Lower Bills For Hackney Tenants Through Pioneering Solar Pilot
Council estate residents in Hackney could soon see their bills slashed as a pioneering rooftop solar panel scheme offering energy discounts directly to tenants and leaseholders gets underway.
In the first project of its kind in the UK, residents in blocks of flats will have the opportunity to buy discounted energy supplied directly by solar panels on their buildings. As well as cleaner, greener energy, it will aim to deliver electricity bill savings of around 15% compared with market rates.
The scheme uses an innovative microgrid solution to supply rooftop-generated solar electricity directly to residents of flats, developed by Hackney-based energy specialist Emergent Energy in partnership with Hackney Council’s energy services arm, Hackney Light and Power. Historically, solar panels on blocks of flats could only be used to supply electricity to the grid or power communal areas.
A programme to install new solar panels on 28 blocks across three Hackney Council estates will begin in January 2025, initially giving around 800 households the opportunity to sign up for discounted energy. Around 4,000 solar panels will be installed, generating around one megawatt of electricity – approximately a fifth of the energy needs of the blocks.
Enabling access to clean energy for local people is a priority
Caroline Woodley, Mayor of Hackney, said: “Hackney Council has a proud reputation as a leader in tackling climate change – but my priority has always been that local people here should be the first to benefit. That’s why we’re so excited to launch a new pioneering scheme that offers greener energy and lower bills for council tenants in the borough.
“Residents in 800 properties will have solar panels installed on their roofs, with the potential of lowering energy bills by up to 15% for residents, creating a greener, fairer Hackney.”
Reg Platt, Founder CEO of Emergent Energy, added: “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. That’s why we created this new opportunity for residents of social housing flats to receive savings on their energy bills from rooftop solar.
“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. It’s time the rules that govern the electricity industry were updated, so that local energy approaches like ours can flourish.”
The pilot in Hackney speaks to the potential for the wider UK
Marzia Zafar, Deputy Director at Ofgem, also commented: ‘Ofgem supported Emergent Energy by allowing them to trial new industry rules, using our Regulatory Sandbox scheme, which aimed to improve the experience of consumers on microgrids.
“It’s brilliant to see Emergent taking this innovation to the next level by collaborating with Hackney Council to provide low-cost and renewable local energy solutions to consumers in the social housing sector. This demonstrates the potential to utilise local energy models to deliver clean power and consumer benefits.
Mete Coban MBE, Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, said: “I am delighted we are supporting this scheme, which is saving money for Hackney residents and helping to tackle the climate crisis. The Mayor and I will continue to work with Hackney, and all boroughs, to build a greener and fairer London for everyone.
“The initial roll out of solar panels is part of a pilot being delivered in partnership between Hackney Light and Power and Emergent Energy and developed with support from the Greater London Authority and Ofgem. It is being funded by £2 million of investment from Hackney Council, to be paid back through electricity sales. Emergent Energy will deliver installation of the solar panels and supply the generated solar electricity to residents.
With 5.4 million flats in the UK, including 2 million in social housing, if scaled up the approach could deliver 6.75GW of solar energy, worth up to £13.5bn in clean energy investment.
For more information about Emergent Energy visit: https://www.emergent.energy/
