Over 100 churches go solar after appeal to higher order

installing solar panels on church roof

More than 100 churches have benefitted from the High Court decision to extend the Feed-in-Tariff window for solar panels - which closes on Saturday. Since January 25, Ecotricity has helped the Church of England's green mission by taking the total number of churches with solar panels past 150 in the South West alone.

This is in addition to 300 churches, vicarages and CoE schools across the diocese of Gloucester, Exeter and Bath & Wells that now use green energy from Ecotricity - the Stroud based renewables company that the Church of England has chosen as preferred green supplier for every parish in the UK, as part of their new 'Parish Buying' scheme.

With 16,000 church buildings throughout the UK, parishes are being urged to reduce their carbon footprint by making greener purchasing choices, in line with the Church of England's national campaign - 'Shrinking the Footprint' - with a target of cutting carbon emissions by 80% by 2050.

"This is far more than a cost saving exercise - it is a means of demonstrating good stewardship and releasing money which can be directed towards mission and ministry," said Church of England procurement officer Russell Stables.

Before Feed-in-Tariff rates were suddenly slashed on December 12, only 47 church buildings in the diocese of Gloucester, Exeter and Bath & Wells had installed solar panels, but the High Court appeal allowed more than 100 to take advantage of the new March 3 deadline for the higher rate.

On January 25, the Court of Appeal rejected the Government's appeal against the High Court ruling that cuts to solar panel Feed-in-Tariffs was 'legally flawed.

Ecotricity founder Dale Vince said: "The Church of England is setting a great example for others to follow. They are looking right across their organisation and making it as sustainable as possible.

"The need to protect the environment is unarguable these days and organisations of all shapes, sizes and creeds need to step up and take responsibility like the Church of England has done."

The Church of England's new shortlist of preferred products and services champions ethical businesses and Ecotricity have been selected for their dedication to people and planet over profit.

Britain's leading green energy company, Ecotricity was founded over 15 years' ago when, in 1996, it founded the UK's green electricity market and movement. A 'not for dividend' company with no outside shareholders to answer to, it now powers over 58,000 homes and businesses in the UK from its fleet of 53 windmills and it invests more per capita in building new sources of green energy than any other UK electricity company.