Approximately 200 council-owned houses across Gravesham Borough have been fitted with solar panels under a new pilot project.

The council reached an agreement with Emotion Energy Solar Ltd who fitted the 200 homes with solar arrays. The scheme is unique in that the council is not funding the solar project itself, instead it is renting its tenants’ roof space to Emotion Energy Solar. The solar company has a 20-year contract to install, repair and replace the solar panels.

Gravesham Borough Council has plans to roll-out the solar scheme to a further 800 residents in the future if the pilot is successful.

Tenants who received one of the free solar installations will benefit from unlimited use of the electricity generated, substantially reducing energy bills as well as significantly reducing the council’s carbon emissions. 

Richard Ellard partner at Thomson Snell & Passmore, who advised the council on the solar pilot, said: “This was a complex pilot and it was vital we worked in partnership with the council in order to bring the scheme to a financial close when necessary. We wish Gravesham the best of the luck with the pilot and look forward to working with them in the future.”