Westmill Solar FAQs
Below is a list of our most frequently asked questions about Westmill Solar Co-Operative. If you cannot find what you are looking for here, please email us at info@westmillenergy.coop with your query.
These FAQs relate specifically to Westmill Solar Co-operative. Please click the buttons below to access general FAQs or those relating to Westmill Wind Farm Co-operative.
Co-operative Model Questions
We raised nearly £18 million in total. £12 million of our capital was provided through a loan from the Lancashire County Council Pension Fund and £5.8 was raised in shares from individuals and the community. £4 million of this £5.8 million came from the initial share offer, which was the maximum amount allowed, and £1.8 million was raised via a private placement to existing subscribers.
Westmill Solar Co-operative operates under the idea of rippling out benefits to local, regional, national and possibly international levels.
Members receive an annual return providing an indirect benefit to the local economy, rather than the returns going to a big private company.
The project generates clean energy that helps fight climate change and contributes to ensuring energy security for the country.
The local community benefits, as a percentage of profits go to local community organisations involved in environmental education, sustainability and related projects in the local area.
Community renewable energy projects sometimes include discounts for all bill payers in the area, but these are often run differently. For example, investing the profits made in cutting bills, rather than paying members. These projects also do not often include community ownership.
Westmill Solar is a community-owned, co-operatively run project and does not currently have the ability for members to buy electricity directly from the solar park. However, we have implemented a Trading Dividend in affiliation with Your Co-op Energy. If members are also customers of Your Co-op Energy, they will receive a £50 discount on their energy bills for the year. To learn more about this scheme, please visit our Member Benefits page.
We hope to provide a more direct way for members to purchase our electricity in the future.
The concept of community-owned renewable energy has been around for many years. In the UK, there are now a large number of community owned renewable energy co-operatives, with more being created each year.
What is exciting about Westmill Solar Co-operative is, at the time of its establishment, it was the thought to be the first large scale community owned solar farm in the UK.
Solar Farm Questions
While performance varies from month to month, we are pleased that the solar farm has generally met its projected annual forecasts over the years.
Westmill Solar Co-operative is keen that information on how the Solar Farm is performing is available to everyone as an educational resource. We publish performance information on our Generate Renewable Energy page and are working to have access to live data on our website.
Westmill Solar Co-operative has policies in place regarding security and maintenance to prevent any such incidents, and respond quickly to restore generation as soon as possible if needed.
Unfortunately, in 2022 Westmill Solar was broken into and 3.7km of cabling was stolen. Luckily, Westmill Solar works with a great Operations and Management contractor and the solar farm was back to full operating capacity in around a month. Due to this incident, Westmill Solar reviewed our security arrangements to prevent another break-in.
Westmill Solar Farm was dreamed up, and pioneered by, the landowner Adam Twine. A farmer by trade, Adam was pivotal in the set-up of Westmill Wind Farm Co-operative. Along with other founders of Westmill Wind Farm Co-operative, Adam was put in contact with an organisation seeking to develop solar farms in the UK.
The solar farm was created with an agreement in place that the local community would have the opportunity to purchase the solar park through a public fundraising effort, within a year of the site becoming operational. After a whirlwind share offer, Westmill Solar Co-operative was able to purchase the solar farm in 2012.
To learn more, please visit Our Story page.
We are currently looking at site development for the Westmill site. Although this does not currently include upgrades to the solar panels themselves, there are exciting new technologies coming online, such as battery storage. We will update our members on this project as it continues.
For now, it is assumed that the scheme will end in 2036 because at that point it will no longer be eligible for Feed-in-Tariffs, which are a large part of Westmill Solar’s income. However, it is possible that the solar panels will still be working and generating energy and that energy prices will be high enough to justify continuing to supply electricity. In this case members will be consulted on their preference regarding the future of the co-operative.
Westmill Wind Farm Co-operative have just voted to extend the life of their co-operative for as long as is viable, and Westmill Solar Co-operative could hold a similar vote.
Governance Questions
Energy4All provide management, bookkeeping, asset management, membership administration and communications assistance to Westmill Solar Co-operative through a service agreement. If you have any questions for Energy4All, you can contact them at info@energy4all.co.uk.
The Board of Directors are democratically elected representatives for the members of the Westmill Solar Co-operative who volunteer their time to help run the co-operative.
The current board of directors, along with biographies, can be viewed on our Meet our Teams page.
In order to become a Director, you must be a member of the co-operative and be elected at the AGM through either a ballot or a motion. The Rules of Westmill Solar Co-operative state that one third of the board must retire each year, however they can be re-elected at the next AGM.
If you are interested in becoming a Director of the co-operative, please email info@westmillsolar.coop with a brief resume. You will then be considered as a potential candidate and will be put forward at the next AGM for members to vote to appoint you.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you would like to learn more about the position and the time requirements.
Solar Member Questions
If you have recently changed your home address or email address, you can update your details on the Energy4All members portal. If you wish to amend your bank account that receives interest payments, or to request a copy of your share certificate, you should contact Energy4All on 01229 821028 or email us at info@westmillsolar.coop.
Each year at the Westmill Wind Annual General Meeting (AGM) the board of directors propose that a portion of the co-operative’s revenue be paid to members as an interest payment.
Historic Interest Payments:
- 2p per share – 31/06/2014
- 10p per share – 21/06/2015
- 6p per share – 31/06/2016
- 2p per share – 31/12/2016
- 7p per share – 31/06/2017
- 7p per share – 06/07/2018
- 12p per share – 01/08/2019
- 12p per share – 01/08/2020
- 12p per share – 26/08/2021
- 10p per share – 03/08/2022
- 14p per share – 08/09023
- 10p per share – 24/07/2024
Historic Capital Re-payments:
- 20% of shares on 10/11/2014
- 12.5% of shares on 21/09/2017
Please note: As per the original shareoffer document, capital repayments are made periodically.
The interest payment for each financial year (January to December) will be made the following year. This is usually paid in July or August, following the AGM.
Westmill members can access copies of their tax certificates by contacting Energy4All on 01229 821028 or by sending an email to info@westmillsolar.coop.
Yes, you are welcome to opt to waive your interest payment to augment the Community Fund. Please contact the Energy4All team for a form; they will then apply the waiver to your next interest payment.
If you believe that you have not received the interest payments due to you, please contact Energy4All on 01229 821028 or send an email to info@westmillsolar.coop.
We are unable to give tax advice. The tax status of capital repayments and member interest payments likely differ from member to member. Please seek professional assistance if you would like advice.
If wish to withdraw your capital, please contact info@westmillsolar.coop with your request. All requests will be taken to the Board for approval by the Directors. Please note that withdrawals are subject to the board’s discretion and the current financial performance and status of the co-operative. This is in accordance with the rules of the co-operative and the terms and conditions of the shares. Please note that shares can also be transferred to a third party.
Shares will be transferred to the estate of the deceased. The shares can then be transferred to any other eligible person. The person to whom the shares will be transferred can be nominated by the deceased. Energy4All and the board must receive proof of death and proof of nomination before such action can be taken.
The 2014 capital repayment meant that members were paid back two shares (at £1 per share) for every ten shares held. The September 2017 capital repayment meant that members were paid back one share (at £1 per share) for every eight shares that were held. The meant that members had in total received back 30% of their original investment.
These capital repayments reduce the overall number of shares you hold, but it will not reduce the proportion of interest you will receive. Distribution of profit is calculated by dividing the amount of monies to be paid out to members by the total number of shares.
If you would like further clarification regarding this, please email info@westmillsolar.coop.
Bondholder Questions
In 2019, Westmill Solar launched a 2019 bond offer for existing members and the general public. This bond will mature on 31st December 2024. Bondholders were given the opportunity to withdraw their capital or roll-over into a 5-year 2024 bond.
For those who wish to withdraw their capital, please contact info@westmillsolar.coop with your request. All requests will be taken to the board for approval by the directors. Please note that withdrawals are subject to the board’s discretion and the current financial performance and status of the co-operative. This is in accordance with the rules of the co-operative and the terms and conditions of the shares.
Bonds will be transferred to the estate of the deceased. The bonds can then be transferred to any other eligible person. The person to whom the bonds will be transferred can be nominated by the deceased. Energy4All and the board must receive proof of death and proof of nomination before such action can be taken.