Chester Cathedral has begun the installation of roof-mounted solar panels to its ancient monastic building in an effort to reduce its carbon footprint.
The Church of England, in recognising the climate emergency called on all parts of the Church to become net zero carbon by 2030. It said the newly installed solar panels are part of the Cathedral’s activity towards becoming net zero carbon.
The panels are to be installed in three sections on the Cathedral roof and will provide a “significant portion” of the electricity required to run the site.
A tense moment earlier today, as materials in preparation for our solar panels installation were moved to the roof of the Cathedral.
Read more here > https://t.co/SvjyDgcpMd pic.twitter.com/z13GhHwmtq
— Chester Cathedral (@ChesterCath) July 7, 2022
Dean of Chester, the Very Revd Dr Tim Stratford said Chester Cathedral has a “responsibility to be sustainable”.
“It also means ensuring that we can fund the essential work carried out on our magnificent cathedral. The installation of solar panels on the roof will achieve both aims, in reducing the amount of fossil fuels burnt to heat our building; and in the longer-term reducing the cost required to provide this fuel.”
The installation work is expected to continue through July 2022.
