More than £120m of clean energy projects are set to go ahead at schools, colleges, and universities across England following the announcement of the successful recipients of Phase 4 of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme.

The fund, launched in October 2024, is worth £940m across all sectors and will run until the 2027/28 financial year, supporting energy saving and clean power upgrades.

Delivered by Salix on behalf of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, the grants will pay for a range of measures including heat pumps, solar panels, insulation, and double glazing, helping to reduce the UK’s reliance on fossil fuels.

It’s more important than ever that we focus on what is happening to our planet, with a key priority to reduce carbon emissions from buildings

In this round, more than £124m has been allocated to nearly 60 education providers, including academy trusts, colleges, and universities.

Recipients include the University of York, which was awarded £35m; Activate Leaning, Berkshire, which will receive £4.2m; Oxford Brookes University, which will get £5.3m; the University of Exeter, which has been awarded £8.6m; the Harris Federation, Croydon, which gets £5.1m; and Barnet and Southgate College, which received three grants of between £300,000 and £2.9m.

Salix chief executive, Kevin Holland, said: “It’s more important than ever that we focus on what is happening to our planet, with a key priority to reduce carbon emissions from buildings.

“We’re proud to deliver these energy efficiency projects together with our stakeholders.

“Government funding and effective partnerships will help to achieve the UK’s ambitious net zero 2050 goals.”

At the University of York, the £35m grant will pay for a pioneering geothermal-powered heating network which will capture energy from beneath the Earth’s surface to help deliver low-carbon heat to buildings on campus.

The University of Chester will spend its £4.4m grant on the replacement of fossil fuel-based heating systems with low-carbon technologies and upgrades to the energy infrastructure at the Queen’s Park and Wheeler sites in the centre of Chester.

The three-year project will begin implementation later this year, with completion expected in 2028.

Professor Eunice Simmons, vice-chancellor of the university, said: “This is a landmark moment for the university and a clear demonstration of our commitment to tackling climate change through ambitious action.

“The success of this grant application reflects not only the technical rigour of our proposals, but also the dedication and vision of our colleagues working behind the scenes.

This is a landmark moment for the university and a clear demonstration of our commitment to tackling climate change through ambitious action

“We are proud to be contributing to the momentum building across our city and region towards a more sustainable future.”

Lucy Fitzhugh, executive director of estates and commercial operations, added: “Delivering projects of this scale involves an extraordinary level of planning, technical detail, and cross-institutional collaboration.

“This funding empowers us to put innovative decarbonisation solutions into action and move significantly closer to a low-carbon future for our campuses.”

 

The full list of education recipients by region is as follows

 

NORTH EAST

• Ad Astra Academy Trust, Hartlepool £1m
• Cheviot Learning Trust, Northumberland £832,459
• Consilium Academy Trust £1.5m
• Middlesbrough College £4.9m

 

YORKSHIRE AND THE HUMBER

• Bishop Burton College, East Yorkshire £680,623
• Impact Education Multi Academy Trust, West Yorkshire £1m
• Pathfinder Multi Academy Trust, York £253,000
• Star Academies, Bradford £962,133
• Together Learning Trust, Yorkshire £720,000 and £4.2m
• University of York £35m
• Waterton Academy Trust, Wakefield £2.4m
• York Diocesan Board of Education £396,000

 

NORTH WEST

• Blackburn Diocesan Board of Education £845,000
• Carlisle Diocesan Board of Education £434,000
• Diocese of Salford £1m
• Edge Hill University, Lancashire £1.7m
• Education Partnership Trust, Blackburn £1.7m
• Leverhulme Academy Church of England and Community Trust, Bolton £2.2m
• Liverpool Diocesan Board of Education £937,250
• The Liverpool Joint Catholic and Church of England Academies Trust £2.6m
• University of Chester £4.4m
• University of Salford £1.5m

 

EAST MIDLANDS

• Better Futures Multi-Academy Trust, Nottingham £2m
• Lift Schools, Lincolnshire £128,888
• Lincoln College Group £760,202
• Transform Trust, Nottingham £217,790
• West Nottinghamshire College £1.7m
• Wickersley Partnership Trust, Lincolnshire £1.9m

 

WEST MIDLANDS

• Aston University £35,426,574
• Burton and South Derbyshire College £1.4m
• Hereford Diocesan Board of Education £1.4m
• University of Birmingham £2m

 

EAST OF ENGLAND

• Bedford College Group £211,000
• The Diocese of Chelmsford Vine Schools Trust £694,830

 

SOUTH EAST

• Activate Learning, Berkshire £4.2m
• Dartford Science and Technology College £635,000
• Diocese of Chichester £550,000
• Mary Hare School, Newbury, Berkshire £1.64m
• Milton Keynes College £1.1m
• Oxford Brookes University £5.3m
• Oxford Diocesan Board of Education £585,000
• Oxford Diocesan Schools Trust £317,805
• Sir Roger Manwood’s School, Kent £330,000
• St Bede’s School, Surrey £600,000
• The Avenue Special Needs Academy Trust, Reading £683,976
• The Forest School Academy Trust, Winnersh £1.2m

 

SOUTH WEST

• Bath Spa University £3m
• Exeter College £1.8m
• Falmouth Exeter Plus £55,000
• Futura Learning Partnership, Bristol £720,000
• Gloucester Diocese £251,258
• University of Exeter £8.6m
• University of Plymouth £2m

 

GREATER LONDON

• Barnet and Southgate College £1.1m and £300,306 and £2.9m (3 grants)
• East Surrey College, Croydon £2m
• Greenshaw Learning Trust, Croydon £350,000
• Harris Federation, Croydon £5.1m
• London South Bank University £206,700

 

ACROSS ALL REGIONS

• REAch2 Academy Trust £1.3m