About us

Wey Valley Solar is a community owned energy co-operative set up by local people mainly from the towns of Guildford and Godalming in Surrey. The Co-op installs community funded solar panel systems on schools and other community organisations free of charge, provides energy efficiency support to its member schools, and works with schools and local community groups to maximise the environmental, educational and community impact of the solar installations. We seek to assist schools in their sustainability and educational work and to engage the local community.

As a social enterprise, Wey Valley Solar is dedicated to supporting its member organisations rather than making profits for shareholders. Our directors work for free to support our environmental and social mission. Our profits go back to our schools and other member. It’s a compelling and ethical alternative to the prevailing commercial rent-a-roof or leasing model. By installing solar panels it gives schools access to renewable energy sources and also helps them cut their energy costs with no financial risk or up-front costs. Typically agreements with schools last 20 years and when the agreement period finishes the panels are gifted to the schools as they have plenty of use left in them.

Wey Valley Solar was launched in 2011 with 238 kW of solar panels on the roofs of six state secondary schools in Surrey. We now have generation capacity of just over 765kW over eleven sites (ten schools and one church). You can read more about our projects here. We have exciting plans to double our generating capacity over the next 12 months.