Japanese module manufacturer, Kyocera Corporation, has announced that it has supplied two dozen solar modules for a flagship ‘zero-carbon’ project which saw 900-year-old St. Michael and All Angels Church in Withington install solar PV and a biomass boiler system.
The 12th century building is now believed to be the first church in England to be powered entirely by renewable energies. The 3.12kWp array installed on the church’s roof will provide CO2-neutral electricity alongside a new biomass-powered boiler system, which will provide environmentally friendly heat.
Using Kycoera’s industry expertise of over 35 years, the historic church was able to have solar modules installed on its roof using a special ladder system that did not adversely affect the structure of the building or its visual appeareance, in line with strict regulations concerning historical buildings.
The installation of the renewable measures was part of an ongoing renovation of St.Michael and All Angels Church. The renovation of the church has double value for the community, because in addition to the CO2-reduction, the electricity and heat generation create clear cost savings. The Church hopes that this pioneering project will serve as a reference project for the sustainable renovation of other historical buildings across the country.
