Residents in more than 500 Council homes in Hackney will soon be able to buy discounted electricity generated by solar panels on their building’s roof - after plans were approved by Hackney Council’s Cabinet.

The project will see a total of up to 4,000 solar panels installed on all of the blocks this year, with residents then able to buy the electricity generated at a rate that is set to be lower than Ofgem’s price cap.

This will help cut bills for council tenants and leaseholders, fund the installation of the solar panels and reduce the borough’s impact on climate change. The installation will have no cost to tenants or leaseholders on each estate.

The proposed pilot project, to be commissioned by the Council’s energy services arm, Hackney Light and Power, has been developed in partnership with a local energy specialist, Emergent, which has a unique solution that enables electricity generated by the solar panels to be supplied to residents at a lower price than they could otherwise buy from the grid.

To help the Council assess the degree to which the pilot project can be expanded across more Council housing, only buildings where solar panels can be very easily installed are set to be chosen for its first phase.

One megawatt of electricity will be generated, which is estimated to be up to 20% of the energy consumption of the blocks. 

Following the Cabinet decision, the Council will carry out a final development stage including surveying the shortlisted blocks before writing to residents to confirm any installation work. There will be no cost to Council tenants or leaseholders and there is unlikely to be any work needed inside people’s homes.

For more information about Hackney Light and Power, visit: hackney.gov.uk/hackney-light-and-power