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Solar for Schools
Renewable Energy - Bonds
Forecast
return
The Solar for Schools Community Benefit Society Ltd empowers schools to harness the sun's energy. By providing upfront funding for solar panel installations, they help schools dramatically reduce energy costs and carbon emissions while inspiring a new generation of sustainability leaders by educating students about renewable energy.
- 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
Create positive climate action by funding solar panel installations on 15 -20 UK schools, reducing carbon emissions
Provide young people with real-world experience in solar and other renewable technologies, empowering them to understand their role in mitigating climate change
Save schools money on energy bills by generating their own clean energy, which is cheaper than mains electricity
Earn a potentially tax-free return Your investment will target 5.5% and can be held within an IFISA for potential tax-free returns*
The bigger picture
Installing solar panels on schools is a great idea. It reduces their energy costs, enabling them to spend more on educational facilities. As well as generating cleaner and cheaper energy, students experience solar energy first-hand, inspiring them to take positive climate action. Solar for Schools CBS’ long-term goal is to equip every school in the UK with solar panels. And to date, they have an excellent track record. They have:
- Generated 31,622 MWh of solar electricity across all the installed schools mitigating 6,103 tonnes of CO₂; equivalent to the carbon emissions of 1092 homes electricity use for an entire year.
- Provided energy education to over 120,000 pupils across primary and secondary schools, giving valuable insights into the future of renewable energy generation and inspiring more young people to join the fight against climate change.
- Raised more than £3m through bond offers and have an excellent track record of repayments to investors.
- There are over 100 schools on the growing Solar for Schools waiting list. Your investment will be matched, pound for pound, by Triodos Bank who provide lending directly to the project which effectively doubles the impact of your money.
*IFISA eligibility depends on investors' individual tax status and current legislation.
What your money will do
Your money in Solar for Schools will :
- Every £1 million raised in investment will fund new solar systems on 15 – 20 UK schools.
- The schools will save money on their energy bills, each saving between £150,000– £350,000 over the next 25 years.
- The panels will provide on-site clean energy generation helping increase the UK’s energy independence.
- The schools will receive decarbonisation education support with at least 20,000 more children due to receive an assembly and/or workshop from an in-house educator in 2025.
Team
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.
Craig Ellin
Director
Craig has over 20 years' experience in central government property, including 8 with the DfE as Operational Sustainability Manager (Achieving Best in Government, 2010, for in-year carbon reduction) and then Finance Manager covering project management, benefits realisation, sustainability, finance business partner (property) and FM & Energy contracts management. At LocatED he is part of the net zero accelerator programme looking to help all schools decarbonise and achieve Net Zero by 2050. B.A (Hons) in Economics and Law from Birmingham City University, ISO14001 Lead Auditor and achieved Carbon Trust Gold Standard for the DfE Environmental Monitoring System (EMS)
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 accrue from the Interest Start Date (1 month after drawdown) and interest payments will be made annually on the 31st of October each year and paid to your account in the following month.
Getting your money out
The Bonds are transferable, but won’t be listed on any exchange. Bondholders may request early re-payment by notifying the CBS with at least 3 months’ notice. 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.
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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