Generating your own renewable electricity is not only better for the planet, but also better for your wallet and provides energy security.
At a time when there is so much instability and costs are astronomical, more and more people are looking to install solar PV on their homes.
The solar industry however has become a bit like the double-glazing industry, and for consumers, knowing who to trust is not easy.
This is why we’re really pleased to have launched the Solar Together scheme.
The scheme enables residents to install solar panels and/or battery storage at a competitive price through pre-vetted suppliers. Residents who already have solar PV and are wanting to invest in storage can also apply.
The scheme is open to those who own their own home, those who have permission to install such schemes from their landlord, and small to medium-sized businesses. If you’re considering getting solar PV, you can register your interest up until August 11, after which there is a process – known as a reverse auction, in which approved installers bid for the work.
You will then get a personal recommendation including costs after which you can decide whether you’d like to accept the recommendation. The more that sign up, the better the deal for each household.
To sign up, go to https://solartogether.co.uk/wokingham/home
As our society continues to electrify with the transition to electric vehicles and electric forms of heating, demand is shifting from dirty fossil fuels to clean renewable electricity. Solar panels on buildings will not on their own meet that need and there will continue to be a demand for clean electricity from the grid.
This is why larger-scale renewable energy generation such as solar farms and wind farms are needed to achieve the government’s target of a decarbonised power system by 2035.
At Wokingham Borough Council, we plan to build three solar farms by 2030 in the borough, the first being Barkham solar farm.
Not only will these solar farms assist in the decarbonisation of the power system, but they will also bring in much-needed revenue into the borough at a time when we need to diversify our income to replace the money lost through underfunding of local government.
This income will supplement a wide range of services, including those that support our most vulnerable residents such as adult social care and children with special educational needs and disabilities.
The biggest barrier to building our solar farms is the lack of investment in grid infrastructure which has resulted in renewable energy generation schemes like ours up and down the country being told we have to wait 10 to 15 years to connect them to the grid.
We have been working closely with National Grid and SSEN to find solutions that can bring the grid connection date forward. We are also lobbying hard for regulation reform in how grid connections are managed which is coming, but not quickly enough.
We have been contributing to the debate wherever we can, including at industry events and forums, speaking directly with parliamentarians, and writing to Ofgem with our proposals in response to their open letter on reform on grid connections.
There is more to do, and I hope in due course, I will be writing a column of the positive outcomes.
In the meantime, do please consider registering your interest for the Solar Together scheme, and check out the Energy Saving and Climate page of the Council’s website for information about other schemes and advice.
Cllr Sarah Kerr is the executive member for Climate Emergency and Resident Services and ward member for Evendons
