Welwyn Hatfield Community Housing Trust resident Michael Moorby told Mr Shapps how easy the system is to use and that the installation itself was completed in less than a day. He added that he was delighted to be the 500th resident on the scheme and he hoped many others would benefit from the free solar panels.

Mr Shapps said: “This innovative scheme is clearly making a huge difference to people like Mr Moorby and hundreds of other households in my constituency, and I applaud the partnership approach by Welwyn Hatfield Community Housing Trust and Carillion to make it happen. It is helping ordinary households keep a lid on energy costs and have affordable access to low carbon technology.”

John Swinney, Development Director at Carillion Energy Services, added: “Our work with Welwyn Hatfield is part of a wider programme with social housing providers in the UK to make solar and other renewable energy sources more inclusive and not just the preserve of the well off. We therefore appreciate the support Grant Shapps has shown by this visit and in recognising and praising the benefits available to social housing tenants.”

Carillion’s solar scheme works by utilising the income from the electricity generated. There is no cost to the resident or the landlord and Carillion will also service and maintain the solar panels for 25 years.

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