Energy Democracy Central West NSW Co-operative CEO Alan Major said many households in Orange were not able to have solar panels on their properties.

He said they included people who were renting, had a south-facing roof, were subject to heritage restrictions or had excessive over-hanging trees. "Our aim is the people who can't have solar on their roofs can have solar in their community," he said.

"It seems unfair that you have to own a suitable roof to be able to get cheaper electricity from solar PV. If everyone had equitable access the savings made by households and small businesses could be channelled back into the community."

Mr Major said the co-operative was looking to recruit up to 800 households and businesses in Orange to buy into the scheme.

He said it would cost $5000 to buy shares that would give people 2.5 kilowatts in electricity generated from the solar park and 2.5 hours of energy storage.

Mr Major said members would recoup their outlay over time through discounted electricity bills. He said the co-operative would organise it with one electricity supply retailer.

"Our target is about seven years if you buy one parcel of shares," he said.

Mr Major said Australia was behind European and other countries in establishing solar parks near towns and cities to benefit the community.

"According to the Clean Energy Regulator, half a million solar systems were installed in Australia over the last 18 months," he said.

"Nationally 25 per cent of households own a solar PV (photovoltaic) system. Orange is behind the national average with 20 per cent. Compare that with Dubbo which is a long way ahead at 41 per cent."

Mr Major said his group was not part of the company proposing to develop the Orange Community Renewable Energy Park on farmland off the Mitchell Highway about six kilometres north of Orange.

However, he said if the proposal currently before Orange City Council did go ahead the co-operative had been offered the opportunity to buy up to 45 per cent of the project. "The idea is to get local ownership," he said.

The solar park has been opposed by an adjacent property owner who said the project will destroy his views and would be a 'blight' on the rural environment.

However, Mr Major said the project had community benefits, could not get bigger than what is proposed for the land and its appearance would be monitored by the co-operative if it bought into the project.