Crawley residents’ opportunity to cut carbon and save on energy bills

Solar Together Sussex (solartogether.co.uk/crawley/home) is helping homeowners to choose high-quality installations from pre-approved installers.

Crawley residents can join the group-buying scheme which offers solar panels with optional battery storage and EV charge points, as well as retrofit battery storage for residents who have already invested in solar panels and are looking to get more from the renewable energy they generate as well as increase their independence from the grid.

You can register for free – up until 26 May - and there is no obligation to go ahead with an installation. Crawley Borough Council is working in partnership with West Sussex County Council, other local councils and organisations and independent experts iChoosr, to make the transition to clean energy as cost effective and hassle-free as possible.Councillor Gurinder Jhans, Cabinet Member for Environmental Services and Sustainability at Crawley Borough Council, said: “We have all felt the impact of higher energy bills over the past year and this is an opportunity to potentially ease the burden and help play a part in reducing carbon emissions.“This initiative should enable residents to get the best deal available and access greener energy for less. This proven scheme aims to remove any confusion and support residents throughout the process, making it easier and more straightforward. I would encourage any resident considering getting solar panels to sign up and find out more.”This innovative scheme builds on six years of highly successful Solar Together programmes run across the UK. To date Solar Together has delivered more than 14,000 installations and cut more than 300,000 tonnes of carbon emissions.

How does it work?

• Householders can register online to become part of the group for free and without obligation.• Pre-approved UK solar PV suppliers participate in a reverse auction. They are able to offer competitive pricing as the volume and geographic concentration makes it possible for them to realise greater efficiencies, which they pass on with lower prices for installations.• After the auction, registered households will be emailed a personal recommendation which is specific to the details they submitted in their registration.• If they choose to accept their recommendation, the specifics of their installation will be confirmed with a technical survey after which a date can be set for the installation of their solar PV system.• Telephone and email helpdesks are on-hand throughout the whole process which, together with information sessions, will allow households to make an informed decision in a safe and hassle-free environment.

Marie-Louise Abretti, iChoosr UK Solar Manager added “With energy prices continuing to increase, residents of Sussex are looking for opportunities to reduce their carbon emissions, save on energy bills and increase their independence from the grid. The Solar Together group-buying scheme offers a straightforward way to make an informed decision and to access a competitive offer from a trusted, vetted provider.”iChoosr has a strong track record of delivering group purchase schemes for local authorities. It has worked with 210 UK local authorities on its collective energy switching schemes. Furthermore, in 2018 UK councils, in collaboration with iChoosr, initiated their collective purchase schemes for solar PV systems. iChoosr’s schemes have been delivered in partnership with local authorities in five countries. Over 95 schemes led to 148,000 residents installing solar PV systems.