Solar panel buying scheme relaunched in Wokingham Borough

Wokingham Borough Council is launching the second round of Solar Together, a Berkshire group-buying solar panel scheme. Solar Together makes it easier and cheaper for residents and businesses to install solar panels and battery storage.

There are a number of benefits for installing solar panels including:

1. Saving money on electricity bills
2. Being a renewable energy source – the sun is clean and is an unlimited source of energy reducing the need to burn fossil fuels
3. Reducing carbon emissions

For residents and businesses who have already invested in solar panels, retrofit battery storage is also available. This is an opportunity for residents and businesses who are looking to get more from the renewable energy they generate and increase their independence from the electricity grid.

Last year was the first time the council offered this scheme in Wokingham Borough and the outcomes were impressive. Some 316 residents accepted their offers to go ahead with the scheme. And of that figure, 298 households and businesses installed solar panel systems (of which 256 added additional battery storage) and 18 purchased standalone battery installations.

This equated to:

• 3,184 solar panels installed
• 252,607 kg of carbon reduction, equivalent to driving 880,900 miles in a car
• An estimated 6,315,185 Kg CO2 reduction in 25 years
• £2,689,918 invested into renewable energy  

The carbon savings achieved are contributing to the council’s dream of becoming a carbon neutral borough by 2030.

Residents and businesses who own their property or have permission from the landlord to install solar panels can register their interest for free on the Solar Together Wokingham website.

Supporting our carbon neutral dream

Rhian Hayes, assistant director – economy and housing, said: “Last year, more than 300 residents installed solar panels and battery storage at their homes, and we are thrilled to be partnering with Solar Together again to offer the scheme to our residents and local businesses. The scheme presents an excellent opportunity for residents and businesses to invest in clean energy source for powering their buildings. By doing so, they can reduce their reliance on fossil fuels, which we must gradually phase out to mitigate the impact of climate change and lower carbon emissions.

“I’d like to thank everyone who took part last year. It was great to see such incredible support, which is so important in helping us to reduce our carbon emissions while contributing to our dream of becoming a carbon neutral borough by 2030. If you are interested, please register your interest now.”

How does the scheme work?

Solar Together is a trusted scheme and by working with them, the council is enabling residents and businesses to sign up to this no obligation, group-buying scheme, to increase the uptake of green energy throughout the borough. The more residents who sign up to the scheme, the better the deal is for each household. 

The Solar Together Scheme is simple and follows the steps below: 

1. Registration – residents who are interested in the scheme should register online at www.solartogether.co.uk/wokingham/join by 9 August 2024. There is no obligation and the more people who register, the better the deal for everyone
2. Auction – approved solar panel installers will bid for the work in a reverse ‘auction’. The most competitive offer from these pre-vetted installers wins the auction
3. Personal recommendation – residents and businesses will be emailed a personal recommendation based on their registration details. This includes costs and the specifications of the installation     
4. Residents and businesses decide – the decision is then yours as to whether you want to accept your recommendation. There is no obligation to continue. You will have up to four weeks to decide
5. Installation – if you accept, the winning installer will contact you to survey your roof and set an installation date

About Solar Together

The scheme is operated and delivered across Berkshire by Solar Together and promoted by Wokingham Borough Council, Reading Borough Council, West Berkshire Council, Bracknell Forest Council and Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.

The scheme builds on six years of successful Solar Together programmes run across the UK. To date, Solar Together has delivered more than 33,000 installations and saved more than 673,000 tonnes of carbon emissions.