Green energy company Freetricity has unveiled a £500m fund to install solar panels on the roofs of buildings, and is offering charities access to the first £100m.

The company has partnered with investor LightSource Renewables to offer 800 buildings grants of up to £150,000 to install and maintain solar panels.

As well as reducing carbon emissions the company claims that solar panels can save organisations up to £6,000 per year.

Freetricity is funded through the government’s Feed-in Tariff Scheme (FiT), and is led by Catch 22 trustee Paul Williams and environmentalist Ben Way who met though appearances on Channel 4’s ‘Secret Millionaire’.

However, there will be a review and cap of the FiT scheme next April which Williams said “will reduce the incentives, which may limit our ability to offer this incredible deal”.

Solar panels are offered being offered on a first-come first-served basis to building owners in England and Wales.

Interested charities should sign up at  www.freetricityenergy.com.