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North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) has become one of the latest trusts in the country to install new Great British Energy solar panels, in a move expected to cut energy bills by around £4,700 a year.
The panels, installed at NEAS’s Hartlepool South station, will allow the station to generate its own clean, homegrown power, with the potential to sell surplus energy back to the grid. The project follows NEAS’s wider climate commitments under its Green Plan, introduced in 2021. Since then, the service has achieved several milestones, including opening the UK’s first carbon-neutral tri-station in Hebburn and earning the Carbon Saver’s Sustainability Standard ‘Triple Crown’ Certificate. Overall, NEAS has reduced its carbon emissions by 7.4% since the beginning of 2024 – exceeding its forecast by 2.4%.
NEAS’s solar installation follows similar initiatives at South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SCAS) and East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust, both of which are saviong money on energy bills thanks to solar panels funded by Great British Energy.
The savings will be reinvested into frontline patient care, as part of a wider government initiative aimed at improving public services by lowering running costs and boosting sustainability. The installation is part of a £180m national scheme led by Great British Energy and the UK government, supporting nearly 200 NHS sites and 200 schools to generate clean power, reduce energy bills, and redirect funding towards healthcare and education.
NEAS Chief executive Kev Scollay said the Hartlepool project underlined the service’s commitment to balancing financial pressures with environmental responsibility. “Every pound we can save on running costs is a pound we can put back into patient care,” he said. “These solar panels will support both our sustainability goals and our frontline services.”
Environmental and sustainability manager Martin Gibson described the installation as “another important step” in reducing the service’s carbon footprint. “By investing in clean energy solutions like solar panels, we’re not only saving money but also helping to protect the environment – and vitally – our service, for generations to come,” he said.
The £180m programme is expected to deliver up to £400m in lifetime savings for NHS services and schools nationwide, while reducing reliance on fossil fuels and helping protect services against rising energy costs.
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