Great British Energy for business solar
Not for private businessA publicly-owned energy company funding solar for schools, the NHS and community groups — NOT a grant a private business can apply to for its own rooftop.
Who qualifies
In 2026 GB Energy's solar funding goes to the PUBLIC and COMMUNITY sector: state-funded schools and colleges, NHS sites, military sites, and (via the Local Power Plan) local authorities and community energy groups for buildings like libraries, leisure centres and community halls. Private commercial businesses CANNOT apply for a GB Energy grant to solarise their own premises. GB Energy engages the private sector only as co-investment partners and supply-chain contractors, not as grant recipients.
How much it is worth
Solar-for-public-buildings programme: up to ~£255m total across around 250 schools/colleges, ~260 NHS sites and military sites (including batteries) — in England ~£80m for around 200 schools and ~£100m for nearly 200 NHS sites (part of a £200m package announced in March 2025 that also funded community energy and projects in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland). Separately, the Local Power Plan (published 9 February 2026) is backed by up to £1bn to support locally-owned community energy projects, with a target of supporting over 1,000 local and community energy projects by 2030.
Where it stands in 2026
Active. The schools programme was targeted mainly at deprived areas of the North East, West Midlands and North West, and the first schools had panels by June 2025. By 16 July 2026, 245 schools and colleges had government-funded solar, 100 more were joining the Great British Energy Solar Partnership (up to £40m), and a further 150 in Yorkshire and the Humber, the East Midlands and the South East are due to pilot a model in which private firms install and maintain the panels at no upfront cost. The Local Power Plan said a GBE Capital Toolkit (emergence and development grants, construction and operation finance, and local investment funding) would launch in summer 2026 and that GBE would create a 'Community Energy in a Box' toolkit. Both are for community groups and local government, not private companies.
What to do instead
- 1Private businesses: there is no direct application route for a GB Energy grant to fund your own commercial solar.
- 2State-funded schools/NHS sites: participation is arranged centrally (e.g. Department for Education selects schools) — you do not apply as a private firm.
- 3Community groups/local authorities: register interest through the Local Power Plan enquiry form on gbe.gov.uk.
- 4As a private installer or investor, you may work WITH GB Energy through supply-chain or co-investment routes, not as a grantee.
Key facts, checked against official sources
- Publicly-owned company; funds solar on PUBLIC/COMMUNITY buildings, not private commercial premises.
- ~£255m for schools/NHS/military solar+battery (England: ~£80m schools, ~£100m NHS).
- Local Power Plan (Feb 2026): up to £1bn for community-owned/local-government energy projects only.
- Private sector's role is co-investment and supply chain — NOT grant recipient.
- Eligibility for the school programme is state-funded schools, selected centrally (not open application).
Sources
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/great-british-energy-solar-panels-cut-bills-for-nhs-and-schools
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/great-british-energy-to-cut-bills-for-hospitals-and-schools
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/first-schools-install-great-british-energy-solar-panels
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/100-schools-cutting-bills-with-great-british-energy-solar-panels
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/hundreds-more-schools-to-save-on-bills-as-government-solar-drive-slashes-millions-off-energy-costs
- https://www.gbe.gov.uk/
- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-power-plan/local-power-plan-accessible-webpage