Supporting seven mosques in South Wales to install solar panel systems with funding and expert support

• The solar panel systems installed ranged from nine kilowatt peak (kWp) to 18kWp, with 20 kilowatt hour (kWh) battery storage.
• Some communities benefited from electric vehicle charging points, solar-linked controllers for hot water tanks, and infrared heaters.
• Energy Service brought BDF together with developer Ynni Teg and supported early project development, grant applications, funding and project management.
• The project was funded by Ynni Cymru’s ‘Smart Local Energy Systems’ capital grant.

The BDF is working to decarbonise and empower communities across Wales through its renewable energy initiative, Gwyrdd Bangla. 

By installing solar panels and battery storage at mosques, the organisation aims to help communities save energy, cut carbon emissions and build a more sustainable future. The BDF needed expertise and funding to support this work and help them upskill local people to take it forward. 

Working for the Welsh Government Energy Service, we introduced the BDF to community-led developer Ynni Teg. We then helped get the project off the ground by developing and managing a resource grant to fund the initial stages. 

This led to seven mosques installing solar panel systems, based on their potential to benefit from renewable technology. To cover the installation costs, we helped Ynni Teg bid for a grant from government energy company Ynni Cymri, which we manage for the Welsh Government Energy Service.

As well as solar panels, battery storage and electric vehicle charging points, five locations installed solar-linked controllers to heat water. One property also received infrared heaters.

The installations were carried out by two local companies, with local subcontractors taking on scaffolding and electrical services. 

Across all seven mosques, the initiative created around 0.22MW of renewable energy capacity. This is expected to save 335 tonnes of CO₂e across the lifetime of the project.