Shropshire firm raises more than £840,000 in its mission to put solar panels on large rooftops

Shrewsbury-based Big Solar Co-op says more than 250 people invested more than £840,000 its vision of putting solar energy panels on large commercial and community rooftops first in the West Midlands then across the UK.

Noël Lambert, national coordinator of Big Solar Co-op, thanked investors for their contributions and said next year will be a pivotal one for the firm.

She said the first share offer ended on December 10.

"More than 250 people invested over £840,000 and we send a huge thank you to every single one of them.

"We could not be doing this crucial work without your support."

The money will be used to install solar panels on the first rooftops in the portfolio in the West Midlands and to continue to progress the pipeline of large commercial and community rooftops across the UK. It has got a pipeline of over 100 large commercial rooftops wanting solar to cut both carbon emissions and energy costs.

"Since launching in July this year another 3 MW of potential large solar rooftops has been added to the development portfolio," said Noël.

And she added that the company, based at the Pump House in Coton Hill, is looking forward to 2023.

"2023 is going to be a pivotal year for the Big Solar Co-op. Our first installs will be going up and the volunteers who have signed up to our worker member structure will really start to power the project."

Noël is now appealing for investment in National Grid infrastructure to make the most of opportunities and achieve ambitious Net Zero targets.

A report by accountancy experts PwC called the Green Jobs Barometer found that jobs in renewable energy, businesses powered by renewables, or supporting the green economy had grown almost four times as quickly as jobs as a whole in the year to June 2022.

She said: “To ensure that solar continues to boost economic growth in 2023, the government needs to invest in growing new grid capacity, which is currently the biggest block on new solar development.

“We also want to see effective market mechanisms that work for the community solar sector”.

Gareth Williams of Hereford-based Caplor Energy, who is vice-chair of Solar Energy UK, said: “We need a National Grid that’s fit for purpose for the direction of travel of electrifying transport and heating - we don't have the infrastructure."

Some 7.3 per cent of UK grid electricity was produced by solar in June and July 2022 and 7.2 per cent in August.

The Government’s Energy Security Strategy anticipates a 500 per cent increase in solar capacity by 2035.

Big Solar Co-op focuses on solar embedded within communities – principally on rooftops. They say every village, town and city has sites, right next to or on top of buildings that need reasonably priced, sustainable electricity.

By 2030 the company aims to install 100MW of rooftop solar, engage 250 active volunteers across 25 local groups, create 10 new sustainable jobs, create ethical, accessible social investment opportunities raising £25m and save over £300,000 annually on fuel bills for community buildings and social housing.

The Big Solar Co-op is a co-operative society owned and run for the mutual benefit of its members.

The idea is to support each other to achieve a common goal – to increase the amount of solar power generation in UK communities, especially since the feed-in tariff subsidies were removed. By working together, we can eliminate duplications of effort, bring efficiencies and take advantage of economies of scale.

The Big Solar Co-op owns the PV panels. They are be purchased using capital raised by a community share offer, much like the other ones Sharenergy has run for many successful community energy groups and projects over the last decade.

But the company says it cannot help individuals with domestic solar at the moment.

Big Solar Co-op has have received early stage funding from The Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and the MCS Charitable Foundation.

For more information or to volunteer, visit https://bigsolar.coop/