Grafham Parish Council

The project will install solar panels and batteries on Grafham Village Hall, in order to provide power for the adjacent community pub (a not for profit amenity). The parish council own the land where the Village Hall, Community Pub and Community Shop are situated.
Solar panels will be mounted on the south-facing roof of the Village Hall, primarily to provide power for the adjacent Community Pub (CIC) – “The Trout”. The panels will generate a peak output of 8 kW, sufficient to power the Pub and charge associated batteries. The batteries will have a capacity of 20 kWh, which is sufficient to power the Trout from sunset to sunrise. The panels cannot be installed on the pub roof because it is a wooden structure with felt covering which is not suitable for mounting panels. The internal insulation is sufficient.
Detailed performance and cost analysis of the Solar PV system has been carried out to ensure optimum performance and financial savings. The electricity bills for the Trout represent a significant burden to its viability in these times of high energy prices, along with other inflationary pressures. The calculations predict a cost reduction in the electricity bills of over 50%, saving over £2,000 per year.

The Community Shop was struggling with high energy bills over 5 years ago and a similar project provided an excellent solution to the problem. The Shop continues to trade successfully, even under these times of high energy prices.
The Trout is open to all members of the public and is typically used by local groups comprising village residents, friends and families. The Trout has proved to be extremely popular with the local community and is also frequented by local cycling groups and campsite visitors, along with other visitors to Grafham. The Solar PV system, mounted on the Village Hall, will substantially reduce the electricity costs for the Trout, which will significantly help to ensure the long-term viability of this important community facility.