Oasis Community Learning

The Challenge

Oasis Community Learning, a multi-academy trust with 52 schools across the UK, faced the complex challenge of reducing carbon emissions and energy costs across a large, diverse portfolio of educational sites. With tight budgets and a responsibility to maintain safe, uninterrupted learning environments, the trust needed a solution that aligned with their sustainability goals, educational values, and operational realities. The challenge was not just technical, it was about finding a partner who understood the nuances of working in the education sector and could deliver a solution that was financially viable, socially responsible, and educationally enriching.

The Solution

Eden Sustainable won the project through a competitive tender process, delivering a 1.6MW solar rollout across 14 sites in Phase 1, funded entirely through our Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) model. This allowed Oasis to benefit from clean, low-cost electricity without any upfront investment. Eden retained ownership of the assets via a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), ensuring long-term energy security for the trust. Installations were carefully scheduled around school terms, with enhanced DBS checks and rigorous health & safety protocols in place. Beyond the technical delivery, Eden worked closely with Oasis to integrate sustainability into the curriculum, organising assemblies, roadshows, and providing access to live generation data for student learning. We also co-founded a Sustainability Steering Group to support ongoing environmental initiatives across the trust.

The Outcome

The solar programme is forecast to save Oasis over £3 million and 8,000 tonnes of carbon over 25 years. More importantly, it has empowered the trust to lead by example—demonstrating how schools can embrace sustainability without compromising educational outcomes. Staff and students have responded with enthusiasm, and the installations have become a source of pride and learning. As Rowena Stone, Sustainability Lead at Oasis, put it:

“We firmly believe that Eden are the right partner for Oasis as our values and goals are aligned when it comes to people and planet… The initial design, development and legal structuring phase of the project demonstrated how well the partnership is developing between Oasis and Eden with a one team approach and a relaxed open relationship.”

This project showcases Eden Sustainable’s ability to deliver complex, multi-site solar solutions tailored to the education sector, proving that with the right partner, sustainability can be a powerful tool for learning, leadership, and long-term value.