Sun-Powered Care: Solar Panels Begin Rolling Out Across Our Homes
“Solar is a really practical step for us where a home is suitable,” said Richard White, Managing Director of South West Care Homes. “We’re taking a careful, evidence-led approach, and where the figures stack up, we can make meaningful changes, like moving from gas to electric. It’s exactly the kind of steady progress that helps us reduce our footprint and work towards net zero.”
Working with our Home Managers and trusted local solar experts, South West Care Homes has begun rolling out solar panels at sites where they can make a meaningful difference. Not every home is suitable, roof orientation and available space vary, so we’re taking a measured, site-by-site approach to ensure installations are practical and effective.
Where the structure and location are right, we’ve already installed panels and carried out detailed testing to understand the impact. In one home, those results have given us the confidence to take a significant next step: removing the gas ovens and replacing them with electric. It’s a practical change that supports our wider commitment to reducing fossil fuel use, improving efficiency, and progressing towards net zero.
We’ll continue to monitor performance, review other locations, and expand this approach wherever it makes sense, steadily building a cleaner, more sustainable energy future across the group.