The Big Solar Co-op bond offer, launched recently on the positive impact investing platform Ethex, has been a runaway success, raising over 160% of its initial target of £800,000. To date, it has raised over £1.3 million and counting, up to a maximum of £1.8 million.
This is a strong demonstration of public support for community-owned renewable energy.
The offer is giving investors a tax-efficient opportunity to support a groundbreaking 3.5 MW solar park in Whiteborough, Nottinghamshire. The project is being delivered by Big Solar Co-op Ltd – a growing member organisation of over 1100 solar energy pioneers, funding and building clean energy where it’s needed most, from the rooftops of large buildings to underused low-grade land.
The Whiteborough site lies in a former opencast coalfield area that once helped to power the UK’s industrial revolution. Now, the Big Solar Co-op is repurposing that land to power a clean energy revolution. In the future, the Big Solar Co-op also hopes to sell solar electricity directly to local people, reducing bills and increasing energy independence.
The innovative project will use a mix of ethically sourced and recycled solar panels from a decommissioned solar farm, generating 3000 MWh of electricity annually for at least 25 years. That’s enough to power hundreds of homes and cut up to 621 tonnes of CO₂e annually.
The bond offer will run for 90 days and the project itself is due to be completed in late 2025. This sets a new benchmark for sustainable infrastructure by possibly being the first UK solar installation at this scale to use second-life solar panels: around 35% of the panels are sourced from a UK solar farm that would otherwise be sending them for recycling. The remaining panels have been ethically sourced to avoid potential human rights abuses in their supply chain.
The Whiteborough project is scaled to fit the local landscape and does not displace land that could be used for farming or food production. The sensitive design aims to increase biodiversity on site, so it creates a benefit for local wildlife, including native hedgerow planting, wildlife habitats, and wildflower-rich grassland.
Lisa Ashford, CEO of Ethex, comments:
“This bond offer from the Big Solar Co-op is more than a financial opportunity for investors. It’s a chance to be part of something bigger: a grassroots movement putting clean energy in the hands of communities. It is heartening to see a project that is taking advantage of making good use of very low grade disused land and has biodiversity as a goal in its build. At the same time, every pound invested supports the growing UK community-led energy movement while potentially earning an attractive return.”
Jon Halle, CEO of the Big Solar Co- op, said:
“We got tired of waiting for someone else to unlock the huge potential of the UK’s rooftops and underused spaces for solar. So, we took action. Now, we’re inviting people across the country to join us, not just as investors, but as active changemakers in the transition to clean energy using an open-cast mine. Thanks to our co-operative structure, we can make more sustainable and low carbon choices when it comes to sourcing land, materials, and partnerships.”
A community-led clean energy movement
With over 1100 members already and 11 rooftop installs, the Big Solar Co-op empowers people to develop new solar projects in their local community. A national training programme – the UK’s first Community Solar Foundation Course – will launch in 2025.
And with over 40 new solar projects planned, including solar installations for 26 Midcounties Co-operative stores, the Big Solar Co-op aims to deliver 100 MW of new solar capacity in the coming years.
The bond offer, which goes live today on Ethex, empowers UK investors seeking to make a positive social and environmental impact with their money to easily do so in a tax- efficient bond.
How to Invest
Individual investors can now access the Ethex Innovative Finance ISA (IFISA) through the Ethex platform, where they can browse investment opportunities, review detailed project information, and invest directly through the platform. If a project is eligible for IFISA, then investors can invest up to the annual ISA allowance, targeting tax-free returns. They can also transfer ISA investments from previous tax years.
Through investing in the Big Solar Co-op on Ethex, investors can show their support for a sustainable future where clean solar energy generation is not only community-owned, but also built on ethical and environmental integrity.
Project at a glance:
As ever, capital is at risk and investors should read the full Bond Offer Document and seek financial advice if needed.
About Ethex
Ethex is the UK’s leading positive investment platform, connecting everyday people with impactful projects that deliver social and environmental benefits alongside financial returns. Its latest impact report highlighted that Ethex has mobilised over 20,000 positive investors to raise over £120 million to back more than 200 pioneering projects that have created a positive impact.
To view the offer document and invest, visit www.ethex.org.uk/Big-Solar-Coop For press or partnership enquiries, contact:
For Media enquiries, please contact: Ethex Press Office
Phone: +44 07970 767869