Public Sector & Education
Public bodies carry carbon targets, little spare capital and rules that demand a documented, fair purchase. Solar fits the first two. The process has to be right for the third.
Councils, schools, universities and NHS trusts share a problem. Solar helps with carbon targets and energy bills, yet capital is scarce and every purchase has to withstand audit. A project can be technically sound and still stall because the route to buy it was not.
The buying rules changed recently. The Procurement Act 2023 replaced the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 for procurements started on or after 24 February 2025. It sets out how to advertise, evaluate and record an award. A framework can shorten the route. Crown Commercial Service's agreement RM6314 has a solar PV lot. Its buyer guide gives an end date of 23 March 2027, so a longer project needs a plan for what follows.
There is public money behind the sector. A GOV.UK update on Great British Energy reported rooftop panels fitted at NHS sites and primary schools in summer 2025, as part of a programme for schools and hospitals. It shows that buyers in your position can reach a delivered scheme.
Funding rules differ by body, since a council, an academy trust and an NHS trust each face different limits on borrowing and different routes to grants. Check yours before choosing between paying from capital, borrowing, a grant or a PPA.
School load has a quirk. Demand drops in July and August, just when the sun is strongest. A school array therefore exports more than an office array of the same size, so the export rate and any storage need a closer look.
Public bodies must also check whether SECR applies to them and follow the Environmental Reporting Guidelines. Carbon evidence from a solar project can feed that report.
Challenges we help with
- A compliant, auditable purchase under the Procurement Act 2023
- Capital limits that vary by type of body
- Reporting against public carbon commitments
How we help
- Write the specification and scoring to fit your route
- Compare capital, borrowing, grant and PPA funding
- Prepare carbon and cost evidence for public reports
Sources & further reading
Related services
Frequently asked questions
How do we fund solar with limited capital?
We compare paying from capital, borrowing, grants and a PPA on one basis, then run the purchase so the route you pick is compliant and recorded.
Can this support our published net-zero target?
Yes. We prepare the carbon and cost figures, with sources, in a form suitable for public reporting.
Insights for public sector & education
Planning solar for a public estate?
Say which type of body you are and how many sites are in scope. We will outline a route that stands up to audit.