The Mayor of the East Midlands has secured £729,000 from the Government’s Mayoral Renewables Fund to launch a major new solar energy project in Nottinghamshire.
Rushcliffe Borough Council will use the grant funding to install a large solar panel array on Rushcliffe Arena in West Bridgford, which houses both the council’s town hall and a popular leisure centre with a swimming pool – facilities which place heavy demands on energy.
Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward said: “This investment is another step towards a cleaner, greener East Midlands. By installing solar panels on public buildings, we’re cutting carbon emissions, reducing bills, and making our communities more resilient for the future. These projects show how local projects can deliver real change – helping to power our region with affordable, sustainable energy.”
Once installed, the solar panels are expected to generate about 350,000 kWh of renewable energy every year, supplying up to half of the building’s total electricity needs.
That means big financial savings for local taxpayers. Over the project’s lifetime, the solar installation is set to cut the council’s energy bills by nearly £2 million. Those savings will be invested into improving facilities at Rushcliffe Arena for everyone who uses them.
The environmental benefits are equally impressive. The solar array is projected to save more than 1,600 tonnes of carbon emissions over the next 25 years – the equivalent of removing 141 family homes from the grid. It marks the latest milestone in Rushcliffe Borough Council’s long-term climate efforts, which have already reduced its carbon footprint by 71 per cent since 2009.
Councillor Neil Clarke, Leader of Rushcliffe Borough Council, said: “We welcome this investment at one of our popular leisure centres and the council’s headquarters on our journey to be carbon neutral by 2030.
“We will continue to work with partner organisations to make our buildings and assets ever greener and be among those leading by example to local businesses and organisations.
“It builds on more than £5m of investment, including significant carbon saving measures at Gamston Community Hall, Sir Julien Cahn Pavilion and Cotgrave Leisure Centre in recent years.”
This announcement builds on the East Midlands Combined County Authority’s (EMCCA’s) ambitious plans to deliver clean, home-grown energy in the region. In July 2025, another £700,000 was secured from Great British Energy for a new solar farm in Derbyshire. These schemes are delivering against the ambitions set out in EMCCA’s Growth Plan. By summer of 2026, EMCCA aims to have completed clean energy projects with a total capacity of up to 4MW – 80 per cent of the target to deliver 5MW by autumn 2027.
Mayor Claire said: “The East Midlands has a proud history of powering our nation, and now, we’re leading the clean energy revolution. Solar energy projects are just one part of our bold plan. Our region is driving forward with innovative projects like the Trent Supercluster which hosts the STEP Fusion prototype power plant at West Burton and the UK’s largest green hydrogen production facility at High Marnham. In the East Midlands, we’re stepping up to deliver a brighter, greener future for generations to come.”
The Mayoral Renewables Fund, part of the new Great British Energy initiative, is helping Combined Authorities across England accelerate renewable energy projects on public buildings and land.
This funding announcement comes as EMCCA signed a new partnership agreement with Great British Energy (GBE) earlier this week.
The Memorandum of Understanding sets out a shared commitment for EMCCA and GBE to work together to unlock investment in clean energy infrastructure, expand community-owned power projects, and strengthen UK supply chains.