We just think big rooftops should have solar.
We got tired of waiting for the likes of the Government or big businesses to ramp up solar installations on large commercial rooftops that are perfect for it. So we decided to just do it ourselves.
We’re a not-for-profit cooperative 100% owned by our members, who want the UK to have cleaner energy, and lower emissions, fast. We’re not just another big energy company funnelling profits to faceless hedge funds. Anybody can join us. If you have £100 or more, you can buy shares and get a fair return on your investment.
There are already more than 1100 of us (and counting!) from all over the UK. Together, we own 11 large solar rooftops, and we’ve got a further 40 projects lined up. All we need is your support.
We’d love you to join us.
We’ve made it simple to join us – here’s the deal:
You can join us by buying shares – any amount from £100 to £100,000
You can opt to receive annual interest payments or reinvest your interest, so we can roll out more solar, faster
We aim to pay a fair rate of interest: Bank of England base rate plus 2% – our target annual rate is currently 6.25%
WANT TO KNOW MORE?
Why not join our free online event on Tuesday, 15 July at 13:00 for a live presentation and Q&A?
Did we mention our bond offer?
Alongside our share offer we also currently have a live bond offer to raise funds for our ground-breaking Whiteborough Solar Park. Our bonds offer fixed 5.5% annual interest over 7 years and can be wrapped in an ISA – so your income would be tax free.
We’re carrying out our bond offer in partnership with Ethex, the leading ethical investment platform.
Not sure whether shares or bonds are best for you? Here’s a summary to help you choose:
| Shares | Bonds | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Interest | Variable, target rate 2% above Bank of England base rate. You can choose to have interest paid out or to reinvest it in Big Solar Co-op. | Fixed at 5.5% |
| Taxation | Interest is taxable. If you don’t have a lot of investments you may not need to pay tax under the Personal Savings Allowance | Interest is taxable by default but you can wrap the bonds in an IF ISA so that they will be tax free |
| Membership | Buying shares makes you an Investor Member with some voting rights | Buying bonds confers no membership or voting rights |
| Minimum age | 16 years old | 18 years old |
| Capital withdrawal | You may apply to withdraw capital and we will seek to repay you as soon as possible (subject to available cash) | No withdrawal before 7 years |
| Application | You can apply for shares via the simple application link on our shares page | To apply for bonds you will need to register with Ethex and answer some more detailed questions |
| Use of funds | Share capital goes towards the Big Solar Co-op as a whole, mostly funding the development of our rooftop solar projects | Bond capital will specifically fund our Whiteborough Solar Park project |
Try our calculator to see what the impact of buying shares would be:
And that’s just in year one – the panels will keep doing that every year for 30 years.
Buying shares is easy via the secure online form – you can pay by credit or debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, bank transfer or cheque (yes, we still take cheques and if you prefer a paper application form you can download this here.)
In joining us you’ll be in good company: we have over 1100 Investor Members from all over the UK who have collectively invested over £2 million.
For all the details see our share offer document:
WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT?
We are people powered
We’re owned by our members who provide us with the cash we need to build solar. Many of them also give hours of volunteer time as solar champions in their neighbourhoods.
We break down barriers
We break down financial barriers for businesses and community buildings to go solar. We install panels at no cost to the host site and sell them energy at discounted rates, often saving them hundreds of thousands of pounds.
We’re motivated by solar delivered, not profit margins
Unlike big energy companies, we’re owned and governed by our members and we use the best and most ethical solar technology available. As a co-op we can’t be bought or sold. After our members get a fair return, any surplus goes into building more solar.
Funding Communities
Community buildings and small businesses are the heart and soul of local areas. We slash their energy bills, freeing up funds for them to do what they do best. We’re on a mission to deliver brighter futures for local areas.
Ready for some detail?
Here’s our latest update session…
WANT TO KNOW MORE?