Solar power is heaven sent for parish church

SLEAFORD has become one of the first towns in the country to see its historic parish church fitted with solar power.

St Denys' Church has just taken delivery of 56 solar panels from Germany which are being fitted to the roof of the south nave by a team of expert engineers.

The £56,000 project will save 4.5 tonnes of CO2 emissions and generate 900KW or £1,300 worth of electricity a year in an effort by the church to do its bit for the environment and cut out greenhouse gases.

The project has been led by curate, the Rev Jeremy Cullimore who said that they were now looking at using some of the energy generated to heat the church, the rest will be sold to the National Grid.

He said: "This is the start of the project. Getting the panels has been a challenge and getting the funding has been a challenge, but we are going to save four-and-a-half tonnes of CO2 emissions a year. To get this on a Grade 1 listed church has been a real challenge, but also an opportunity because we can show here what we ought to be doing to protect out environment and save emissions, working with God given light that we can use to power out modern lifestyle."

The large panels, which are aluminium frames holding toughened glass backed with bulletproof Kevlar, are fixed to a system of racking to protect the lead roof. Cables run in through a window to a pair of convertors transforming the power from DC to AC current.

The Rev Cullimore added: "In Sleaford we are really cutting edge and leading the way. If more churches in Lincolnshire could do this the effect on our national energy consumption would be significant. We have set a precedent and a lot of other churches are looking at it with some enthusiasm."

The eastern side of England naturally gets more sunshine, ideal for solar power, but he now wants to arrange a conference for clergy to discuss the many ways of saving and generating green energy. He saw every school and local government office could be treated in the same way.

English Heritage had had concerns about how the panels may affect the views of the church but have been convinced to allow it to go ahead.

They cannot be seen from anywhere in town except for the top of The Hub.

The solar panels should be long-lasting as well, with similar equipment having been used on North sea buoys for over 20 years.

Having had to carry the large panels up scaffolding by hand, workmen, employed by a Lincolnshire-based company, Freewatt, should have the job completed within two weeks. Work had been delayed while rotten guttering was replaced at an additional cost of £16,500.

Half the funding for the scheme has come from a Government green energy grant while another 45 per cent was paid out by the BIG Lottery Fund and the remainder from church funds.

He said The Rev Cullimore said the parochial church council and Canon John Patrick have been totally supportive.

Source - Sleaford Standard