Christ Church, Rayleigh is an Eco-friendly church
As part of its vision, Christ Church believes in the sustainablity of the world that God has created. As a way of showing our concern for the environment, we installed a Photovoltaic (PV) System to generate our electrical needs. The Church has a 9.88kwp PV system. It was installed on the ideal south facing roof of its 100 year old building, refurbished in 2010. Solar panels turn the sun’s solar energy into electricity via photovoltaics
Part of the Church’s objective is to raise awareness of energy sustainability and show its concern for the effects of global warming. Christ Church will do this in two ways:
First, by example – by using PV technology and reducing its own carbon footprint. It is estimated that Christ Church will reduce its carbon footprint by 4.2 tonnes of CO2 per annum. The system quietly generates electricity from light without producing air pollution or hazardous waste.
We also recycle as much as we can.
Second, by actively pursuing efforts to educate the community. Part of the PV system includes a large public generation display showing the actual electricity generated and exported. As the buildings are used as a community resource by many groups, the display monitor, posters and publicity brochures highlight both the need for sustainable energy and the outcome of the PV system.
The current and past PV generation can be viewed from here. (Updated every hour).
To understand the idea of the carbon footprint, please click here to watch the video ‘The Carbon Quilt’.