Question 1

Is POP a community energy company? How does POP work with community energy companies?

Accepted Answer

Community energy organisations generally focus on large shared assets (solar on schools, community centres, places of worship, or bigger: wind turbines, solar farms) that generate income for a co-operative through share offers. POP develops renewable projects with homes, street by street, so the benefits are immediate and personal: lower bills, increased energy security and building community wealth. We do work with community energy partners, like our Preston Park project with BHESCo, where a community-funded share offer gave households low-to-no-upfront cost solar.

Question 2

How much does it cost to install a renewable energy system?

Accepted Answer

Costs vary by technology and system size. A solar and battery system typically runs between £7,500 and £12,500, with most self-funded households paying it back in 4-12 years. A heat pump typically costs around £10,000, though the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant (£9,000 if you use heating oil) usually covers around three-quarters of that. There's also a zero rate of VAT on solar, battery and other energy-saving installations, in place until 31 March 2027.

Question 3

How does POP support households who can't afford solar upfront?

Accepted Answer

One of the goals of our crowdfund is to develop a financing vehicle that makes no-or-low-upfront cost solar a possibility. We have piloted this approach in our Preston Park project with BHESCo, where a community-funded share offer funded solar panels, which BHESCo owns whilst the household pays for the electricity at a much reduced rate.

Question 4

Why is the community-first approach more effective than a standard solar installer?

Accepted Answer

Most installers reach customers one by one through paid advertising (spending an average of £200-800 per household). Each installation is then a standalone project with separate surveys, orders, logistics and timelines. POP cuts marketing costs through connecting, community-building, and working with trusted messengers like Street Power Champions. Our street-by-street approach is also more efficient from consultation through surveying to installation. We pass these savings on to our customers.

Question 5

What are my options for funding a renewables system?

Accepted Answer

There are a few pathways, depending on what works best for you. If you have the means to invest, self-funding is the simplest way to start saving on bills straight away, typically paying back in 4-12 years with savings continuing for 25 years or more. Several mortgage lenders offer financing help too: Nationwide offers interest-free additional borrowing of £5,000-£20,000 over 2 or 5 years for eligible green improvements, Halifax and Lloyds offer £1,000 cashback for solar and battery installations, Barclays offers £500 cashback via the Greener Home Reward, and Skipton, Coventry, Leeds and Co-Operative Bank offer discounted green borrowing. For heat pumps specifically, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme offers £7,500 grants (£9,000 if you currently use heating oil), available until 31 March 2027. We're also developing a community subscription model through a locally-owned cooperative, which would let households get a system installed at low or no upfront cost and pay it back monthly over time, with the money staying in a local fund to lend within the community. If your priority is waiting for government subsidies or loans, the Warm Homes Plan's consumer loan scheme and any future street-level programmes could be significant, though timelines aren't yet confirmed. The funding landscape changes frequently, so your best bet is to request an estimate and let our team walk you through what's currently available to you.

Question 6

How are some other installers offering cheaper prices?

Accepted Answer

Usually not because of the kit. Panels, batteries and inverters are traded on global markets, so the wholesale cost is broadly similar whether an installer buys ten systems a year or fifty, and there isn't much room for bulk discounts. It's also common in sales for companies to inflate an original price, then offer a large discount so the customer feels they've got a deal. Around half of what you pay covers people: design time, surveying, scaffolding, electrical certification, health and safety compliance, and ongoing customer care (including extra calculations for flat roofs). That's where the real differences show up. A lower quote usually means less time spent on design or survey work, or a faster, more rushed install, which isn't always obvious until problems appear years later.

Question 7

What is a People Owned Power Station and why would I want to be part of one?

Accepted Answer

A People Owned Power Station is a collection of solar, batteries and heat pumps spread across your homes and community. Optimised to reduce the cost of your imported energy, we are working to knit them together digitally so we can generate additional revenues for you and your neighbours, supporting the grid in peak times and importing energy when the price is the lowest.

Question 8

What does peer-to-peer energy trading or future-ready grid mean? Why does it matter?

Accepted Answer

Peer-to-peer energy trading is selling surplus energy directly to neighbours, instead of exporting it back to the national grid: cutting the middle layer to keep more money in the pockets of neighbours. The technology and the model exist; the policy in the UK hasn't caught up. Communities as their own power stations (microgrids) help to decentralise our struggling national grid, building a more resilient energy system.

Community-First Solar, Battery & Heat Pump Installers

Where POP Energy is installing

London - North East

The South West

London - South West

Sussex

Oxfordshire

Your area?

What renewable technology does POP offer?

Solar Panels

Heat Pumps

Battery

EV Charger

The POP difference

Trusted installers: MCS accredited, certified B Corp

Flexible & friendly: people-first design for all homes

Survey to switch-on in as little as two weeks

More than a solar installer

More than a solar installer

What we do

Where we work

How we work

Upcoming events

Let’s make every street a Power Station - [Street Power Champions]

Learn if solar suits your home [free webinar + Q&A]

Learn if solar suits your home [free Q&A]

Who is POP and what do you do?