Award for Salisbury Cathedral solar panel project

The efforts to save energy on the iconic building have been recognised

Author: Faye TryhornPublished 30th Jan 2022

A project to install more than 90 solar panels onto the roof of the cloisters at Salisbury Cathedral has won an award.

The scheme, which was led by Salisbury Community Energy (SCE), has scooped the Alan Clark Award for Best Local/Community Energy Project at the 2021 Solar and Storage Live Awards.

The panels were put up in July 2020, using a system that 'floats' them over the roof to prevent damage to the Cathedral's lead and masonry, held in place with weights.

Salisbury Cathedral is one of five sites in the city where Salisbury Community Energy has panels.

James Owen, a director of SCE, said:

"A special thanks must go to the Diocese and Canon Treasurer, Dr Robert Titley, who steered the project expertly through very complex bureaucracy. The fact that the Bishop, Dean and Canon Treasurer were solidly behind the Cathedral accepting a solar array on the Cloister roof made overcoming all the intricate challenges really worthwhile."

The award was collected by Tom Burnett and James Owen, directors of SCE (right) and Ed Baughan and Chris Jardine of Joju Solar (left) who were contracted to install the solar panels.

Dr Robert Titley, Canon Treasurer at Salisbury Cathedral, said:

"We are proud and delighted that SCE’s and Joju’s great work with us has received this recognition. We are part of the Church of England’s commitment to reach carbon neutrality by the end of this decade, and our 93 panels mark a significant step towards this. They are helping us to be good news for God’s earth and not just part of the problem."

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