A ground-breaking community energy scheme, which enables residents to generate, store and use solar electricity, has officially been switched on at Nottingham’s newest waterside residential development, Trent Basin.

The green energy initiative is situated on the banks of the River Trent in the 250-acre brownfield re-development of 500 low-carbon homes under construction on the edge of the city centre. The scheme was switched on by the Rt. Hon Lord Henley, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on June 1.

The research project boasts the largest community energy battery of its type in Europe, which is supplied by Tesla. It can store 2.1 MWh of energy, delivering 500kW of power - which could boil 167 electric kettles simultaneously for more than four hours.

An ‘urban solar farm’ onsite, comprising 700 photo-voltaic panels, generates renewable power for the community battery to store until required. Each PV panel is specially designed for eventual installation on residents' roofs once later phases of homes are built. 

Profits made by the scheme will help to cut energy bills for residents who opt in to join the scheme and vote on its direction and share its benefits.