‘Over the moon’: Community saves on electric bills as 1,400 council homes switch to solar

Council tenants in Brighton and Hove will save up to £300 a year on their energy bills as more than 1,400 homes in the city have been fitted with solar panels.

Part of a project delivered over three years, Brighton and Hove City Council said it focussed on council-rented houses and bungalows with the lowest energy efficiency ratings, particularly those with electric heating, and areas of the city with a higher likelihood of fuel poverty.   

Rooftop solar panels provide free electricity for residents in the property whenever they are generating power, and if the household uses more electricity than is being generated, power still comes from the national grid and is paid for in the usual way. Surplus electricity generated by the panels is exported to the national grid, helping the drive to lower carbon emissions.

And it's not just residents saving on their bills - the project has also brought benefits for a local community hall.

Sureserve Energy Services, which carried out the installation work for the council, provided and fitted a solar panel system at St George’s Hall in Moulsecoomb as a social value benefit of the contract. 

The panels were installed in July and the committee of volunteers who run the hall are looking forward to seeing a reduction in electricity bills.

Councillor Gill Williams, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “Energy costs are understandably a big concern for many residents, and this huge programme of solar panel installations is bringing benefits for households across the city.

“Feedback from residents has been positive, with many noticing a difference in their energy bills and making changes to their routine to run appliances when the solar panels are generating most electricity.

“We are pleased the project is also bringing additional community benefits in the form of solar panels which will make a real difference at St George’s Hall.”

Nicky Mullee, the manager of the community hall, said: “One of our dreams for St George’s Hall was to get solar panels and it is amazing to now have them installed, we are over the moon.

“We will be saving on our energy bills and it will help to make our community hall more sustainable, both financially and environmentally. Thank you to everyone involved in making this happen!”