In 2022 we were lucky to be given the opportunity to invest in a new community share offer to fund solar panels at Minchinhampton Church of England Primary Academy in Gloucester. With a share funding target of £70,000 needed to finance the project, Method was one of 57 contributors to the project and was pleased to be able to contribute £10,000 towards the funding.
The scheme led by the Gloucester Community Energy Co-operative (GCEC) (which is leasing the school’s roof space) is in partnership with the Diocese of Gloucester Academies Trust (which owns the school). Generating around 49,000 kWh per year, half the energy produced by the solar energy system will be used by the school with any extra electricity generated being sold to the local grid at a wholesale market price.
System Size:
51.59 kWp
Number of Solar Panels:
154
Annual Output:
49,130 kWh
Annual CO2 saving:
29,463 kg
It’s expected that the scheme will reduce the school’s carbon footprint by around 9 tons annually and save hundreds in electricity bills. The investment will be repaid over 25 years through the sale of electricity, after which point the school will enjoy free energy.
The project faced several challenges:
As the technical/engineering drawings for the roofs were not available, an in-roof solar system was adopted. This had the benefit of a better aesthetic but added to cost and marginally reduced generation
Because the school is in a conservation area, planning permission was required
Initially, the school hoped to secure an interest-free loan via the SALIX loan scheme, but this was unsuccessful
