Solar Powered Communities

This project will establish an investment-ready pipeline of three community-scale solar power and battery storage installations in some of Sussex’s poorest neighbourhoods. Building on the success of the Solar Powered Communities project in Brighton (50kW of residential solar power installed) they will engage low-income and hard-to-reach households with the benefits of solar PV and battery storage. They will undertake a scoping exercise to identify areas of high-deprivation and fuel poverty, where heating is mostly electric and solar potential is strong.

The team will work with local community groups to develop bespoke community engagement plans. Focus groups will liaise between BHESCo’s project development team and residents. The team will host community events, establishing highly competent doorstep communications teams, and developing easy to understand, visually dynamic information assets. The goal is to encourage households to commit to their community programme of solar and battery storage in a microgrids model for no upfront cost. 

They will produce the technical design and financial analysis for each property wishing to participate in the community solar programme, providing details on solar PV and battery storage capacity, anticipated system cost, and a cost and carbon emissions savings schedule.