The local community energy company, which will be at the Somer Valley Forum in Midsomer Norton, wants locals to become roof spotters for solar energy.

Started in 2010, Bath and West Community Energy, is a not for profit community benefit society which is controlled by its members.

It offers free solar panel installations, if you 'join' and promises to sell power to the building owner at least 10 per cent cheaper than the grid.

Previously BWCE have installed solar panels on Peasedown St John Primary School, but schools are no longer ideal candidates for the system, because they close for the holidays.

Radstock Town Council heard from Alex Lockton from Bath & West Community Energy yesterday (Monday February 17) who said they are actively looking for spaces to install solar panels, they then lease the roof space and sell the energy back to the owners of the property at least ten per cent lower than the price of that from the grid. The company is hugely successful and is the second biggest green energy company in the UK.

Last year the government ended the feed in solar tariff so it is more difficult to make solar schemes pay their way, but Alex said: " The good news is that solar has fallen in costs, so more systems are viable. We are always looking at ways to make it work." In addition he sits as chair of the technology group which is exploring all kinds of new ways to get and share energy.

Ideas include:

Getting together fifty homes and creating a micro-grid where no energy is ever bought in for the housing estate

Installing solar panels on your neighbour's house and then sharing the benefits

Looking at how to stop the energy usage 'lump' in the evenings to spread the ways consumers use energy more evenly.

As a company BWCE is actively looking for sites for their Community Solar 2020 project and is keen to promote it across Midsomer Norton.

However, due to the ending of the Government's feed-in tariff, the company says that any potential building needs to use a significant amount of electricity all year around. Unfortunately, many schools close down in the summer, so it doesn't work for them.

The company want people to become Solar Roof Spotters to help them find suitable sites and have even produced a special Roof Spotters Guide to help.

The Somer Valley Forum is on Wednesday 19th February 2020 (AGM) - 6pm - Assembly Room, Midsomer Norton Town Hall, The Island BA3 2HQ

You can find the guide to the best places to install solar panels under the Red Button :