Solar Together scheme offers cost-effective solar panel and battery storage installation for residents and businesses
For full details and links, please visit this page.
Households and businesses across Wiltshire and Swindon have the opportunity to save on energy bills and generate their own electricity by purchasing high-quality solar panels and battery storage at a competitive price.
Wiltshire Council and Swindon Borough Council are working with iChoosr, independent experts in group-buying, to launch a second Solar Together scheme, following the success of the first in 2022.
Since the first round of the scheme launched in May 2022, over 1,500 home owners across Wiltshire and Swindon have so far installed over 8,500 solar panels and 720 storage batteries to benefit from generating their own renewable energy. This is also estimated to shrink the carbon footprint of these households by more than 650,000 kilograms of Carbon Dioxide in total.
The prospect of choosing an installer and making the change to renewable energy can be quite daunting, but Solar Together makes the switch to clean energy as hassle-free as possible. The scheme supports people every step of the way, providing clear and objective information that people can trust, so that they can make a well-informed decision and receive expert guidance throughout the process.
The initiative offers solar panels (also known as solar PV) with optional battery storage and electric vehicle (EV) charge points. It also offers battery storage installation for residents who have already invested in solar panels and are looking to maximise how much of their self-generated energy they can use at home and become less dependent on electricity from the grid.
Solar Together operates on a group-buying approach, with the core principle that coming together as a group provides enhanced buying power and allows the approved providers to offer a better price than individual homeowners might get from entering the market alone.
The scheme is now open for registrations in Wiltshire and Swindon and the deadline is 11 August 2023. People who are interested can register for free, and, following a competitive bidding process managed by Solar Together, will then be sent their recommended provider and costs, with no obligation to proceed with the installation.
To register for the scheme, residents must either own their own house or have permission from the landlord to install solar panels. Small and medium-sized enterprises (non-domestic) and Commonhold Associations meeting this requirement can also participate.
Cllr Nick Holder, Wiltshire Council Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change, said: “We are really pleased to be offering this scheme for a second year running. The first scheme is on track to deliver almost 700 installations in Wiltshire, totalling more than 5,000 solar panels and resulting in a £6 million investment by residents into the green economy.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for residents and local businesses to join together to access more affordable prices for installation of solar technology. The cost-of-living crisis is particularly challenging at the moment, and this scheme is one of the ways in which households can make long-term savings by generating their own renewable energy, whilst also helping our ambition to reach net zero carbon emissions across the county.”
Councillor Jane Milner-Barry, Chair of Swindon Borough Council’s Net Zero Policy and Scrutiny Committee, said: “Swindon Borough Council is pleased to be offering a second round of Solar Together to give home owners another opportunity to install quality solar panels and batteries at a market competitive price. With the volatile energy prices we have seen over the past year, now could be a good time to look into whether renewable energy is a smart investment.
“Solar Together is a tried and tested scheme that allows residents to explore, with confidence, whether installing solar panels is right for their property and circumstances. Since the first round last year, Swindon home owners have so far installed over 2,500 solar panels and 230 storage batteries. This is estimated to shrink the carbon footprint of those homes by a total of 195,000 kilograms of Carbon Dioxide. I was delighted to take part in last year’s first scheme to get solar panels installed on my own home.”
For full details – including likely costs – please visit this page.