News

01/10/25

01 October 2025

Royal College of Physicians welcomes expansion of solar panel scheme for NHS sites

Solar Panels

Dr Mark Harber, RCP special adviser on healthcare sustainability and climate change, said:

“Today’s news that more NHS sites will benefit from solar panels is another important step towards the NHS in England reaching net zero by 2040.

“The climate crisis is a health crisis, and the NHS has a vital role to play in tackling it. This programme demonstrates how investment in clean energy can deliver financial benefits – reducing energy bills – while also contributing to the long-term health of the population by cutting emissions. We urge government to keep building on this momentum so that all NHS sites can benefit from cheaper bills and cleaner energy.”

  • The RCP welcomed the UK government announcing investment in solar panels for 200 NHS sites in England in March 2025.
  • NHS England’s report ‘Five years of a greener NHS: progress and forward look 2025’, found that NHS emissions associated with the use of gas (primarily for heating) accounted for around 40% of the NHS Carbon Footprint in 2024/25 and had reduced by just 1% since 2019/20.