Giving solar panels a second lease of life

Ethex is proud to connect people with investments that deliver genuine environmental and social impact. The Big Solar Co-op’s latest project, the Whiteborough Solar Park in Nottinghamshire, is a brilliant example of how solar energy can be even more sustainable, with every angle of the project having been thoughtfully designed with transparency and environmental impact in mind.

In a recent webinar hosted by Ethex, Big Solar Co-op CEO Jon Hallé gave us a closer look at the values driving this innovative project. What’s clear is that Whiteborough isn’t just about clean energy generation; it’s about redefining how we build the solar infrastructure of the future.

Because of their co-operative status, the Big Solar Co-op have been able to design Whiteborough to tread lightly on the planet from the outset. The site itself tells a powerful story: a former open-cast coal mine and an area of low-grade agricultural land, both of which have already been heavily shaped by human activity. The solar park will cover approximately 10 acres, so it’s not a huge installation that will change the landscape for miles around.

By building the solar array here, Big Solar Co-op avoids disrupting wildlife-rich habitats or taking over productive farmland. In fact, the project is helping to regenerate and repurpose land that has declined in ecological value. Recent research from the RSPB and Cambridge University shows that a well-managed Solar PV ground-mounted system can help to increase the mix of wildlife habitats available. As a result, they can have up to 3 times the number of birds around them as nearby arable farmland.
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And their commitment to sustainability doesn’t stop with the location.

One of the most innovative features of the Whiteborough project is its use of recycled solar panels. Big Solar Co-op has made the deliberate choice to reuse high-quality, tested panels that still have many years of life left in them. This is a bold step toward a circular model of solar energy, reducing waste, conserving resources and lowering the environmental cost of building new installations.

As Jon says in the webinar, sourcing solar panels in this way is the equivalent of buying your clothes secondhand, the most sustainable choice that you can make.

To make the most of the grid connection available, some of the solar panels do need to be newly sourced. And the team is taking an equally thoughtful approach to this, seeking out manufacturers with strong environmental credentials and ethical supply chains. In an industry where sourcing can be opaque and issues around forced labour and energy-intensive production rife, this level of transparency matters, reflecting the Co-op’s values-led mission.

The Big Solar Co-op’s first ever bond offer has proved incredibly popular, and rightfully so. As well as helping create the Whiteborough Solar Park, which will help cut carbon emissions by an impressive 619 tonnes per annum, investors provide crucial support to a growing movement for ethical, community-led climate action. Big Solar Co-op is proving that it’s possible to scale renewable energy in a way that is democratic, inclusive and completely sustainable.

The Whiteborough project represents a vision of the future where clean energy doesn’t come at the cost of ecosystems, where materials are reused rather than discarded, and where energy generation is put into the hands of people who care.

So, if you’re looking for an investment that ticks all the boxes for sustainability and positive change, take a look at the Big Solar Co-op 5.5% IFISA eligible bond offer.