Property developer Cross Keys Homes has hailed its £16.5 million rooftop solar scheme a success after installing solar systems on social housing roofs in Peterborough.
The scheme is aimed at fitting solar panels on eligible houses after the developer identified that 60% of its households were eligible for solar installations.
More than 90% of tenants – which equates to 4,700 properties – have opted in and the £16.5 million capital investment has been fully funded by Macquarie Lending.
To date around 13MW of solar panels have been installed, saving approximately £1.8 million in household electricity bills according to Cross Key Homes.
The scheme has been designed to help combat fuel poverty in the country and Claire Higgins, chief executive at Cross Keys Homes, said it was “great news” that residents had been able to reduce electricity costs by utilising it.
“We are committed to doing all that we can to not only help our residents lead a better quality of life but also help Peterborough’s economy, and schemes like this one help to show just that – how we can generate wealth for the local economy, improve people’s jobs prospects, tackle fuel poverty and also have a positive impact on the environment too,” Higgins said.
James Mclinden, MD at Global Heat Source, said: “We are delighted to be part of what is the largest free solar scheme of its kind in the UK. Through our Macquarie Lending funded solar programme, Cross Keys Homes’ residents are already benefiting from the free electricity that is being generated by their systems, and will do so for many years to come.”