Wearside schools to benefit from solar panels

MORE than £50,000 will be slashed from the energy bills of schools across Sunderland and Washington with the installation of solar panels (PV) over the next six months.

Sunderland City Council successfully applied for £345,000 from the Mayoral Renewable Energy Fund in a partnership with the North East Combined Authority (NECA) for 13 of the borough’s schools.

The Mayoral Renewable Energy Fund is a £10m fund for Mayoral Strategic Authorities and forms part of the Government’s Great British Energy early delivery phase for 2025/26 

The schools were chosen based on a requirement to deliver community benefits where financial savings resulting from the solar panels could be used to ensure the provision of wider activities to support the local community. This community benefit could take many forms and will be at the discretion of each school but could include, books, IT equipment or additional support to clubs or days out for children.

Leader of Sunderland City Council, Coun Michael Mordey said: “Rising energy costs have been a major financial pressure in schools for several years now. This is great news about the panels and a great opportunity to lower costs and release further funding into school budgets.

“Funding that previously went on energy bills can now go to where it really matters and where it benefits pupils, the community and our city.

“The council will be working with the schools in coming months to assist with panel installation and seeing a switch-on that is going to bring many financial, social and environmental benefits.”

Financial savings are expected to be in the region of £53,000 per annum and an associated carbon reduction of 49 tonnes per annum.

The 13 sites benefiting from the Great British Energy scheme are in addition to a £500,000 investment programme of solar panels at 25 city schools. This scheme was agreed earlier this year as part of the council’s budget to also help schools reduce their energy costs in the coming years.

The full list of school sites in the energy scheme announcement is: