Wellspring Academy Trust has completed the first of six planned solar PV installations across its school network, marking a significant step toward reducing energy costs and embedding sustainability into everyday learning.
The first system, installed at Springwell Alternative Academy Grantham in Lincolnshire, by renewable energy specialists Geo Green Power, was completed over the Easter break.
Five further installations will follow over the summer at Ebor Gardens Primary School in Collingham and four Leeds schools including Green Meadows Academy, Victoria Primary Academy, Penny Field School, and Springwell East Academy, the largest site in the project.
Once all six systems are live, the combined installations will generate more than 341,650kWh of clean energy annually, cutting 85 tonnes of CO₂ emissions and saving the Trust an estimated £92k per year.
These savings will be reinvested into classroom resources and staff development, directly benefiting students and teachers alike.
Mark Marples, Project Manager, said, “Energy costs directly affect our school budgets, so investing in solar power means we can channel those savings into enriching the education we provide. More importantly, our commitment to sustainable practices offers students a real-world example of renewable energy in action, helping them understand the science behind solar power and the importance of sustainability.”
Wellspring Academy Trust committed funding for these solar panel installations through a combination of school revenue and school condition allocation funding. In total Wellspring is investing in excess of one million pounds into solar PV across its estate. Wellspring has committed to this funding ahead of the UK Government’s announcement of £200 million in funding through the Great British Energy initiative, which will help to put rooftop solar panels on around 200 schools and 200 NHS sites in its first phase, saving hundreds of millions on energy bills.
“We’re excited to be part of Wellspring Academy Trust’s journey toward sustainable energy and can’t wait to return in the summer to complete the remaining installations,” added Kitty Cunningham, Operations Director at Geo Green Power.
“We were happy to accommodate the Trust’s request to install during the holidays. Solar installations cause minimal disruption, and we’re experienced in working around day-to-day operations to ensure seamless project delivery. We are just as happy to install during term time for the education sector and all of our operatives have enhanced DBS checks to enable them to work in school settings.”
