Why don’t all schools in the UK already have solar panels?
At present only around 20% of UK schools have solar panels, even though the renewable technology appears to be an easy win for its ability to save schools money long-term whilst cutting their environmental impact.
The British public are overwhelmingly in support of solar panels on public buildings, and the financial benefits are clear. Last year, Energy4All member co-ops estimated to collectively save the schools they work with more than £900,000 on electricity bills through solar installations. Schools can re-direct the money they save by producing clean electricity into teaching resources or other essentials.
Installing solar panels also sends a positive message to pupils, showing that action on climate change is possible. With climate anxiety on the rise among young people, schools can demonstrate that there are real, tangible solutions. Some schools incorporate the solar PV data into lessons, and organisations like the Westmill Sustainable Energy Trust are tasked with inspiring schoolchildren about a renewable future.
But if less than a quarter of schools so far are harnessing the power of the sun, that raises the question: what’s preventing them from installing their own solar panels?
Energy4All’s Project Managers work with schools and see the barriers first-hand. We are digging into why solar panels aren't already installed across all schools in the UK, and how community energy can provide a solution.
1. Upfront costs
The big blocker is the upfront costs of solar panels. Even if savings are virtually guaranteed in the long run, a school dealing with a tight annual budget often simply won’t have the money to afford the initial capital investment.
Community energy groups like Wey Valley Solar Schools and Schools’ Energy Co-op have been providing an alternative for years: partnering with schools to install the solar on their rooftops, and then selling the electricity to the school at below-market rates through a behind-the-meter agreement.
These groups raise the money for the solar panels through community share offers, taking on the up-front costs and associated risks of installing solar panels for the school. This arrangement still saves the schools money (because they pay less each year on their electricity bill) whilst saving tonnes of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere. The schools also become members of the energy society.
2. Monitoring and maintenance are big commitments
A couple of times a year, our Project Managers will speak to a school that is interested in installing solar PV only to conduct a survey and find that they already have panels on the roof. Solar panels last for decades, but schools often face high staff turnover, so it's fairly common for them to have little or no knowledge about solar panels on their building. Schools can be discouraged by this long-term commitment, because without someone consistently monitoring the array they could underperform or ultimately present a safety risk if serious issues go unnoticed.
Again, community energy groups show their value here. They raise the capital, manage the installation, and then they manage the ongoing operations and maintenance for the lifetime of the project (usually 25 years). Schools are supported and engaged through the process.
3. Schools may be offered inappropriately sized systems, either too large or too small
Too small and the benefits will be disappointing, missing an opportunity to make savings. Too large and a lot of the generation might be exported, less valuable than using power on site, and it can be challenging for an individual school to claim export payments.
Sometimes the aspect of systems is also important, with east or west panels being more beneficial in some circumstances depending on consumption patterns. Solar co-ops in Energy4All’s network are experienced in assessing site consumption and sizing systems appropriately. They can also take future plans in account, such as if EV charging or heat pumps are being installed which can significantly increase electricity consumption.
4. Unlocking the financial benefits can be tricky
Larger solar panel installations generally make more financial sense, but they usually require setting up export payments: this is when any electricity the school doesn’t use itself is exported to the grid and a payment is received for it. Export payments can be complex arrangements, leaving schools either stuck with smaller, less viable systems, or with larger systems that they aren’t being compensated for.
5. Schools often have old buildings with complicated architectural features
Some school buildings pre-date electricity, so they certainly weren’t designed with solar panels in mind. Victorian primary schools with pitched roofs and lots of dormer windows are a common example of a tricky school. Installation costs are higher, and arrays might be smaller, so careful modelling is needed to confirm if that is the right choice for the site.
Modern school buildings are generally better suited, so it’s important that any new-builds consider solar panels from an early stage. If an older school is undergoing significant building work, or adding a new sports hall or library, this can also be a good time.
For all three points above, schools need to work with an experienced Project Manager (ideally one that specialises in school installations) to maximise the efficiency of their site and unlock the full potential of a solar project.
6. Schools use less electricity during the holidays
This one comes up a lot – solar panels perform best in the summer, but schools are closed to pupils in the summer holidays. This can dissuade schools from installing solar panels.
However, many large schools and colleges remain partly open for leisure use and holiday programmes, so energy demand doesn’t fall as sharply as might be assumed. With export payment agreements, schools can benefit from selling summer electricity back to the grid. And with a trend towards increasingly sunny springs/early summers (when schools are still in term), our generation data shows that a school solar installation is still very worthwhile with the right installation in place.
Community energy is a great option for schools who are considering solar
Working with a community energy group (or energy co-op) is a great way to install solar panels: covering capital costs, ensuring monitoring and maintenance, and ensuring a suitable array with maximum benefits.
So... why don't all schools get on board with community energy? They might not know that the concept exists yet, or they might have been waiting for a grant to install solar panels themselves. We think that community energy is worth any school considering, and our co-ops can work with partial grants to ensure the best array is installed.
In the case of partial grants, or where the school has other funding to contribute directly, this means the co-op can offer an even lower price of electricity to the school, saving them more money in the long-term.
There is also the opportunity to work with Multi-Academy Trusts, where the co-op installs on the Trust portfolio to maximise savings and have a consistent solar PV offering across all sites. Some Trusts choose to have smaller, less viable sites supported by larger ones in the portfolio.
I work for a school or community building and we’re interested in solar – what can we do?
We still have vast numbers of schools in the UK without solar panels, and those with panels need to be well-managed in the long-term. Rooftop solar is now a mainstream technology and has advanced since co-ops like Wey Valley Solar and Schools' Energy first started over a decade ago. For the UK to meet its climate goals we need to get on with wider implementation.
If you work for a school or know someone who would be interested, use the buttons below for your next steps: you can explore some examples of solar energy co-ops, see a rough process for getting solar installed, or get straight in touch with us at Energy4All and we can direct you to a relevant local organisation.