Hundreds of new community-owned solar panels are set to be installed in the heart of Reading.
The project will see 609 panels fitted at the Reading Buses depot on Great Knolly’s Street and is part of a £207,000 scheme led by Reading Community Energy Society (RCES).
Tony Cowling, chair of RCES, said: “Community energy offers broad-ranging benefits.
“It reduces imported energy use and costs for both the host buildings and Reading as a whole, enables members to support local sustainability initiatives for a reasonable return, and supports wider sustainability initiatives locally.”
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Supported by Reading Borough Council, Reading Buses, and RCES, the collaborative project is part of ongoing decarbonisation efforts throughout the town.
Once complete, the depot will become the largest solar power site in Reading town centre.
The panels are expected to generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of around 80 homes.
RCES gives residents the opportunity to invest in renewable energy by becoming shareholders in the scheme.
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Income from electricity sales to the National Grid and the depot will fund maintenance, dividends, community projects, and shareholder repayments.
The society has already provided more than £15,000 in grants to schools, youth groups, and other organisations for sustainability projects, including energy-saving schemes and educational workshops.
RCES has been installing community solar panels in Reading for over ten years.
The group currently operates 23 sites across the town, including council, university, and community buildings.
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