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Deptford neighbours grow sunflowers to help bring solar power to their homes

Good News Post

Sep 3, 2026 — 3 min read

Members of DHC Solar Subcomittee - Image supplied Deptford Housing Co-operative

By Community Correspondent

A group of neighbours in Deptford are growing sunflowers as part of an unusual campaign to bring renewable energy to their homes.

Members of Deptford Housing Co-operative have been planting and caring for the flowers in their shared garden since June, inspired by a similar sunflower project in Walthamstow.

Now, the flowers are helping raise money for plans to install around 160 solar panels and battery storage across the rooftops of eight co-operative homes.

The residents hope to raise around £100,000 through grants and an online crowdfunding campaign. Supporters will be able to receive sunflower seeds or a sunflower grown by the co-op as part of the fundraiser.

*Project Sunflower DHC Solar Sub-committee - Image supplied Deptford Housing Co-operative*

The project, called Project Sunflower, is being developed with local community energy groups South East London Community Energy (SELCE) and Community Energy Go (CEGo).

If the plans go ahead, the solar panels are expected to generate almost 74,000 kWh of electricity each year.

The co-op estimates this could save up to £15,500 a year on energy bills and cut carbon emissions by around 10.5 tonnes annually.

*Solar generation potential - Image supplied Deptford Housing Co-operative*

Tom Noble, a member of the co-op’s solar sub-committee, said the project had taken a lot of work but would be worth it.

“With the technology available now, solar power really is a no-brainer,” he said. “We hope that with this project we can inspire others to realise the benefits of home-grown energy.”

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The sunflowers will also feature at an event at Shapes Lewisham, where local people can meet the residents, enjoy music and food, and learn more about community-owned renewable energy.

*Window design for fundraiser event - Image supplied Deptford Housing Co-operative*

For the co-op, the flowers represent something bigger than a fundraising campaign: neighbours working together to make their homes cleaner, more affordable and more resilient.

With a few hundred sunflowers helping to get the project off the ground, the residents are hoping their idea will inspire other communities to grow their own clean energy too.

*Solar fundraiser time and date - Image supplied Deptford Housing Co-operative*

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