Solar panels will be fitted to vicarages and rectories

Solar panels will be fitted to vicarages and rectories The Diocese of Bath and Wells is going green to shrink its carbon footprint. Sixty vicarages and rectories throughout the diocese are being fitted with photovoltaic panels (PV) to save more than 104 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year. Rev Prebendary John Andrews of the diocese said: "The Wookey vicarage will be done within the next week and Street, Castle Cary and Shapwick vicarages are also among those to be fitted with the panels." The £420,000 scheme, which will be carried out by the end of February, can make the Church money as well as drastically reducing its carbon footprint. Diocesan surveyor Paul Toseland said: "We borrowed the money for the panels at a very preferential rate and over 25 years expect a return of between 11 and 20 per cent. "But, even more important than that, it is part of our determination to go as green as You can. We are not just playing our part in helping the environment we are also setting an example." The diocese will receive the Feed in Tariff of 43 pence per KWh as well as the priests will receive free electricity. The scheme is linked to the Church South West, a partnership between the dioceses of Bath and Wells, Exeter and Gloucester with green energy supplier Ecotricity. The vicarages and rectories being fitted with PV panels are scattered over most areas of the diocese. Several churches are also thinking of fitting PV panels. Solar panels will be fitted to vicarages and rectories Trade News selected by Local Linkup on 25/02/2012