Community Solar and Group Buying: How to Get Solar Cheaper Together

Not everyone installs solar panels alone. Several models exist in the UK for reducing costs or pooling resources — from council-organised bulk purchasing schemes to community energy cooperatives to emerging peer-to-peer trading platforms.

The three models are frequently confused with each other. This guide explains what each one actually is, what it can and cannot do for you, and how to decide which route to explore.

Model 1: Group buying — Solar Together / iChoosr

Solar Together is a group purchasing scheme operated by iChoosr, typically run in partnership with local councils. The core idea is simple: if enough households in an area register interest, the council can negotiate bulk-discounted prices from pre-vetted MCS-certified installers that individual homeowners could not achieve on their own.

How the process works

1. Register your interest via your local council's Solar Together landing page. No commitment and no payment at this stage — you are simply adding yourself to the pool.

2. The council runs an auction. Registered participants' data (roof type, approximate consumption, property details) informs the specification. Installers bid competitively against this pooled demand.

3. You receive a personalised quote based on your specific address and consumption, at the bulk-negotiated rate.

4. Accept or decline. There is no obligation to proceed. You can compare the offer with independent quotes and walk away without penalty.

5. Installation is carried out by the pre-vetted installer. A full MCS certificate is issued, and the system is fully SEG-eligible.

What you get

• Installations are MCS-certified — the same standard as any individually arranged installation. Your product warranties and SEG eligibility are identical.
• Available through approximately 50 UK local authority areas as of 2026. Coverage changes each year as councils join or pause the scheme.
• The process typically takes 3–6 months from registration to installation — longer than going direct to an installer, but managed by the council rather than by you.

How to find out if your area participates

Search for "[your council name] Solar Together" or check your local council's environment or sustainability pages. iChoosr also maintains a list of participating councils on its website.

Model 2: Community energy cooperatives

Community energy cooperatives are a fundamentally different model. They are not a route to getting solar panels on your own home.

A community cooperative installs solar on a shared or community building — a school, village hall, sports club, or church. Members invest money into the project and receive a return from the generation income (SEG payments, private power purchase agreements, or grid sales).

How they are structured

• Governed by the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014
• Members typically invest £250–2,000 and receive an annual return (often 3–6%, though this varies widely by project)
• The installation is on a third-party building, not your home
• In Scotland, planning-stage funding is available via CARES (Community and Renewable Energy Scheme), a Scottish Government programme

UK examples

Brighton Energy Co-op is one of the UK's longest-established community solar cooperatives, operating across multiple sites in the south of England. Ovesco (based in Lewes) installs on commercial and community buildings. Bath & West Community Energy operates a diverse renewable portfolio across rural England.

Who this is for

Community cooperatives are relevant if you:

• Want to invest in renewable energy but cannot install your own solar (flat dweller, rented property, unsuitable roof)
• Want community-level impact alongside a modest financial return
• Are involved in a community organisation looking to generate income from solar

They are not relevant if you simply want to reduce your own electricity bills via rooftop solar. Do not conflate the two routes.

Model 3: Peer-to-peer energy trading

Peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading allows solar generators to sell surplus electricity directly to nearby buyers at prices negotiated between the parties — rather than receiving the standard SEG export rate set by your supplier.

In theory, this allows higher export prices and keeps energy local. In practice, the UK model faces significant structural barriers.

The regulatory obstacle

Ofgem has not created a P2P energy supply licence category. All electricity retail in the UK requires a supply licence. P2P platforms must therefore operate within existing licence structures — typically as an agent of a licensed supplier or via bespoke Ofgem sandbox arrangements. This is precisely why early entrants to the market have struggled to scale.

What exists in 2026

Approximately 300 UK communities have adopted some form of P2P energy arrangement, mostly small-scale pilot or local authority-backed schemes. UrbanChain is the only significant active operator at scale.

Group buying vs individual quotes: side-by-side comparison

How to approach this practically

Step 1. Check whether your local council participates in Solar Together. If it does, register — it costs nothing and adds you to the next round of bulk purchasing.

Step 2. While you wait for a Solar Together quote, explore three independent quotes from MCS-certified installers. Use these as a benchmark.

Step 3. When your Solar Together quote arrives, compare it directly with your independent quotes on the same specification — same panel wattage, same approximate system size, same warranty terms.

Step 4. If Solar Together is cheaper and the installer's reviews are satisfactory, it is a legitimate route to proceed. If your independent quotes are comparable or you have a specific preference on installer or product, go that route.

The goal is to arrive at a decision with at least two or three credible data points, not to rely on any single source.

For more on what a solar installation costs and what affects the price, see solar panel costs UK. For guidance on choosing an installer, see how to choose a solar installer.

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