A bright start to 2025: building commences on two sites in Scunthorpe
North Lincolnshire Community Energy (NLCE) have hit the ground running in 2025.
We are a third of the way to our share offer total of £700,000: money raised will fund new solar arrays on sites across Scunthorpe and the surrounding area. Already, we have generated more than 1,500 MWh of electricity (end of December 2024) through solar PV on schools, stadiums and community centres, and we need your help to keep building on the success story.
What's happening now?
With money already secured, building is currently going ahead on two sites: Kingfisher Lodge children's home, and Lindsey Lodge Hospice and Healthcare. These organisations provide outstanding services to people and families in the local area, and with solar panels installed and managed by NLCE, they can save on their energy bills and channel that money instead into providing vital care to the people who need it. The weather last week presented some challenges for construction but we are expecting the first panels to be installed in the coming days.
Beyond generation
The solar arrays that we have installed are providing an opportunity for sector research. At John Leggott College, our biggest installation so far at 223 kW, we are comparing the output of solar panels from two manufacturers of different standards. Initial results are showing very similar performances which may have implications for supplier going forward. It's not a coincidence that these panels were installed on a college: the data is being used by physics students at John Leggott, bringing the technology into the classroom. Young people can see positive action being taken to tackle the climate crisis, and be introduced to models of ownership that benefit the many rather than the few.
Get involved
We still need members to invest in NLCE to bring the next 5+ sites into generation. We expect to pay members an interest rate of 5%, so it's an exciting time to join the co-operative. See the share offer for details about how you can be involved.
