We propose to establish a course which will enable members of the public to understand how community solar works and to become effective agents of change by working to get new solar built on rooftops in their communities. The course will be focused on practical action rather than policy, and deeply rooted in experience of delivery. Big Solar Co-op already works with volunteers from across the UK to deliver solar on a daily basis.
The first cohort on the course will be drawn from 3 groups:
- Westmill Solar members
- Existing Big Solar Co-op volunteers
- Volunteers working with Younity
We are aiming for a cohort of 15-25 on the course.
Aims
The course aims to give participants a good foundation in community solar which will enable them to begin practical work towards establishing new solar installations. There will be an opportunity to work on real-world sites and make progress while completing the course.
The course is informed by the experience and practice of Big Solar Co-op, and will be using some of the systems developed by Big Solar Co-op. The course aims to give a broader foundation which will be equally useful to participants who wish to deliver community solar using other model (ie geographically-focused solar co-ops).
After completing the course the aim is for participants to feel confident to approach potential solar sites and to liaise with them through the process of delivery, with appropriate support.
Who its for
The course is aimed at those who want to make a commitment of time to getting new solar built. It’s aimed primarily at volunteers but will also be useful to people who have a paid role within community energy. The course does not pre-suppose any technical knowledge. Participants will need to be prepared to engage with learning across areas including finance, law, solar design and marketing.
Key topic areas
This is a foundation course which aims to give a broad base of learning. Key topics are:
- Introduction to community energy
- Introduction to solar technology and energy market
- The business model and the society form
- Financial analysis
- Funding sources
- Legal agreements & insurance
- Solar design 101
- Grid, planning, structural issues
- Site finding
- Approaching potential solar hosts
- Understanding and quantifying impact
- Ongoing operations of solar projects
- Routes to get solar built
(above detail subject to confirmation)
Delivery
This will be a collaborative course where participants work with each other from the beginning, echoing the ethos and practice of community energy.
The course will be delivered via:
- e-learning modules to be completed in participants’ own time
- live online seminars
- support through online chat/forum by peers and trainers
- Course work in the form of development of a real or notional solar site
We aim to build in at least one face-to-face meeting and site visit.
Duration
The course is to be delivered over a 3-month period, start date TBC. As the learning is partly delivered in a flexible manner, participants may pace themselves for much of the content. However it will be necessary for participants to engage for the full period in order to be able to attend live seminars and complete the course work.
Materials and tools
Participants will have access to:
- dedicated written and video resources within a Learning Management System
- Key tools for solar design, site assessment etc delivered within a browser interface
- An online forum using the modern and responsive Discourse software
Staff
The co-ordinator will be Vicki Ortewell, Client Services Administrator with Sharenergy.
Onboarding and content creation will be supported by Noel Lambert who is Content and Community Lead at the Big Solar Co-op.
The course materials will be developed and delivered by members of the Big Solar Co-op staff team, who bring their expertise in practical solar delivery.
Administrative support and IT support will be provided by Sharenergy who provide back-end support to over 45 renewable energy co-operatives.
Funding
Intended funders are:
| Funder | Est Participants | Notes |
| Westmill Solar | 15 | Agreed |
| Younity | 7 | Budget TBC |
| Big Solar Co-op | 7 | To be sourced from third-party grant funder as match |
The future
Our intention is to continue developing and running this course for future cohorts. Therefore the initial cost is in part an investment into the future.
With further/match funding we could:
- Expand the staff allocations
- Source experts from outside Big Solar Co-op to bring diversity of experience
- Improve existing tools
- Offer >1 course (ie Advanced Foundation, detailed solar design, etc)
- Provide support to take knowledge further into action
Next steps
The core funding – from Westmill Solar – has been agreed and is in process of being formalised as a grant. We’re seeking a decision from the other funders named above so that we can schedule a start date and recruit the first cohort of participants.