First council homes see solar upgrades as part of new council initiative
A new project by Winchester City Council to install solar panels and batteries on its tenants’ homes is gathering pace, with installation now completed on 4 council homes.
The scheme is part of a wider programme of retrofitting which aims to reduce the energy emissions of council homes while also helping tenants to cut their energy bills.
By spring this year, the council aims to have another 50 homes converted to solar energy, working with Whiteley-based solar energy company UPOWA to install the technology, which includes both photovoltaic panels and batteries.
The scheme covers the costs of maintaining the technology by sharing the savings – once the panels have been in place for a year, tenants will benefit from 50% of the savings made, and the other 50% will fund maintenance costs.
One council tenant who recently had her home upgraded through the scheme was Sylvia Robinson, 91, of Kings Worthy.
Speaking about the process of having the upgrades installed, Sylvia said:
“It was really quite interesting watching the panels go up. I thought they’d be heavy but they didn’t look very heavy at all!
“The project manager, all the time he kept me completely informed which was great – especially at my age. I was born in 1935, and my age group, we’ve never heard of solar panels.
“They’ve only just gone up but the project manager said to me ‘your bills will go down you know’ - I don’t have to do anything for it. We’re doing our bit for the environment aren’t we.”
Leader of Winchester City Council Cllr Martin Tod said:
“We want to help tenants cut bills at a time when costs are high and make sure they’re kept involved and informed throughout the project too – so I was really pleased to hear Mrs Robinson’s experience has been so positive.
“Together with our programme of retrofitting and insulating council homes, this work to roll out solar technology will have a real impact – not only for tenants’ costs but also for the environment, helping to bring down carbon emissions and making our district greener, faster”.
James Bull, Founder and Sales Director at UPOWA, said:
“We’re proud to be partnering with Winchester City Council to deliver this solar and battery retrofit programme for local households.
This initiative is designed to put tenants first. By providing a fully managed, end-to-end service, from survey and design through to installation and ongoing monitoring, we’re helping the Council future-proof its housing stock, improve energy efficiency, and reduce energy costs.
This programme is a practical step towards cutting carbon emissions while creating warmer, more resilient homes. We’re excited to support Winchester’s wider decarbonisation ambitions and demonstrate how high-quality retrofit delivery can generate lasting benefits for both residents and the wider community.”