Two major education institutions in Coventry are set to see their fuel bills significantly reduced under pioneering renewable energy plans spearheaded by West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker. Coventry College and Sidney Stringer Academy are installing solar panels as part of a wider initiative to create one of the UK’s first Net Zero Neighbourhoods in Hillfields, Coventry.
The project is being funded through £700,000 secured by the Mayor, the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), and Coventry City Council from Great British Energy’s newly launched Mayoral Renewable Fund. Once complete, up to 90 per cent of the electricity needed to power both sites will be generated from renewable sources. This shift is expected to save the schools a combined £90,000 annually while cutting carbon emissions dramatically.
Mayor Richard Parker highlighted both the financial and social benefits of the scheme. “The action we’re taking at Coventry College and Sidney Stringer Academy to cut their energy bills will free up thousands of pounds that can go straight back into teaching and supporting our young people. At the same time, we’re making the Hillfields area a cleaner, greener place to live,” he said. Parker added that government backing has created the opportunity to expand the programme to more schools, libraries, leisure centres, and council buildings across the region—helping safeguard vital public services while driving sustainability.
Both institutions, recognised as some of the city’s most energy-intensive sites, are at the forefront of the Net Zero Neighbourhood transformation. The solar installations will be complemented by additional green infrastructure, including a low-carbon heat network that promises further cost savings and emission reductions.
Andrew Walls, vice principal at Sidney Stringer Academy Trust, welcomed the investment. “Over the last year we’ve made significant strides with energy efficiency. Thanks to this funding we can now generate a huge share of our electricity from renewable solar energy. Practically, it will lower our energy costs so that more finance can go into frontline education, while also helping us achieve our vision of Net Zero by 2030. It also sets a real example for our students of how renewable energy can save both money and the planet.”
Similarly, Coventry College is using the funding not just to power its campus but also to build future skills in the green economy. Vice principal for business growth, Gemma Knott, confirmed the college had also secured funding to deliver new solar photovoltaic bootcamps. These will provide training for residents and businesses to install solar systems, equipping local people with skills for the fast-growing renewable energy sector.
Councillor Jim O’Boyle, cabinet member for jobs, regeneration, and climate change at Coventry City Council, hailed the project as a “game-changer.” He stressed that powering key education buildings with clean energy will both cut emissions and reinvest savings into community priorities.
The initiative forms part of WMCA’s £200 million decarbonisation programme, which aims to modernise nearly 20,000 homes, schools, businesses, and public buildings across the region. The Hillfields project joins other Net Zero Neighbourhoods in Dudley, Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Sandwell, Solihull, and Walsall, supporting the West Midlands’ ambition to reach net zero by 2041.
With investment from the Mayoral Renewable Fund and strategic delivery by WMCA, Coventry is positioning itself at the forefront of the UK’s green energy transition, driving lower costs, stronger communities, and a cleaner future.
