Schools across Newport are benefiting from major investment in greener energy and energy efficiency upgrades, helping to cut carbon emissions while saving hundreds of thousands of pounds in running costs.
Newport City Council has carried out more than 70 major upgrades across over 33 school buildings since 2020, installing a range of low carbon technologies designed to reduce energy use and improve sustainability.
The work includes the installation of solar panels on school roofs, air source heat pumps, electric vehicle charging points, draught proofing, LED lighting upgrades, battery storage systems and other energy efficiency measures.
Solar panels are now a familiar sight on 32 school roofs across the city. Since 2020, schools have saved more than £600,000 in energy costs by generating their own clean electricity.
During 2025, solar capacity was extended at Jubilee Park Primary School, while new panels were installed at Ysgol Gyfun Gwent Is-Coed, Caerleon Lodge Hill Primary School, Glan Llyn Primary School and Lliswerry High School.
As part of the move away from fossil fuels, six schools had their gas boilers replaced last year with low carbon alternatives such as air source heat pumps. This brings the total number of Newport schools using low carbon heating technology to 13.
The schools that recently had gas boilers replaced are Caerleon Lodge Hill Primary School, Glan Llyn Primary School, Jubilee Park Primary School, Llanwern High School, Ysgol Gymraeg Casnewydd and St Joseph’s High School.
These systems provide a more efficient way of heating school buildings, while reducing carbon emissions and improving local air quality.
The majority of the work has been funded through dedicated grant funding that is ring fenced specifically for projects of this kind and cannot be used for other purposes.
Alongside the physical improvements, Newport City Council’s climate change team has also developed a wide range of activities and resources to support learning in schools. These include climate change newsletters, Eco Art competitions, Eco Grand Council meetings, Energy Warrior workshops and Arctic Explorer talks.
The council says these initiatives help pupils and staff take an active role in building a more sustainable future, while celebrating the progress schools are making across the city.
Councillor Yvonne Forsey, cabinet member for climate change, waste and recycling, said:
“This work is vital in helping us to reduce our carbon emissions and our energy costs, while also ensuring our schools are fit for the future.
“Reducing emissions from our buildings is one of the key themes listed within our climate change plan.
“Our school estate accounts for around 54 per cent of the carbon emissions from our buildings, so investing in them is naturally a key focus of our work.
“Projects such as these have seen us reduce emissions from our buildings by over 33 per cent since 2019/20, which along with the £600k saved in energy costs since 2020 is a fantastic achievement.
“We are determined to do everything we can in our efforts to reach our net zero goals by 2030, and deliver a cleaner, greener, healthier future for the people of Newport.”
