ROOFTOP
SOLAR
Helping the community reduce fuel bills and drive down their carbon footprint.
Free solar panel installation for schools, businesses and other building owners
Our community owned model enables organisations to take practical climate action and reduce fuel bills without the need for upfront capital and ongoing upkeep of the system.
How does it work?
1. no upfront capital costs
We raise the total cost of the solar PV installation from community fundraising, so there’s no capital outlay for the building owner.
2. HASSLE-FREE set-up
We manage the whole development and installation process, including surveys, lease and the Power Purchase Agreement that covers the sale of electricity from BWCE to the building owner.
3. HASSLE-FREE MAINTENANCE
We own the rooftop solar system and employ Bright Renewables, a community owned asset manager, to maintain it and deal with any issues that might arise.
4. LOWER ENERGY BILLS
We sell the solar-generated electricity to the building owner at an agreed discounted index-linked rate, usually 10-30% cheaper than their current supplier.
5. INTEREST FOR MEMBERS
We use the revenue from the sale of electricity to pay interest payments to the members and bondholders who funded the installation.
6. FUNDING FOR LOCAL PROJECTS
We donate surplus from across all our rooftop solar projects to the independent BWCE Fund, which gives out grants to local community projects reducing carbon emissions and addressing fuel poverty.
“The team were incredibly professional, knowledgeable and helpful. No question was too small. The installation went smoothly and was completed ahead of schedule.”
Mark Solomon
Head Teacher, Colerne Church of England VC Primary School
Is your roof suitable for solar?
Community owned rooftop solar is available to organisations within the BWCE area of benefit as long as they can fulfil our eligibility criteria.
Please note we do not carry out solar PV installation on domestic properties.
Our eligibility criteria
Size of roof – ideally 300 square metres, around the size of a tennis court.
Orientation of roof – preferably a pitched roof facing south or a shallow-pitched roof which faces due east and west.
Roof condition – suitability depends on age and material.
Energy use – we would need a certain amount of on-site energy use whilst the solar panels are generating to make the finances work.
Building ownership – freehold or signed agreement of the landlord.