City council’s new initiative to install solar panels and batteries well under way, with works already completed on four homes
An innovative scheme to upgrade council homes in Winchester – and help save on energy bills for residents – is well under way. In partnership with local solar energy company UPOWA, Winchester City Council is working to install technology including photovoltaic solar panels and batteries.
Founder and Sales Director at UPOWA James Bull, Leader of Winchester City Council Cllr Martin Tod, Sylvia Robinson, Cabinet Member for Good Homes Cllr Mark Reach, UPOWA Head of Brand & Marketing Jonny Brady; photo courtesy of Winchester City Council
Installations have already been completed on four homes and another 50 will be converted to solar energy by the end of the spring.
Under the scheme, once the panels have been in place for a year, tenants benefit from 50% of the savings made to bills, with the other 50% used to fund maintenance.
The scheme is part of Winchester’s wider retrofitting programme, which aims to reduce the energy emissions of council homes while also helping tenants to reduce energy bills.
One beneficiary of new installation is 91 year-old Sylvia Robinson, who has had seven panels installed on the roof of her home in Kings Worthy. She says: ‘It was really quite interesting watching the panels go up. I thought they’d be heavy but they didn’t look very heavy at all! The project manager, all the time he kept me completely informed which was great – especially at my age. I was born in 1935 and my age group, we’ve never heard of solar panels.
‘They’ve only just gone up but the project manager said to me, “Your bills will go down you know”. I don’t have to do anything for it. We’re doing our bit for the environment, aren’t we?’
Cllr Martin Tod, Leader of Winchester City Council, adds: ‘We want to help tenants cut bills at a time when costs are high and make sure they’re kept involved and informed throughout the project too – so I was really pleased to hear Mrs Robinson’s experience has been so positive.
‘Together with our programme of retrofitting and insulating council homes, this work to roll out solar technology will have a real impact – not only for tenants’ costs but also for the environment, helping to bring down carbon emissions and making our district greener, faster.’
James Bull, Founder and Sales Director at UPOWA, says: ‘We’re proud to be partnering with Winchester City Council to deliver this solar and battery retrofit programme for local households. This initiative is designed to put tenants first. By providing a fully managed, end-to-end service, from survey and design through to installation and ongoing monitoring, we’re helping the Council future-proof its housing stock, improve energy efficiency, and reduce energy costs.
‘This programme is a practical step towards cutting carbon emissions while creating warmer, more resilient homes. We’re excited to support Winchester’s wider decarbonisation ambitions and demonstrate how high-quality retrofit delivery can generate lasting benefits for both residents and the wider community.’
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