We’re wrapping up a busy and highly productive year at Big Solar Co-op. Before we head off for a short rest, we wanted to share some of what has been achieved with the help of our Volunteer and Investor Members this year:
Installs
The install at Kerry Taste and Nutrition is about to bring in the first round of income for the Big Solar Co-op and we hope to be able to share some real time generation data in the coming months. We now have an excellent case study written by one of our Volunteer Members – a really useful snapshot of what we do. Although we have the long standing experience of Sharenergy behind us it’s good to be able to answer the question ‘what have you done already?’ with a neat case study.
The huge 556kWp install at Ecopak in Cambridgeshire is close to completion as is a press release to go out in the New Year and a film made in collaboration with Meyer Burger showcasing the +1500 high quality, sustainable panels. The build has been going well despite cold and windy weather throwing up a good few challenges. Things always look sunny inside though as they pack tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers from their British and European nurseries. The company is looking forward to enjoying the financial savings from cheaper, clean solar energy from the solar PV and have been working hard on water and energy saving measures across their operations.
Share offer
None of this could happen without the support of our Investor Members and as we scale further and consolidate the Big Solar Co-op offer we will need to raise more capital than ever. So if you haven’t yet invested please do consider the opportunity to use your money for good and receive steady return – our target is 2% above Bank of England base rate (or 5% if base rate falls back below 3%). Capital at risk.
If you would like to find out more, please take a look at the invest page and watch this recent presentation from Jon Halle:
Outreach
The Big Solar Co-op is proud to be part of the #rooftoprevolution and recently was featured by CPRE in their campaign advocating for rooftop solar on new builds, warehouses and car parks. Being interviewed for their case study was a chance for us to reach a new demographic and blow the trumpet for embedding ethics into the heart of solar pv projects. It also didn’t hurt to have a platform to raise the issue of restrictive planning regulations that stymie many potential installs rather than maximising the impact of community solar initiatives. Check out their case study on us.
What started as an ad hoc session at the Big Solar Gathering back in October has grown into a lively discussion group that explores how local authorities can work towards their net zero goals with rooftop solar PV. It’s a great opportunity for anyone working in or with councils to share knowledge and get support from peers who have similar aims. The next call is on next month and all previous attendees will be automatically invited, keep an eye on our events page for future dates.