Communities across the UK are set to benefit from lower energy bills and greener public services after the government announced a £74 million investment in clean energy upgrades for NHS sites, military facilities and a prison.
The funding will support 82 NHS trusts, eight military sites and one prison, helping them adopt clean energy technologies and improve energy efficiency. The move is expected to generate major long‑term savings that can be reinvested directly into healthcare, defence and frontline public services.
The measures will deliver energy‑efficiency upgrades at more than 190 NHS sites, cutting energy costs by almost £30 million a year.
Hospitals and health facilities will benefit from technologies such as solar panels, battery storage and improved building systems, helping to reduce both carbon emissions and running costs.
Among the funded projects:
- Lincoln County Hospital will receive over £1.2 million to install solar panels
- The Harbour, a mental health hospital in Blackpool, will benefit from £590,000 to install new battery technology
These upgrades will allow trusts to redirect savings into patient care, staffing and essential services.
A number of RAF stations, including RAF Lossiemouth, RAF Waddington and RAF Marham, will receive funding to improve how energy is managed on site.
The upgrades will make military estates cheaper to run and more resilient, with sites across England and Scotland expected to achieve annual energy savings worth hundreds of thousands of pounds.
The funding package also includes support for HMP Channings Wood in Devon, which will receive:
- £495,000 for the installation of solar panels
- Nearly £250,000 for electrical and plumbing improvements to reduce heat loss
The works will improve energy efficiency while lowering long‑term operating costs.
Great British Energy CEO Dan McGrail commented:
“Communities are at the heart of our mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower. Clean local energy projects enable communities to directly benefit from cleaner, more secure power.
“This funding will help to create an immediate reduction in energy bills so that millions of pounds can be invested back into vital services for the British public.”
Of the £74 million total, £9 million will be delivered in partnership with Great British Energy (GBE) to fund battery storage and solar panel installations.
This builds on GBE’s £255 million investment last year in solar power across hospitals, schools and military sites, reinforcing the role of publicly owned energy in supporting public services and cutting costs.
By reducing energy bills and carbon emissions at large public estates, the investment aims to deliver a dual benefit: progress towards net zero and greater financial resilience for essential services.
Martin McCluskey, Minister for Energy Consumers, also said:
“More money will go straight to frontline services as hospitals, prisons and military sites benefit from cheaper bills and cutting-edge green technology.
“This is our clean power mission in action – cutting bills, investing in public services and providing energy security for our country.”
The government says the savings generated will help ensure more money stays on the frontline helping to support patient care, national security and community services, whilst also modernising public buildings for the future.
Image credit: iStock
