By Cllr Rob White
Last year, Green councillors Doug Cresswell (Katesgrove) and Dave McElroy (Redlands) campaigned for the council to run a group solar panel buying scheme – giving a discount for residents on the cost of installing solar panels.
This has now become reality, with an amazing 1,051 residents registered for the scheme.
Cllr Dave McElroy asked a formal question at a council meeting for the council to get involved with this initiative and Cllr Doug Cresswell wrote to Reading Council and Solar Together urging them to work together on a solar panel group buying scheme.
With the cost-of-living crisis solar panels are one way for people to invest and save on their electricity bills. They also reduce carbon emissions and help tackle the climate crisis.
Having campaigned for such a scheme last year I am glad to see the council has got involved.
Greens will keep campaigning for a fairer, greener and cleaner town.
The way the scheme works is:
1. Interested residents register for the scheme (which has been promoted locally by Reading Council https://www.reading.gov.uk/housing/solar-together/).
2. An auction is held with installers bidding to win the work.
3. The winning installer offers the residents a personalised scheme including the reduced price quotation.
4. Residents then each decide whether to go ahead or not. A deposit is paid if they want to go ahead.
5. Solar panels are installed on your home at a reduced price.
6. You save money on your electricity bill.
The cost to each household is reduced because the installer will carry out the work as a large group of jobs.
Solar Together is a company which allows residents to access solar photovoltaic panels (which generate electricity) and storage batteries at a reduced price, with over 10% of domestic installations in 2022 coming through this company.
One auction has already been run in Reading with 1,051 residents registering. More group auctions are being planned for the future, and you can register your interest here: http://www.solartogether.co.uk/reading.
So far 93 residents have progressed to paying the deposit and more are paying every day.
Greens will keep lobbying to make our houses fit for the 21st-century
We know solar panels won’t be affordable for many. With Reading’s old, leaky, Victorian houses and especially with the cost of living crisis we think there should be a decent mass insulation and renewables scheme to make our housing fit for the 21st-century.
This would tackle rising poverty and allow everyone to benefit. We will keep lobbying for this locally and nationally.
Greens are the second largest party in Reading
As the main opposition party on Labour-run Reading Council Green councillors will continue to work constructively to get the best for Reading residents. There are now seven Green Party councillors and we are now two councillors ahead of the Conservatives. We will keep working hard all year round on the issues that matter to residents.
If you’re keen on being part of the change in Reading, get involved and help us make Reading fairer, greener and cleaner: reading.greenparty.org.uk/get-involved
Green Party councillor Rob White, leader of the main opposition group on Reading Borough Council
