- Category
- Thames Valley / South East FE group
- Location
- Reading, Oxford, Banbury, Bracknell, Wokingham, Guildford
- DNO
- SSEN (Reading, Oxford, Banbury, Bracknell, Wokingham); UKPN (Guildford)
- Est. PV capacity
- 1.5-2 MW
About Activate Learning
Thames Valley FE provider with strong economic-area integration (Heathrow corridor, Oxford-Cambridge Arc). Activate Learning Sustainability Strategy targets 50% scope-2 reduction by 2030.
The estate at Activate Learning
City of Oxford College, Reading College, Banbury & Bicester College, Bracknell & Wokingham College, Guildford College, Activate Learning National Online. ~20,000 sqm building footprint.
From a solar PV perspective this delivers 1.5-2 MW across the portfolio (highest sunshine FE group corp in our portfolio). With 720 kW of daytime baseload typical, self-consumption stays around 68% — strong for the sector. The DNO for Activate Learning is SSEN (Reading, Oxford, Banbury, Bracknell, Wokingham); UKPN (Guildford).
Curriculum integration
T-Level Construction, Engineering, Building Services Engineering, Digital. Activate Learning STEM provision strongly aligned with Skills England green skills priorities.
Funding stack for Activate Learning
Single portfolio Salix bid. PSDS Phase 4 bundled bid possible across multiple campuses. Limited MCA presence in Thames Valley (no MCA), but Oxford-Cambridge Arc decarbonisation funding emerging. Estimated portfolio capex £1.4m-£1.8m.
Detailed funding-route deep-dives:
- Salix Decarbonisation Loan — interest-free up to £600k per project
- PSDS Phase 4 capital grant — 100% grant for bundled bids
- FE Capital Transformation Fund — embedded sustainability in major refurb
- MCA decarbonisation grants — devolved regional funding
- AoC Climate Action Plan compliance pathway — board-approved Climate Action Plan compliance pathway
- ONS reclassification unlocked Salix and PSDS for Activate Learning — the November 2022 policy change that unlocked Salix + PSDS for FE
- Payback calculator — model the specific Activate Learning scenario
Estimated economics
For a 1750 kW programme at Activate Learning, modelled economics assuming standard portfolio-scale unit cost (£800/kW installed at this scale):
- Capital cost: approximately £1,400,000
- Annual generation: approximately 2,704,800 kWh
- Annual energy savings: approximately £529,058 (at typical FE blended tariff)
- Salix-funded payback: approximately 2.6 years
- 25-year nominal benefit: approximately £11,826,450
These are scoping figures — a precise feasibility report requires 12 months of Activate Learning's half-hourly meter data. See our interactive payback calculator to adjust the assumptions for your specific scenario.