Lib Dem council helps 100 households cut energy bills with solar power

Winchester City Council has reached a major milestone in its programme to cut energy bills and carbon emissions, with solar panels and battery storage now installed on 100 council homes across the district.

The Liberal Democrat-led council has been working with Whiteley-based company UPOWA to deliver the improvements, with a further 179 installations already planned over the coming months.

Early results show that the new systems are meeting an average of 80% of participating tenants' electricity needs, with households expected to save around £330 a year on their bills.

The 100th installation was completed at the home of Janet Cole in Alresford, just eight months after the programme began.

Janet has also benefited from new windows as part of the council's wider programme of energy efficiency improvements.

Council Leader Cllr Martin Tod said:

"When energy costs are soaring, it's great that we're able to use solar panels and batteries to help council tenants cut their bills."

The project is part of the council's wider Energy Saving Homes programme, which includes insulation, ventilation improvements and other measures to make homes warmer, greener and cheaper to run.

The council is prioritising homes where residents are most at risk of fuel poverty, while working towards improving the energy performance of all its council homes to at least an EPC C rating.

Martin added:

"100 homes completed in 8 months is a brilliant achievement - cutting carbon emissions and cutting bills at the same time."

With another 179 installations planned, local Liberal Democrats are continuing to invest in practical improvements that help residents with the cost of living while tackling climate change.