BUSINESSES, community organisations and groups could save hundreds of pounds a year on their energy bills, and cut local carbon emissions, by having community-owned solar panels installed on the roofs of their buildings for free.

Following Solar Appreciation Day on Monday, March 11, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council is shining a light on three community energy societies powering forward plans to increase the amount of renewable energy generated in the borough.

Using a £17,000 grant awarded by the council last autumn to support its climate emergency declaration, Calleva Community Energy, Test Source Community Energy and Loddon Community Energy are working together to develop and launch new rooftop solar panel projects generating zero-emission electricity.

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Entirely run by local people, the three not-for-profit organisations buy solar panels and offer to install and maintain them on the roofs of suitable non-domestic buildings, such as offices, industrial units and community centres, at no charge to their owners.

The renewable electricity generated by the community-owned solar panels is sold at an agreed rate to the organisations using the building.

The community energy society that funded the panels receives an income and any surplus is reinvested into schemes such as further solar panel projects and energy-saving advice for local people.

Cabinet member for the climate and ecological emergency, Cllr Chris Tomblin, said: “If you own or work from an office, warehouse or community building, you could save money on your energy bills and help tackle climate change by letting one of our community energy societies install solar panels for free on your roof.

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“The electricity you’d buy from these not-for-profit organisations is likely to be cheaper than your current tariff and, in buying locally generated energy, you’ll also be more protected from sudden price increases caused by international events and market fluctuations.”

Calleva Community Energy currently owns and operates 18 rooftop solar panel projects.

This includes a scheme at Calleva Park in Aldermaston that has generated over 2,800 megawatt hours of zero-emission electricity over the last decade, which is estimated to be enough to power over 100 homes every year.

Test Source Community Energy is currently working on plans to crowd fund a solar panel project in Overton that could generate over 64 megawatt hours of renewable electricity each year, estimated to be enough to power 23 homes.

Loddon Community Energy has recently established Greener Homes Bramley, a successful network of local champions helping people save money on energy at home with free advice including on habit changes, insulation and solar panels.

The council declared a climate emergency for the borough in 2019, which included setting an ambitious target to work with communities and businesses towards achieving a net zero carbon borough by December 2030.

More information about community energy societies can be found at basingstoke.gov.uk/community-energy.

To encourage the owners of large-scale buildings such as offices and warehouses to have solar panels installed, last year the council commissioned a borough-wide study to determine roofs that could be suitable for panels and the power they could generate.

More information about the solar panel study, including how people and organisations can request the free report for their building, can be found at basingstoke.gov.uk/solar-panel-study.