Solar

Solar is a clean, safe, renewable source of energy, and it’s also one of the cheapest ways to generate electricity. It works whenever there is daylight (though the sunnier, the better), and can be combined with a battery to provide power at night too.  

 

Rooftop solar is a great way for schools, community centres and other community buildings to get access to cheaper electricity – but the upfront cost is often too high. That’s where community energy comes in. A community energy company can raise money for the installation, sell the electricity to the building occupants for a lower price than they’d get elsewhere, provide a return to its investors, and use the surplus to benefit the community. 

 

In theory, it’s also possible for a solar farm to be wholly or partially owned by a community group, although the sums of money needed are much larger. 

We’re starting a new working group to look at opportunities for solar energy in Norwich. If you’d like to join, please email info@ourpower.org.uk. You don’t need to be an expert – just willing to put some time in to researching opportunities, or talking to community groups, applying for planning permission, fundraising, taking minutes at meetings, or various other tasks we haven’t thought of yet!