![](https://emergencyservicestimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/ESS-Button-resized.png")
Ambulance services across England are cutting energy costs and freeing up more money for frontline care by installing new solar panels, backed by new funding from Great British Energy.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has committed £100m to NHS solar and battery storage projects, aiming to slash energy bills and provide better value for taxpayers. This funding is part of a larger £180m investment in local clean energy projects, marking the first major rollout under the Great British Energy Local Power Plan.
The NHS is the single biggest public sector energy user, with an estimated annual energy bill of £1.4bn, that has more than doubled since 2019. Solar power offers a way to bring those costs down. A total of 132 projects across 78 NHS trusts in England will receive funding, covering around 200 sites. This is the NHS’s largest dedicated solar investment to date, building on years of sustainability efforts that have already saved millions.
South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust is one of the latest beneficiaries, securing over £1m for solar projects across four locations in its estate. You can read more about this here.
The other ambulance services set to benefit include East of England Ambulance Service, London Ambulance Service, North East Ambulance Service, Yorkshire Ambulance Service, North West Ambulance Service and South Western Ambulance Service.
“Spiraling energy costs have landed NHS trusts with huge bills at a time when they can least afford it. The new measures announced are good for NHS trusts, good for the environment and good for taxpayers.”
Saffron Cordery, Interim Chief Executive, NHS Providers.
Proven results: How NHS trusts are already saving millions
Hull University Teaching Hospital installed 11,000 solar panels, cutting £230,000 per month from its energy bills last summer – enough power to supply 1,400 UK homes annually. Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust took a different approach, installing a solar canopy over Wharfedale Hospital’s car park, reducing reliance on traditional energy and saving over £120,000 last year.
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust is home to the UK’s first net-zero inpatient hospital. The new Trafford Hospital is on track to cut carbon emissions by 92% by 2040 while saving up to £100,000 a year. Meanwhile, Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust transformed a former landfill site into a solar farm that can power the hospital for 288 days a year, expecting to save £15–20m over the next 20 years.
More solar power, bigger savings
Right now, fewer than 10% of hospitals have solar panels, but that’s about to change. This investment will triple on-site solar energy generation across the NHS, adding more capacity and saving an extra £8.6m per year. Over the lifetime of these projects, savings could reach £260m.
“Just five years ago, NHS on-site renewable energy production was a modest 5,700MWh. Today, that number has tripled, equivalent to the energy required to power around 7,000 homes for a year. Thanks to this new funding, we’re set to expand solar generation by over 300% across the NHS – slashing millions of pounds from energy bills.”
Chris Gormley, Acting Chief Sustainability Officer, NHS.
Hospitals, ambulance services, and trusts are adapting to rising energy costs by investing in solar power. These projects are expected to bring lasting savings and support long-term sustainability goals.
To read similar articles, check out our Sustainability channel.
