Siop Pwllglas

Siop Pwllglas

DEG was a Client Manager for the Welsh Government service Resource Efficient Wales (REW), a service that provided people with a single point of contact for support on using resources (energy, materials and water) more efficiently between 2014 and 2018. DEG supported community organisations in North Wales with efficiency advice, from initial surveys through to commissioning and hand-over of technologies.

Siop Cymunedol Pwllglas is a community-owned shop  located in Pwllglas, Denbighshire, within the Neuadd Bentref Pwllglas Village Hall. The shop contacted Resource Efficient Wales keen on diversifying income and reducing their electricity costs. 

REW visited the shop and hall to determine what opportunities existed for them to meet their goals. An opportunities report was produced, highlighting solar PV as a possibility. REW:

  • Provided an Energy Performance Certificate to ensure that the higher Feed in Tariff was possible;
  • Provided a structural survey to certify the roof was strong enough to hold the solar array;
  • Worked with Scottish Power Energy Networks to make sure it was possible for them to connect to the grid;
  • Assisted with the evaluation of quotes for the installation;
  • Helped the Shop to understand the financial benefits and costs so they could raise funds;
  • Provided links to other support schemes such as Cadwyn Clwyd’s energy officer.

Key Challenges

A detailed structural survey was needed to ensure the roof’s capacity to support the solar array due to structural concerns regarding the age of the building. Legal complexities, including lease agreements and loan arrangements, posed additional challenges.

Solution

REW facilitated communication with Scottish Power Energy Networks to ensure seamless grid connection. Funding was secured through a combination of local grants and zero-interest loans, with DEG guiding the client through the application process.

Implementation and outcomes

Despite time constraints due to impending FiT degression, Siop Pwllglas successfully installed a 12kW roof-mounted solar array. The project cost approximately £14,500, with expected benefits exceeding £55,000 over 20 years.

The solar PV system halved Siop Pwllglas’ electricity bills while generating enough additional income through the FiT scheme to cover the shop’s rent. The project exemplified the community’s commitment to sustainability and empowered other organisations to embrace eco-friendly solutions.

What Siop Pwllglas said about the support they received

“The Siop Pwllglas mission is to be self-sufficient rather than grant dependent. With the installation of solar panels, we are one step closer to achieving this aim. We saw the roof as a green way to reduce our overheads plus enjoy extra physical income. A no brainer really.”

“I would like to say on behalf of the Siop Pwllglas Team how appreciative and grateful for the excellent and professional expertise provided by Resource Efficient Wales. It was an invaluable service managed brilliantly by Grant Peisley, without which the installation would not have come to fruition.”

Siop Pwllglas’s website: https://www.sioppwllglas.co.uk/