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Solar for Schools
Renewable Energy - Bonds
Forecast
return
Solar for Schools is a community benefit society set up in 2016 that helps UK schools decarbonise and save money by installing solar panels and educating pupils on the sustainable energy transition.
- Where your money goes
- Team
- Documents
- Updates
Updates
No updates.
Solar for Schools CBS Limited
Society no. 7364
Essex, UK
Incorporation date: 08 July 2016
Your money will…
Take decisive action to tackle climate change and promote energy independence by funding solar panels on around 20-25 more UK schools.
Enable Solar for Schools to use these panels as an educational instrument, helping the next generation understand sustainable energy.
Save schools money on energy bills by generating their own clean energy that’s cheaper than they would otherwise pay.
Earn a potential tax-free return. Your investment will target a return of up to 5% (2% + RPI capped at 5%) and is eligible to be held within an IFISA*
The bigger picture
Installing solar on schools has multiple benefits. Besides generating cleaner and cheaper energy for the schools, students get to experience solar power first hand, helping them understand the challenges society faces and inspiring them to learn more and take positive action.
- Solar for Schools’ long-term goal is for every UK school to have solar panels, enabling them to deliver sustainability education for all pupils
- To date, installations by Solar for Schools have generated over 14,897 MWh of solar electricity - enough to charge 248,283 e-vehicles.
- This has avoided 2,875 tonnes of CO₂ and helped inspire approximately 44,959 students to join the fight against climate change.
- Solar for Schools work with pupils on educational programmes, giving them invaluable insights into the future of renewable energy generation.
* IFISA eligibility depends on investors' individual tax status and current legislation. Investments in the bond offer target a return between 2 and 5 % depending on inflation, currently paying 5%, but this will decrease if inflation (RPI) drops below 3%.
Where your money goes
Solar for Schools will use funds from the investment to design and install new solar energy systems on about 20-25 UK schools that are currently on their growing waiting list.
- The new systems will collectively cut around 300 tonnes of CO2 emissions per annum, helping the UK towards achieving our net-zero goals.
- The schools receiving solar panels will save money on their energy bills, each saving on average £150,000 - £350,000 in electricity costs over the next 25 to 30 years.
- This kind of on-site clean energy generation will help increase the UK’s energy independence.
- All the schools will get decarbonisation education support and with more total income from owning more sites, Solar for Schools can invest in additional education development such as their mobile app.
Team
Solar for Schools is a pioneering solar energy organisation that works with schools and communities to provide decarbonisation and energy education powered by the sun.
https://www.solarforschools.co.uk/
Wendy Litherland
Director
15 years’ experience leading sustainability initiatives in secondary schools.
Local Eco Cluster Group co-ordinator. Co-facilitates the UKs largest children's environmental conference: NW Eco Schools.
Winner of multiple sustainability education awards including the Climate Week Awards, the SSAT national sustainable schools award and the Department of Education Sustainability Award in 2021.
Co-author of the learning journeys in the Solar for Schools mobile app for students and teachers.
BSc (hons) in Physiology from the University of Manchester, a PGCE MA (Education) and NPQS
Robert Schrimpff
Director
10 years’ experience in founding and building online businesses such as netXtra and hotels.com followed by nine years’ experience investing in renewable energy technology companies at TVM Capital and Greencoat Capital before setting up Solar Options for Schools to deliver “carbon and energy education powered by the sun”
M.Eng in Aeronautical Engineering from Imperial College London. MBA in Entrepreneurship and Finance from INSEAD
Ann Flaherty
Director
Over 12 years’ experience in solar development on schools using a variety of funding models and has helped set up three solar businesses in the schools market. Worked in education for sustainable development for over 15 years.
Co-creator and developer of an educational platform for HRH Prince Charles’ Rainforests SOS campaign, and for the HISTORY’s channel: The People Speak, led by Colin Firth.
Previous experience in journalism, media and brand marketing.
Peter Roberts
Director
25 years’ experience in the education sector overseeing the design and contract management of new schools and capital programmes and ensuring project delivery to specifications and budget. Has always been an advocate of sustainable construction and estates strategies.
Has been working with the DfE for the last 10 years as consultant project manager and technical advisor in the Free Schools programme and latterly the new further education estates initiative.
Sian Herschel
Director
Fifteen years of professional experience in grant making and investing for organisations such as Fairtrade, Comic Relief, Power to Change and the Churchill Fellowship.
Areas of expertise include social enterprise, ethical trade, strategy development and impact measurement.
Sian has lived and worked in the USA, Peru, South Africa, India and Germany as well as the UK.
MBA from the University of Cambridge and executive coaching accreditation from Henley Business School.
Julian Leslie
Director
Responsible for identifying future GB transmission network requirements and recommending the best economic option. Also for granting system access (connections) to future generation and managing that access for transmission owners, existing generation, DNOs and demand sites while ensuring GB transmission is operable into the future.
A governor at his local school, he is keen to educate the next generation about the challenges of managing intermittent energy sources.
B.Eng in Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Liverpool University) and Fellow Member of the IET.
Marino Charalambous
Director
Oversees five schools in North London at the North Star Community Trust, all of which have solar panels managed by Solar for Schools.
Introduced sustainability as part of the Trust curriculum in 2016 and has developed a Trust wide learning culture with the future in mind. Previous experience in finance and project management at HSBC and Siemens Financial Services as well 15 years at Managing Director level experience in digital marketing consultancies and other businesses.
B.Hons Business and Marketing Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing.
NPQ in Executive Leadership (University College London)
Nathan Odom
Director
More than 13 years’ experience in the education sector, 10 of which have been with a large local authority working with its schools and academies.
A project manager delivering various capital build projects and expansion plans for schools across Leicestershire.
Currently, the strategic lead for DSAT’s capital strategy for school site improvements with a focus on improving the physical learning environment to support the delivery of high-quality education, ensuring school sites are safe and compliant.
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Interest accrual and payment
Interest will start to accrue 3 months after Bonds are issued. Interest will be paid on the 31 October of each year, with the first year calculated pro-rata from the Interest Start Date. With a minimum interest of 2% and a maximum interest rate of 5% calculated against RPI.
Getting your money out
The Bonds are transferable, but won’t be listed on any exchange because a request can be made for early re-payment. Bondholders may request early re-payment by notifying the CBS with at least 3 months’ notice to the 31 October of a given year. The CBS will deal with all requests in order of receipt and pay as many as it can subject to available funds and Directors’ discretion. The CBS is under no obligation to re-pay early.
Investing on behalf of children
Applicants must be 18 years old or more. Investments cannot be made on behalf of children.
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