Barnsley church installs solar panels in bid to 'lead the way' on sustainability
The move is expected to save the church £3000 annually
Emmanuel Methodist Church in Barnsley has installed 36 solar panels on the roof of its Huddersfield Road building, in a bid to reduce energy costs and carbon emissions.
The installation, part-funded through a grant from the Net Zero Barnsley programme, is expected to generate approximately 12,725 kWh of electricity annually, saving the church around £3,000 on energy bills and reducing CO2 emissions by 2.46 tonnes each year.
The £24,000 photovoltaic (PV) system, which includes an inverter and battery, allows the church to store excess electricity generated during the day for use during evening activities. This will power lighting, kettles, and sound systems for the church’s wide range of community events, which run well into the evening.
Jan Eldred, a trustee of Emmanuel Church, highlighted the significance of the solar panel installation, saying: “Gaining expert help and financial support to invest in our solar panels has helped us to achieve our ambition to have them much sooner as part of our drive to be as sustainable a church as possible.
“Being able to store the electricity generated by day in a battery so that we can use it at our evening events to power lighting and kettles and sound systems is a very important bonus. We will work to fund more batteries for even greater efficiency.
“The support we were given to secure the grant, which was match-funded by generous donations, was crucial to helping us make this significant difference to our carbon emissions as Eco Church.”
In addition to the solar panels, the church has also undertaken improvements such as insulation, lagging pipes, and sealing windows to prevent draughts, further contributing to its sustainability efforts. The church has previously installed motion sensor LED lighting, participated in tree and bulb planting initiatives, and hosted an annual Eco Festival.
Kevin Steel, business development manager for Net Zero Barnsley, praised the church for its commitment to positive change. “It’s been a pleasure to support Emmanuel Church’s eco ambitions and help get solar panels installed on this important Barnsley building,” he said.
Councillor Robin Franklin, Cabinet spokesperson for Regeneration and Culture, also commended the church’s efforts: “Using cheaper and more sustainable energy thanks to the solar panels will be a gamechanger for them, and I encourage others to see what they can achieve through the Net Zero Barnsley programme.”
Emmanuel Church is part of Barnsley’s Positive Climate Partnership and has achieved the Silver Award in the international ECO Churches Framework. The solar panel installation will contribute to its goal of reaching Gold status.
The Net Zero Barnsley programme is part of the Low Carbon Project, which has received funding from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.