Uploaded June 2021 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
This is part 1 of a conversation with Jon Hallé of Sharenergy, about his latest venture, the Big Solar Co-op.
Transcript of interview, with links to organisations mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/jon-halle-big-solar-co-op
Here's part 2: lowimpact.org/keeping-energy-production-local-and-mutualised-jon-halle-of-sharenergy-part-2
And part 3: youtube.com/watch?v=AWMFgNUJJlk&t=258s
We’re interviewing key players in the new economy, to:
a) bring their work to a wider audience
b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts
c) stimulate debate
d) help to build the new economy.
Here’s what we mean by new economy - lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/new-economy
Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.org
Sharenergy: https://www.sharenergy.coop/
Big Solar Co-op: https://bigsolar.coop/
Introduction to solar electricity: lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/solar-electricity
Introduction to co-ops: lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/co-operatives
Highlights
1. Community energy schemes were selling their electricity to the grid for about 5p per unit, and they were getting around 5p per unit from the feed-in tariff as well. So when the feed-in tariff ended, they lost half their income.
2. With solar schemes, as well as selling to the grid, they were selling the electricity generated to the owners of the roofs that the panels were on – for less than grid price. So maybe they were getting 10-11p per unit from the roof owners, rather than just 5p from the grid. But that approach is risky – for example the business under the roof might go bust. So the way to reduce the risk is to grow in scale – to put a lot of solar on a lot of roofs.
3. We’ve worked with organisations that, over the life of the system, will save them over a million pounds.
4. Go to BigSolar.coop. There’s a section on volunteering, and people can register as a volunteer. We’ll onboard you and you can attend webinars etc.
This is part 1 of a conversation with Jon Hallé of Sharenergy, about his latest venture, the Big Solar Co-op.
Transcript of interview, with links to organisations mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/jon-halle-big-solar-co-op
Here's part 2: lowimpact.org/keeping-energy-production-local-and-mutualised-jon-halle-of-sharenergy-part-2
And part 3: youtube.com/watch?v=AWMFgNUJJlk&t=258s
We’re interviewing key players in the new economy, to:
a) bring their work to a wider audience
b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts
c) stimulate debate
d) help to build the new economy.
Here’s what we mean by new economy - lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/new-economy
Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.org
Sharenergy: https://www.sharenergy.coop/
Big Solar Co-op: https://bigsolar.coop/
Introduction to solar electricity: lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/solar-electricity
Introduction to co-ops: lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/co-operatives
Highlights
1. Community energy schemes were selling their electricity to the grid for about 5p per unit, and they were getting around 5p per unit from the feed-in tariff as well. So when the feed-in tariff ended, they lost half their income.
2. With solar schemes, as well as selling to the grid, they were selling the electricity generated to the owners of the roofs that the panels were on – for less than grid price. So maybe they were getting 10-11p per unit from the roof owners, rather than just 5p from the grid. But that approach is risky – for example the business under the roof might go bust. So the way to reduce the risk is to grow in scale – to put a lot of solar on a lot of roofs.
3. We’ve worked with organisations that, over the life of the system, will save them over a million pounds.
4. Go to BigSolar.coop. There’s a section on volunteering, and people can register as a volunteer. We’ll onboard you and you can attend webinars etc.
