Solar panels help to reduce residents’ energy bills

Waltham Forest Council is tackling the climate emergency head on, and through Mission Waltham Forest we aim to “lead the way for a net-zero borough.” This means taking decisive steps as a council to significantly reduce our own carbon emissions by 2030 and pave a way towards net zero emissions. 

With housing in Waltham Forest accounting for more than 50 per cent of local carbon emissions, energy efficient new-build properties only offer part of the solution. Reducing carbon emissions from existing homes through retrofitting and additional efficiency measures is also vital to driving down the borough’s carbon footprint.

Since 2012, the council has invested in and installed solar photovoltaic (PV) panels on over 1,300 council owned properties of which approximately 1,100 generate a financial income via the UK government Feed in Tariff (FiT) incentive. Although the FiT programme ended a number of years ago, the council continues to invest through our retrofit and insulation programme, with a further 150 resident homes benefitting over the next 18 months.  

Solar panels capture energy from sunlight to make electricity, which can be used to run household appliances and lighting. The benefits of installing these solar panels are:  

• Cost savings for residents: solar energy typically reduces residents’ electricity bills by up to a third, however savings will vary depending on roof size, orientation and usage. 
• Reduced carbon emissions: solar energy is renewable and has a much lower carbon footprint than other forms of energy. 
• Energy security: every unit of electricity generated by the panels replaces a unit of electricity from the grid. More local solar helps our overall energy system become more secure. 
• Income generation for the council and benefits for our residents: this income is invested back into the council to help deliver services for our residents.  

Councillor Ahsan Khan, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration, said “Climate change is happening now and locally. We have already started to see the cost of climate change, but with the energy crisis we can also see the benefits of taking climate action. We are the first generation to feel the effects of climate change and the last who can do something about it. 

“Through retrofitting our homes and building with energy efficiency measures we are helping provide a long-term solution for our residents’ energy bills. Reducing our carbon emissions from homes will also help us future proof our properties and move closer to our net zero carbon ambitions. With residents help and co-operation, we are taking a step closer to achieving our climate emergency objectives whilst reducing our impact on the planet for future generations to come.”