Church groups “look to the heavens” to tackle climate change and save money
Two churches in Surbiton are looking to install solar panels with the help of Kingston Council and the local community group, Transition Town Kingston.
As part of its commitment to work with communities to create a greener future and tackle climate change, the council has helped a local parish gain over £12,000 from the Greater London Authority (GLA) Community Energy Fund.
St Andrew’s and St Mark’s, both in Surbiton, will use the funding to undertake solar panel and carbon reduction feasibility studies to help get them on their way to producing their own green energy.
Once these studies are complete, they will be able to take the next step and apply for capital funding to install solar panels and other measures, saving an estimated £10,800 each year while avoiding roughly 17,400kg of greenhouse gases annually.
The churches’ applications were supported by the council’s Climate Action Team and members of the Transition Town Kingston Energy Group, which is run by local volunteers who undertake a variety of work to help the community reduce their energy use and tackle climate change.
Councillor Ian Manders, Portfolio Holder for Climate Action and Sustainable Transport said:
“It’s great to see two of our local churches “looking to the heavens” for clean, free renewable energy. Their new solar panels will help to bring down their carbon emissions while saving money on energy bills.
“The council can’t tackle climate change alone but by working together with Kingston’s communities, we can all make a big difference”.
You can find out more about the council’s work to tackle climate change and move toward a carbon neutral future at www.kingston.gov.uk/climate.