Fully funded rooftop solar for schools

Funded solar – we call it Solar as a Service – means UrbanVolt finances, installs, and maintains the solar system on your school’s roof at no cost to you. Your school simply pays for the electricity the system generates, at a fixed rate 30 to 40% below the grid price, from the day the system goes live. The contract is treated as a services agreement, not a capital investment, so there is nothing on your balance sheet.

No. There is zero capital outlay at any stage. UrbanVolt covers the full cost of design, installation, and ongoing maintenance. The first charge your school incurs is the first monthly electricity bill once the system is commissioned and generating. At the development stage, your maximum cost exposure is £1,000 per site for the detailed survey. This only applies if the project does not proceed.

UrbanVolt targets a rate 30 to 40% below the grid price, fixed for the full term of the agreement – typically 20 years. Because your rate is fixed and grid prices continue to rise, the saving grows year on year. A typical secondary school will see cumulative savings running to six figures over the life of a 20-year agreement.

UrbanVolt owns the solar system throughout the contract term and is fully responsible for installation, maintenance, repairs, cleaning, and performance monitoring. Your school’s roof remains your asset – we simply require access for installation and ongoing maintenance. If there is a performance issue, UrbanVolt identifies and resolves it; your school does not need to manage it.

UrbanVolt works in partnership with E&M Energy Consultancy, specialist energy consultants to schools and the education sector, who ensure that every engagement is structured to comply with public procurement requirements. For maintained schools, we work within local authority framework agreements. For academies and free schools, we support the trust’s financial regulations and governance process.

The process runs in four stages. First, we review your energy data and produce a desktop assessment and benefits case – no commitment required. If you want to proceed, a Letter of Intent triggers the development stage, which includes a full site survey. Once the survey is complete and the agreement signed, your full turnkey installation is delivered with minimal disruption. From that point, your school benefits from clean energy at a fixed reduced rate, monitored in real time through the UrbanVolt portal.

UrbanVolt schedules installation to minimise disruption. Wherever possible, work is carried out during school holiday periods. All safety standards are strictly adhered to throughout, with RAMS, testing certificates, and HSE logs provided as standard. The installation team works to a programme agreed with the school in advance, and any access requirements during term time are managed around the school timetable.

Solar generates real, measurable reductions in your school’s carbon footprint by replacing grid electricity – which comes from a mix of fossil and renewable sources – with clean energy generated on-site. The reduction is verifiable and can be reported against your school’s sustainability targets, local authority commitments, or Ofsted environmental criteria. UrbanVolt tracks and reports environmental impact in real time through the portal, so you always have the data you need.

Yes, and UrbanVolt is well set up to support it. Multiple schools within a trust can be procured under a single framework, with one governance and approval process covering the full portfolio. Sites are assessed and prioritised based on roof condition, consumption, and grid capacity, and deployment can be phased to suit the trust’s operational and financial planning. The result is a portfolio-scale solar programme delivered with significantly less administrative burden than running each school as a separate project.

Every UrbanVolt system is connected to our remote monitoring platform from the day it is commissioned. Generation data, energy production, and environmental impact are all visible in real time through the UrbanVolt app and desktop portal. Performance reports can be downloaded in seconds and used directly in governor reporting, sustainability reviews, or parent communications. UrbanVolt also monitors the system automatically and flags any performance issues before they affect generation.