Solar Energy in Bassetlaw
The Project.
As part of Bassetlaw District Council's ongoing project to upgrade housing across their area to EPC grade C, in line with Government standards, Westville was appointed to carry out EPC surveys and check the current status of the properties. Following the survey, Westville was tasked with creating a plan alongside BDC to implement the best measures to achieve the necessary EPC upgrades. The outcomes were that some properties needed EWI, some cavity wall insulation, some loft insulation, and some solar.
A phased approach was adopted to concentrate on solar first. For phase one, 68 properties were selected, with work commencing in late 2023. Phase two commenced in spring /summer 2024, with a further 63 properties selected.
Challenges.
Full solar installation took 1-2 days per property with minimal disruption for the residents. However, extra consideration needed to be given to the local avian wildlife and the potential disruption to any nesting sites. Luckily, this was minimal. Once installed, all solar panels were fitted with bird netting, which helps deter birds from nesting underneath them.
Westville reducing residents' reliance on the energy companies.
Spotlight On Our People...
Andy Hardwick and Kevin Hurd
Installation Manager and Contracts Manager
Andy Hardwick and Kevin Hurd worked closely with the installation team to ensure efficient installations with minimum disruption to the residents. Their planning on this project ensured that the full process, from scaffolding erection to dismantling, usually finished within a week.
Results.
Following installation completion and Westville's quality checks, the residents started benefiting straight away from the energy being created and offset against their energy costs.
The panels fitted have benefited the residents in two major ways:
1) The energy generated is offset against their household energy bills
2) Each resident can register for a 'smart export grant' from their energy provider, where any excess electricity generated is redirected back to the grid, generating additional income for the resident.
Following the work done on this phase of the project, the total estimated energy bill savings amounted to around £530 per year for each property! *
The solar installation will save over 49,640 kg of CO2 from entering the atmosphere each year. That’s the equivalent of removing nearly 10 full homes' worth of electricity use each year. **
Resident Feedback.
Following the conclusion of any project, Westville now conducts resident visits and customer feedback surveys. During these feedback calls and visits, residents were delighted with the efficient service provided by Westville for their installation and even more so with the benefits they have already seen in their electricity bills.
Here are just a few of the comments received:
“I received very good service from the installers and have no complaints. I’m delighted with my energy savings.”
“The installation service was fine – no mess. I’m very happy with the savings, mine have reduced from £60 per week to be in credit”
“My neighbour refused scaffolding on their property, but the installers solved the problem by using ladders. My electricity bills have been reduced from £89 to £49 per month.”
“We’re very impressed with the efficient service from the installers. Even when it was windy they kept everything tidy. Our electricity bills have halved. Bassetlaw District Council have done us proud!”
“Very efficient installation with minimal disruption. We’re delighted with the results, and we've noticed that in the daytime, we can use our appliances at near zero cost”
“The lads were brilliant! We’re very happy with the savings – our bills have halved from £100 a week to £50 per week.”
Recent projects by Westville
We’ve had the opportunity to work on some inspiring projects with some fantastic residential clients, businesses and local authorities.
