members who already have EVs.
EVs contribute to a healthier local environment, with less carbon emissions. Giving parents and older students an opportunity to charge at your institution supports your wider ESG goals, and supports sustainable transport.
If you need an extra revenue stream, you can charge the general public more than your staff, if you allow public use. Struggling to pay for the installation? There are a number of government grants available that can cover most of your EVC installation costs, such as the Workplace Charging Scheme.
We design chargers that work with your solar and battery systems, use smart load balancing, and can set tariffs for different user groups (staff, parents, public) via our management platform.
Battery storage for independence.
Reduce your energy bills further with solar PV and battery storage. Batteries let you keep daytime generation for evening events, after-school activities, or overnight refrigeration. Even without solar PV, you can avoid peak grid pricing and keep your school or university running in the event of grid black or brown-outs.
We will size your storage to your actual load profile so you get the best value for your stored energy. We will also integrate your PV and any other renewable systems so that they benefit from the electricity stored.
Funding for renewables for schools.
The funding landscape for schools is diverse, so if you don’t have the capital to pay up-front for your install there are a few options to consider:
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Great British Energy (GBE) runs a public-sector solar programme to fund rooftop solar on schools and NHS sites. Delivery is centrally coordinated with DfE/NHS leads rather than direct school applications. For future phases, stay connected to your local authority and DfE regional teams.
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Community funding is another avenue for schools to install solar and other renewables. We work with partners who pay for the installation and you will purchase the electricity from them at an agreed, lower than grid rate. The profits from this will be reinvested back into the local community.
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If you want a more competitive rate for your electricity, consider a traditional PPA. This works in much the same way as community funding, but doesn’t require any community investment.
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Export any excess energy to the grid with SEG (Smart Export Guarantee). SEG pays suppliers for exported power, but rates tend to be lower than FiT. That makes self-consumption and battery storage or PPA/aggregator models more financially attractive for schools.
Carbon3 can help you apply for grants and funding, or source funding through our partners. We will also keep your installation in line with strict funding requirements and deadlines.
Summer installation windows.
We plan major installation and scaffolded works around your school calendar. The summer break is ideal for roof and M&E work, as it reduces safeguarding complexity. For many schools, we’ve managed to install large-scale solar arrays in the break, avoiding any disruptions to students and learning.
If we can’t install over the summer holidays, we can follow your strict safeguarding procedures with our DBS-checked engineers, and use contracted site marshals to make sure works are safe and low-impact.
How to procure us.
We deliver via public-sector procurement routes and can work under frameworks commonly used by schools and trusts. We have installed on schools previously using public sector frameworks such as LHC, SEC, and NHS SBS.
For multi-academy trusts and universities, we provide clear procurement documentation, support for tender processes and direct-award options where applicable to speed delivery.
Solar maintenance for schools.
Education sites need dependable maintenance with minimal admin overhead.
Carbon3’s O&M for schools includes remote monitoring, scheduled servicing, rapid reactive support and warranty management. Our engineers are DBS-checked and trained in working on live education sites; our vans carry regionally stocked spares to reduce downtime. We also provide curriculum-friendly monitoring dashboards so teachers can use generation data in lessons.
Why Choose Carbon3?
Choosing Carbon3 means partnering with a leader in renewable energy services committed to sustainability, innovation, and exceptional customer care.
