Croydon Community Energy yesterday plugged in and switched on the first of its innovative schemes, after installing solar panels on a public building in the borough with the intention of saving you money while helping to save the planet.
‘We’ve done it’: Croydon Community Energy’s Connie Duxbury, and solar panels, on the roof of Archbishop Tenison’s School
“We did it!” they declared.
“Solar panels are officially up and running at Archbishop Tenison’s School.”
They certainly picked the right day to achieve their first milestone, with Croydon in the middle of a 30ºC heatwave, the fourth of this summer.
After more than four years’ hard work and planning, Croydon Community Energy held an initial fund-raising round just six months ago, and quickly achieved its first target, £120,000, enough to install panels on three sites.
The share scheme offers up to 5% return on investments, while leaving any surplus to provide community gardens and alleviate fuel poverty.
“From idea to delivery, it’s been a long journey and not without challenges, but this amazing group of volunteers installed 96.3kWp of solar on a school to reduce their carbon and bills,” CCE announced yesterday after finishing the installation at the secondary school on SelborneRoad, Addiscombe.
“Across the country, community energy initiatives are transforming local economies while advocating for sustainable development,” Connie Duxbury, CCE’s chief exec, told Inside Croydon.
Money savers: Archbishop Tenison’s School is now helping to save the planet, as well as saving cash
The community solar share offer, she says, “has proven to be a sustainable financial strategy that not only lowers energy bills but also drives local development”, while also providing social welfare benefits.
“Croydon Community Energy is spearheading a transformative approach within Croydon through its first community share offer, which has just hit its minimum investment target of £120,000,” Duxbury said.
The share offer remains open, with the capital raised to be used for further installations, as sites present themselves and funding allows.
“Residents who invest in renewable projects become stakeholders, ensuring that profits are reinvested into the community’s welfare,” Duxbury said.
When one of CCE’s solar installations generates surplus electricity, the additional revenue can help reduce energy costs or be used to fund community projects, “turning every ray of sunlight into a tangible benefit for the neighbourhood”.
Energy farm: the panels on a school roof will deliver investment returns for locals, as well as significant environment benefits
The share offer launched in February is intended to fund the installation of 711 solar panels across three community buildings, offering locals a chance of share ownership with amounts starting at £50. Holy Innocents Church and the Shree Swarminarayan Temple are the other sites where Croydon Community Energy hopes will soon have their own solar panel energy farms.
When it is up and working, CCE say that they will lower Croydon’s carbon footprint by as much as 69.2 metric tonnes of CO₂ annually — the equivalent to planting 1,153 trees.
“This dual impact – environmental and financial benefits – highlights the importance of local participation in building a sustainable future,” Duxbury said.
Read more: Energised by scheme that makes money and saves the planet
Read more: Time to act is now. But our council is ignoring climate change
Read more: ‘It’s now or never’ for Croydon to start its Green New Deal
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This brings to life the theory young people in the school learn about in their science lessons. It will be enriching for them to see it in action.