Church expects to halve energy bill after upgrades

Acomb Methodist Church has been fitted with double-glazed windows

Energy bills for a community church in York could be cut by more than £4,000 after the site switched to renewable power.

The Acomb Methodist Church is one of 20 churches across York and North Yorkshire that has benefitted from being retrofitted with technology like solar panels, heat pumps and low-energy LED lighting.

The new instalments were funded by the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority through its Net Zero Fund, a £7m pot awarded by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

"Knowing that we're sustainable long term makes a big difference," said treasurer of Acomb Methodist Church Fran Taylor, who has been on the church council since 2017.

She added: "We're running a really busy community building.

"We've got 1,200 people going through our building every week that are accessing support that we or third-party groups are putting on and it's a huge cost to keep a building open, warm, light and friendly.

"We need to save money wherever we can so we can continue to serve our local community."

The church team held a blessing of the new solar panels

Support services at Acomb Methodist Church include a community garden, a weekly pop-up café and free hot takeaway meals for people struggling with the cost of living crisis.

Following the green upgrades, such as installing 30kWh of solar battery storage, the treasurer predicts that the church's electricity bills will be reduced by 50%.

"We want to be seen as a group of people who are living out our want to care for God's earth," Ms Taylor said.

"We're sending green energy to the grid and that's the equivalent just in electricity of 3.5 UK homes."

The Building Sustainable Hope project, which received £739,465 from the Net Zero Fund, is part of the Yorkshire North & East Methodist District's target to reach net zero by 2040.

Solar battery storage has been installed in the organ loft

Rev Leslie Newton, chair of the district, said: "By working together, churches have been able to reduce their carbon footprint and created greener, more welcoming spaces that serve both congregations and their neighbours."

York and North Yorkshire Mayor David Skaith said he was supporting community hubs through the fund.

"New solar panels are helping to reduce their energy costs, freeing up money for what matters most – supporting people in need," he said.

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