Four-school rollout expected to cut carbon by 61 tonnes a year and provide up to 28% of energy needs
Two Blues Solar, a commercial solar funder, developer and consultancy, enabled special education provider, Outcomes First Group (OFG), to roll out solar across four schools during the 2025 summer break, including battery storage at two sites to maximise on-site energy use.
The four systems provide a combined generation capacity of 298 kWp and are expected to generate 273,000 kWh annually. They will reduce carbon emissions by 61 tonnes each year, equivalent to taking 44 cars off the road, and provide projected cost savings of nearly £2 million over the next 25 years.
The four schools – Acorn Park in Norfolk, Lamledge in Shropshire, Bankside in Worcestershire and Smallbrook in Shropshire – are projected to meet between 8% and 28% of their energy demand from solar. Two sites include battery storage, allowing energy generated outside peak times to be used later rather than exported to the grid. Exported electricity earns about 6p per kWh, versus roughly 25p per kWh to import from the grid, so maximising on-site use shortens payback and increases long-term savings.
Two Blues Solar and OFG established a relationship in the summer of 2024, shortly after the special education provider established a dedicated sustainability team. Solar and batteries form part of the group’s wider plan to reduce the environmental impact of its estate, which spans just under 100 schools across the UK, alongside plans for electric fleet and charging infrastructure.
Two Blues Solar conducted extensive feasibility assessments across OFG’s portfolio in early 2025 to help the group evaluate its options. While Two Blues Solar typically funds and develops on-site solar projects directly, in April, OFG chose to self-fund four pilot installations and asked Two Blues to act as consultant and project manager.
“Using our in-house expertise, we took the project from feasibility to delivery within a very tight summer holiday window,” said Rachel Stark, Commercial Director of Two Blues Solar. “We sized the systems and identified battery locations, appointed Photon Energy from our installer network, negotiated contracts and oversaw simultaneous works across four sites. All were completed on time before the start of the new academic year, within budget and with minimal demand on OFG’s staff, who were highly supportive throughout.”
“Delivering high-quality education is our first priority, but we also want to run our schools responsibly and sustainably,” said Astrid D’Amelio, Head of Sustainability, Outcomes First Group. “This project cuts Scope 2 emissions, provides long-term cost certainty and gives pupils a tangible way to engage with renewable energy. It shows our communities we are serious about a sustainable future, and we are working with Two Blues Solar to identify opportunities to extend the programme across our estate.”
Two Blues Solar will continue to provide long-term asset management support to OFG, with a client-facing platform that provides live visibility of solar generation, carbon savings and financial performance, alongside monthly reporting and oversight of the operations and maintenance contract.