This week, the Government announced it is investing £500 million pounds to make classrooms more energy efficient and help schools and colleges save on bills.
This builds on the Government’s Energy Relief Scheme which is supporting schools and colleges this winter and the extra £2 billion for schools next year and the year after announced in the Autumn Statement. The highest real terms investment in our schools in history.
This funding also comes on top of £1.8 billion of capital funding already committed this year for improving the condition of school buildings and the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme which is investing over £1.4 billion in public sector buildings, including schools over the next three financial years.
I saw for myself how Government funding can support schools with energy efficiency in my recent visit to Somercotes Academy.
Through the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy's Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme the school has switched internal lighting to LED, has put 359 solar panels on three roofs and has installed a huge heat pump.
I applaud the Academy's efforts on switching their energy system from oil to sustainable sources.