Arran running a previous version of the ‘Off-grid solar for beginners’ workshop at the Hastings Common Room. Photo: Energise Sussex Coast.

Popular ‘Off-grid Solar for Beginners’ workshop returns to Hastings

Are you thinking of putting solar panels on your shed, workshop or van? If so then Energise Sussex Coast (ESC) has the free workshop for you. ESC’s Gabriel Carlyle explains.

Energise Sussex Coast’s popular free workshop on ‘Off-grid solar power for beginners’ will be returning to Hastings on Thursday 10 October at Central Hall. Slots can be booked online – scroll to the bottom of the article for the booking link.

The two-hour workshop, last run in Hastings in March, is aimed at anyone interested in making a small 100% off-grid solar power system for their shed, workshop, truck, or van.

Facilitated by Arran Allison, the green handyman for Energise Sussex Coast, it will explain how off-grid solar works, how to plan your off-grid system, and what materials and tools you’ll need to build it. Participants will also learn about the different components of an off-grid solar system and where to source them from.

Hosted by local community Energise Sussex Coast with the help of National Lottery Community Fund, this workshop is aimed at all levels. In particular no technical background will be needed to understand it.

Arran has lived off-grid for over 20 years and has built off-grid solar systems to power stages at festivals as well as smaller solar projects. He is self taught and wants to share the knowledge and skills that he’s learnt along the way.

‘Really simple to understand’

The sequel to this workshop (‘Sizing your off-grid solar system’) was recently run at Central Hall and attracted an enthusiastic group of participants from Hastings and beyond.

Arran explains a point at the ‘Sizing your off-grid solar system’ workshop at Central Hall on 5 September 2024. Photo: Energise Sussex Coast

One of the attendees told Energise Sussex Coast: ‘Arran made the maths of working out how much equipment you would need really simple to understand. The participants included someone wanting to put solar panels on their shed, a campsite owner and a guy who wanted to install solar power as his only energy source in a little house in the Caribbean. Arran talked through the different equipment that would be needed, advantages and disadvantages, and the likely costs. I left with a good understanding of how solar power works and the next steps to follow – whether I chose to go off-grid or just supplement my energy supply with solar power.’

The Federation of Master Builders estimates that between 200,000–300,000 UK homes are currently off-grid, relying on alternative energy sources like solar or wind.

Founded in 2012, local community benefit cooperative Energise Sussex Coast works to tackle the climate crisis and energy injustice through community-owned renewable power and energy-saving schemes. It runs a free Energy Advice service to help local residents bring down the cost of their electricity, gas and water bills: 01424 390 062. Its sister coop, Energise South, has raised community investment to finance and install solar arrays on eight community buildings, including Baird Primary School and St Leonards Academy.

The Off-grid solar power for beginners course is on Thursday 10 October from 6–8pm at the Central Hall (6 Bank Buildings, Station Road, TN34 1NG ). Slots can be booked online through Eventbrite.

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