A scheme in London is delivering clean, affordable energy directly to residents in social housing via newly regulated solar microgrids.
Rooftop panels have existed on housing estates such as Frampton Park in the borough of Hackney for some time, but they only feed into the grid.
However, a new, first-of-its-kind scheme enables tenants to benefit directly from the power generated on their rooftops.
Emergent Energy, a clean energy developer, and Hackney council is installing 4,000 solar panels across three housing estates, which will generate one megawatt of power (about a fifth of those buildings’ energy needs) that residents can tap into. The installation will, it is estimated, offer up to 15% savings on bills for around 800 households.
“No one should miss out on the benefits of locally generated clean energy because of their income level or the type of home they live in,” said Reg Platt, founder and CEO of Emergent Energy. “That’s why we created this new opportunity for residents of social housing flats to receive savings on their energy bills from rooftop solar.”
According to Emergent, the initiative could easily be rolled-out at other sites across the UK.
No one should miss out on the benefits of locally generated clean energy
“Our approach is self-funding, as this ground-breaking project in Hackney will show, meaning we can deliver these benefits to potentially millions of residents without relying on government handouts,” added Platt.
Hackney council’s Sarah Young said the microgrids would help make the borough more liveable for the most vulnerable. “One of the most important things for us is for this energy transition to be just,” she said.
Main image: Markus Spiske
