Going off grid on solar power street

Neighbours all rally round renewables

- BY EMMELINE SAUNDERS

As renewable energy finally overtakes coal on a global level, a street in East London is taking itself off the grid this winter by installing solar panels.

And residents hope other neighbourhoods will follow their lead in a bid to tackle both the cost of living crisis and the climate emergency.

Under the project, led by artists Hilary Powell and Dan Edelstyn, 20 houses have had solar panels fitted on their roofs, saving 30% on energy bills.

One resident has even made money, selling excess energy back to the National Grid. Five nearby schools also had the panels installed.

The project in Walthamstow was also filmed for a documentary, Power Station, directed by Hilary and Dan.

The couple began by asking their neighbours during Covid if they wanted to kickstart the production of green energy in their community.

Hilary says: “The biggest difficulty at first was in breaching that taboo and knocking on doors.