Retired Bexhill residents save 50% on bills through pioneering solar project

Residents of The Belmont, a block of 36 retirement flats in Bexhill, are benefiting from significantly reduced energy costs and warmer homes following a major solar and insulation retrofit project. Bex Bastable from the Local Storytelling Exchange reports.

The initiative, a collaboration between local community energy co-operative Energise Sussex Coast, E.ON, and The Belmont’s management, has seen residents save up to 50% on their electricity and service charge bills.

Joan Wilson, 83, who has lived at The Belmont for almost five years, said: “When I found out we were going to have solar I was absolutely delighted. It does make a lot of difference, it’s brought the price down – when we’ve got the sun shining we get money back.

“A few people here were quite nervous about it, they did not understand, but when they did, they can see how it can help.”

Len Dyer, The Belmont’s building manager, has been the driving force behind the project. He was concerned that many of the residents, predominantly retired, faced an ongoing struggle with high energy bills.

He said: “Year on year the costs were climbing. I knew these people were struggling. Solar, for me, was the answer. Being on the south coast we have more sunny days than most. We have 75 metres of roof – we have the perfect site for it.”

After two years of research, Len was told to contact Richard Watson at Energise Sussex Coast, and it was there that the partnership with E.ON began. The group explored the option of ECO4 funding – a government initiative to support energy improvements for low-income households living in homes with poor energy ratings.

Initial assessments said the building did not qualify – but a survey of the 1980s building found a complete absence of cavity wall insulation, leading to rapid heat loss and excessive energy consumption.

This discovery proved crucial in securing 100% ECO4 funding, which paid for new insulation, plus the installation of a 50kW solar system on the roof with battery storage.

Len explained the initial motivation: “It was two years of research. In the beginning all we were looking at was the communal building electricity and reducing the management costs for the residents.”

But it soon became clear that the funding would allow the residents to benefit in their own flats too – and the building was the first in the UK to utilise new SolShare Technology to distribute the generated electricity equally among the 28 participating flats. This means each household gets an equal share of the solar – and any credit from exported energy.

So as well as reduced energy and management costs, residents get a pay-out at the end of the year too on what they’ve exported back to the grid – with some receiving more than £200 back.

Joan added: “I can honestly say it’s one of the best things that’s happened here, having solar power has made such a lot of difference to all of us.

“You just don’t think like you used to, you better be careful, turning lights off every five minutes. It’s a different mindset. I think people’s pockets have definitely benefited. Then we get money back, we all like a cheque don’t we?”

“It’s been a great asset”

The project was completed in October 2023, and has since won National Energy Efficiency Awards and other commendations.

Now Energise Sussex Coast is using it as an example of what can be achieved when it comes to community energy.

Richard Watson of Energise Sussex Coast said: “The Belmont is a prime example of empowering communities through sustainable energy solutions. They actively collaborated in identifying inefficiencies, securing funding, and deploying innovative technology to enhance residents’ lives and set a new standard for social housing energy transformations.”

Len added: “I would love more people to benefit. If you took all the seafront blocks of flats on the south coast, there is lots of opportunity to have solar.”

Community visits to The Belmont are held once a month to allow others to learn from this successful project. If you’d like to know more, contact richard@energisesussexcoast.co.uk

See here for an in-depth interview with the Belmont’s manager, Len Dyer, about the project.

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