Rooftop Solar panel systems  with batteries were  installed on three properties in the Fishguard area at no cost to the property owners  during May/June 2025, using a grant  from the Postcode Community Trust.  

Community engagement work undertaken by TBGs Renewable Energy Team during 2024 had found that while there was local interest in PV systems and the savings they can achieve,  the challenges preventing  people from installing them were  

  • uncertainty about how to proceed and who to trust,
  • difficulty in finding reliable installers,
  • the up front cost

The grant from the Postcode Community Trust was used to address these issues and demonstrate to our community the benefits of  solar energy.  One of the PV systems funded by the Postcode Community Trust was installed on the roof of A&E Nicols hardware store in West Street, Fishguard, with the active support of the owner, Andrew Nicols, who now shares his experience with local people.  This installation was completed at the end of May, and during its first month the shop has been 97% self-sufficient in solar energy,  buying only a minimal amount of electricity from the national grid but  selling back to it a total of 420.30 kWh of surplus green energy.    The other two solar panel installations  have been put on the roofs of two lower income households.  Both home owners are pleased that they’ve had them installed and  say they benefitted considerably from the support  given by TBG  throughout the installation process.  They are also helping TBG to promote renewable energy.

This pilot project has  helped TBG gain knowledge and experience  in how to develop  a community solar scheme and in  early  2025  helped  us  get a much larger grant from the Energy Industry Voluntary Redress Scheme. This is being used to further develop the Community Solar scheme, and in late 2025/early 2026  another 20 solar panel systems are to be installed on lower income households that might otherwise find it difficult to fund and/or organise  installing solar systems themselves. 

Powering The Future – What we have achieved and what we want to get done

TBG’s overall  aim is to  encourage as many local people as possible  to make home improvements and  choose renewable energy systems that will cut carbon emissions and save money.  Our Energy Advice Service provides impartial and practical information  about how to do this, what  government grants are available, and how to find  reliable local installers.   We’re also exploring the local energy market model  to give everyone the chance to buy locally produced electricity at a fair rate.  And we’re contributing to the Welsh Government’s  initiative to make Wales net zero carbon by 2030.

For more information about TBG’s Renewable Energy projects contact our Energy Advice Service by leaving a message here.