Solar Blog

Coventry Cathedral is set to become the country’s first cathedral to embrace the power of the sun, with a solar panel installation on its roof.

The array will be made up of up to 178 solar panels, which could produce up to 50 kilowatts of power. Covering an area of 200 square metres though, the move is still subject to planning permission being received for the Grade I listed building.

If installed there will be significant savings made on electricity bills, whilst income could also be generated under the government’s feed in tariff. But it is also as a beacon for society’s need to increase the use of renewable energies and help the environment, the project is intended.

The installation of a digital display will show visitors to the iconic building just how effective the solar panels are. Further than this, the diocese in which the cathedral sits, has also launched a “solar roof club”, to encourage local households to install their own solar panels.

It is hoped that the project will be underway in order that the Queen’s planned visit in 2012 could commemorate the opening of the installation. There is still a long way to go though as, not only is planning permission required, but consent also needs to be granted from the Cathedral Fabric Commission of England.

With support already received from both the Archbishop of Canterbury and The Church of England though, the signs are looking good. Solar panel suppliers could well be celebrating too, if a fraction of the 42 million Christians in the country pay heed to this latest sermon.