Solar Together

Solar Together

Solar Together logo

Having your own solar panels and battery storage to power your home, business or community building could help you save money on your energy bills while generating your own clean electricity.

By installing solar panels and producing renewable electricity, you will not only be reducing your own carbon footprint, but you will also play an important part in tackling climate change and supporting Solihull’s ambition to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2041.

Solihull Council has partnered with iChoosr Ltd, who are independent experts in group-buying, to bring Solar Together to Solihull’s homeowners.

Solar Together West Midlands is an innovative scheme offering high-quality solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and battery storage. It is a group-buying scheme, which brings Solihull households, small businesses and community groups together to get high-quality solar panels at a competitive price, helping you through the process and keeping you informed at every stage.

Registrations close on 6 June 2025. To register visit  www.solartogether.co.uk/solihull.

Solihull Council has been supported with grant funding from the Midlands Net Zero Hub towards promoting the scheme.

How does it work?

  1. Registration: you can register for free and without obligation until 6 June 2025 at  www.solartogether.co.uk/solihull. To register, you simply provide details about your roof, such as its size and orientation.
  2. Auction: a reverse ‘auction’ will be held where pre-vetted solar installers will submit bids for the work. The more people that register, the better the deal should be for each household. The installer with the most competitive package will win the auction.
  3. Personal recommendation: from Tuesday 27 May, you will be emailed your personal recommendation based on your registration details. This includes your costs and specifications of your system.
  4. You decide: the decision is then yours as to whether you want to accept your recommendation. There is no obligation to continue. Solar Together will let you know how long you have to accept your recommendation and update you before the scheme closes 
  5. Installation: if you accept, the winning installer will contact you to survey your roof and set an installation date. All installations aim to be completed by the end of January 2026.

Find out more

To register for the scheme or to find out more, visit www.solartogether.co.uk/solihull.

This scheme is not run by Solihull Council and all enquiries should be directed to the Solar Together helpdesk by emailing west-midlands@solartogether.co.uk, or calling 0800 014 8851 from Monday to Friday, 8.00am-5.00pm.

There is further information on the scheme below, or you can read Solar Together’s FAQs on their website.

About iChoosr

iChoosr was founded in 2008 and is privately owned by two co-founders. Before it entered the UK energy market in 2012, it focused on group-buying schemes in the Netherlands and Belgium. It now works with community leaders helping households select energy and solar power suppliers. As in the UK, its operations continue to grow across Europe, North America and Japan.

Frequently asked questions

Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels provide access to a renewable source of energy: the sun. Your solar PV system will generate electricity for you, meaning you are less dependent on energy companies and can save money on your electricity bills by using the energy you generate.

With energy costs rising and climate change impacting us all, renewable energy has an important role to play. Because the sun provides a clean and renewable source of energy – unlike finite fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal – you will help to reduce carbon emissions and contribute to a more sustainable future of energy production.

Our website provides further information about renewable energy.

Solar PV panels are the most common domestic renewable energy source in the UK, which capture energy from the sun and convert it into electricity.

Although savings will vary depending on how often you are at home, at what times of the day you use energy, how much you use, and if you have a battery installed with the system, the long-term savings will help to recoup the cost of installation.

You will become the owner of the complete system, including all the components.

Whilst other solar panel schemes offer the leasing of panels, Solar Together is a group buying scheme where you, the customer, will have full ownership of the product after purchase.

The installation usually takes one or two days. Scaffolding has to stay up for another two working days after the installation has been completed. This is to allow for any follow up work or inspections that may not be possible during installation.

Solar panels need some maintenance to ensure optimal performance and longevity. While occasional rainfall can help keep light dust and debris from collecting on the panels, it's a good idea to have your panels professionally cleaned every 1-2 years, depending on their condition.

For added peace of mind, consider a more thorough inspection and servicing every 4-5 years. A solar PV system with Solar Together also comes with a standard set of warranties. This includes a product warranty of at least 10 years on all materials, a warranty on the power output which is guaranteed by the manufacturer of the solar panels, and a workmanship warranty of at least 10 years.

Whilst Solihull Council supports the scheme, we recommend you do your own research on pricing and contacting solar PV installers in your area to get quotations.  As every property is different and there are differences between solar panels, this can help you compare prices and get best value for money.

When registering for Solar Together, you will receive an indication of the current market price for a solar PV system on your property. This indication can give you an idea of what a complete system could cost, as well as the price Solar Together aims to beat through group-buying.

Solar PV panel installations are considered a ‘permitted development’, which means that for most domestic properties, planning permission is not required.

However, planning permission may be required in some cases, such as in Conservation Areas and on Listed Buildings.

For further information, visit Solihull Council’s planning permission webpage.

You can also register to have battery storage added to your existing solar panels to maximise the benefits of your system.

You will be advised on the size of Solar PV system (and if required battery storage) appropriate for the level of your electricity consumption, however, if you don’t use all the energy your panels generate, it will be exported to the grid.

New regulation means medium and large energy suppliers have to offer tariffs that pay you for exported energy. This is called the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG).

Solar Together is a group-buying scheme for solar PV systems and battery storage, introduced for the first time in Norfolk in 2015.

iChoosr (the company that runs Solar Together) has launched 137 group-buying schemes for solar panels since 2012. To date, over 1.8 million solar panels have been installed for 162,000 households.

The enhanced buying power of a group creates more competitive pricing than an individual might get if entering the market alone, thereby providing potential savings on the cost of solar PV panels. 

Solar Together will take care of the research for you, ensuring the solar PV installer is safe and reputable and can provide you with warranties and guarantees. If you have any questions or require assistance throughout the process, you can call or email Solar Together’s helpdesk.

Solihull Council is working in partnership with iChoosr, who deliver Solar Together. The Council’s role is to help promote the opportunity to residents in our area. The Council has received support from Midlands Net Zero Hub to help promote Solar Together.

iChoosr is responsible for the process up until the moment you accept your personal recommendation and pay your £150 deposit.  After you have paid your deposit, the winning installer will take over the responsibility of your installation, while Solar Together will remain available to provide support.  The installer will arrange an on-site roof survey.  If your roof is found to be unsuitable for installing a PV system, you will be informed and your deposit refunded.