Pioneering joint Solar PV venture between Oxford Bus Company and the Low Carbon Hub.

In 2013, Joju’s Commercial Solar Panels team installed a 143 kWp solar panel system on the roof of the Oxford Bus Company.  The system was funded by a community share offer, run by the Low Carbon Hub. It was a pioneering commercial solar panels project run by a community group working alongside a major local business.

The Low Carbon Hub have a mission to install renewable energy across Oxfordshire. This project was a great example of the advantages of solar panels for business and was their first on a serious scale and helped prove the viability of the community energy model outside of standard smaller scale niches.  The Oxford Bus Company was keen to reduce their emissions, and required a professional and smooth-running install that didn’t interrupt their daily operations.  The site was complex, with Joju’s work having to be coordinated safely around a constant stream of bus vehicles on site.  As live retrofit specialists, Joju were chosen to install this project.

This commercial solar panels project has been described as a “win-win-win”.  The Oxford Bus Company saw their bills reduced by 122,000kWh per year at zero investment on their behalf.  This has saved the equivalent amount of carbon needed to run a double decker bus around the world three and a half times.  The Low Carbon Hub has been able to offer returns of 5% to its investors.  Meanwhile surplus funds generated by the scheme allowed for the upgrade of ten fuel-poor properties in the area with solid wall insulation.