A £4m investment from E.ON UK is set to support the wider adoption of shared rooftop solar technology that could make clean energy more accessible for people living in flats.
Allume Energy, an Australian company founded in 2015, has secured the funding to expand the use of its SolShare system, which enables multiple households in the same building to benefit from a single rooftop solar installation.
Unlike traditional solar systems, which usually only power communal areas in apartment buildings, SolShare allows solar energy to be distributed directly to individual flats, allowing residents to receive their share of renewable energy when they need it most, helping to lower bills and reduce reliance on the grid.
The technology operates behind the meter, so residents can still choose their energy provider and suppliers do not need to make infrastructure changes.
Allume’s technology addresses a long-standing barrier for flat-dwellers, who have often been excluded from accessing rooftop solar due to technical and ownership constraints. With SolShare, solar energy is shared fairly based on a predetermined allocation and usage patterns, increasing on-site consumption and reducing the need to export excess energy to the grid.
The investment will support Allume’s expansion in the UK and Europe, where interest in shared solar solutions is growing as part of wider efforts to improve energy efficiency in multi-unit buildings. In the UK, over half of Allume’s installations so far have been delivered in partnership with social housing providers, offering a cost-effective way to retrofit older buildings.
Globally, SolShare systems have already been installed in over 6,000 homes, generating more than 14 gigawatt-hours of renewable electricity. Depending on usage, shared solar installations can lead to energy bill reductions of between 30% and 60%, while also helping to lower carbon emissions and giving residents more control over their energy use.
E.ON’s investment will help Allume to grow its presence in the UK, while contributing to E.ON’s aim to deliver the transition to clean energy.
Chris Norbury, CEO of E.ON UK, said: ‘Our investment in Allume is another important step towards making the transition to clean energy more inclusive. More than a fifth of British homes – five million – are low and medium rise apartment buildings with rooftop space for solar panels, but no way of directly benefiting until now. And with about one in six people currently living in social housing we see an enormous opportunity to help people to lower their energy bills and reduce their carbon emissions, making solar more useful and affordable for the many, not the few.’
Cameron Knox, CEO of Allume, added: ‘People living in flats experience the highest fuel poverty rates in the UK, yet have historically been locked out of rooftop solar due to technical and ownership considerations. SolShare enables them to access free, clean energy from the sun. Working with E.ON UK offers a transformational opportunity for Allume to scale our existing offerings and create new models across Europe, where 300 million people live in low and medium rise apartment buildings.’
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