St Paul’s, West Hackney: How working in local partnerships can make Net Zero gains straightforward and fun!

 

When you’ve already overseen two major building projects and you’re retiring in a year, you’d be forgiven for not taking on significant net-zero carbon works in your church. But the Revd Niall Weir explains how the six-month eco-transformation at St Paul’s, West Hackney has actually been “fantastically straightforward!” because of the ‘can-do’ attitude of the team that has assembled here.

On the day that I visit, everyone involved has enthusiastically turned up to witness the final part of the process: the installation of three, huge, slab-like TESLA batteries which will enable energy harvested by 104 solar panels and four air-source heat pumps to be stored and used through the darker, colder months of the year.

This project has been a collaboration between St Paul’s, Hackney council and Stokey Energy, who work as an intermediary between organisations who want to move towards carbon neutrality and the funders and technical experts who can make that dream happen.

“It’s a beautiful partnership,” says Marcella of Hackney Light and Power, the energy services arm of Hackney Council who provided the funding for the initial feasibility study, a process both sped up and reduced in price thanks to the pro-bono work of inspecting architect, Alex Sherratt, who is also a member of the church.

Stokey Energy – who consist of two fundraisers and two tech experts – then worked their nimble magic, gaining permissions from the Diocese and Hackney council, securing capital of £116K from the London Olympics legacy fund (LLDC), and appointing local firms, Next Step Heating and UK Solar Generation, to carry out the works.

The benefits of the works will be experienced as soon as it’s switched on, with the expectation that current utility bills – upwards of £25K a year – will be overturned and replaced with a small income from excess power fed back into the grid. More crucially, carbon emissions will be all but neutralised – the satisfaction of caring for God’s creation

What is striking here is the joy and enthusiasm of this collaboration. Building projects can be draining of vitality and testing on relationships, but here, everyone is enthusiastic to celebrate this success story. Renewed energy all round is the happy result!

The eco gains here at St Paul’s, West Hackney are testament to what is possible when church, borough council and local community are brought together to pursue the common good. It’s shows that de-carbonisation doesn’t have to be an arduous process, but can instead be a life-giving one.

St Paul’s officially ‘switched on’ their Net Zero power at their annual Community Christmas Carols in the Churchyard on Saturday 14 December

The Revd Niall Weir writes:

‘If we’ve learned one thing at St Paul’s West Hackney over the last 20 years, it is quite simply that we overestimate what we can achieve when we work on our own and underestimate what we can achieve when we work in partnership with others. Our partnership with Stokey Energy and Hackney Light and Power has proved to be no exception to this rule. We’ve each  brought our respective skills and visions to bear on this project and together, we’ve brought it into land – making new friends and having tons of fun in the process. ‘Let there be light,’  as someone once said. ‘and there was light!’

 

  • The Diocese of London now has a team in place to support churches on their journey towards Net Zero Carbon.
  • Find out the top 10 things your church can do on that journey.
  • Stokey Energy: If you have a church with a south facing roof Stokey energy would love to talk to you! stokeyenergy.org

 

AT A GLANCE
What was done?
  • Solar PV – 104 panels – approximate capacity 41 kWp
  • Air source heat pumps – Four units – 11kw each
  • Tesla batteries – Three units – 24K each
  •  Hot water tank – 220L
Reasons for action?
  • Solar panels and air source heat pumps create approx. 70% reduction in CO2 emissions and electricity costs through reduced usage, and resale back to grid
  • Batteries enable energy to be stored when there is an excess of incoming energy rather than it being transferred back into the grid and then used when solar panels and heat pumps are receiving less energy.
Costs
  • Feasibility study = £6000 (Architects drawings = Free)
  • Solar PV
  • Air source heatpumps
  • Tesla batteries

TOTAL = £170K

Funding
  • Hackney Light and power capital grant = £25,000
  • London Legacy Development corporation (LLDC) = £116,000
  • Hackney Light and power feasibility grant  = £4,500
  • St Paul’s West Hackney = £40,000
Length of time
  • Feasibility study – three weeks
  • Permissions –two – three months
  • Grant applications – six weeks
  • Solar PV install – one week
  • Air source heat pumps install – three weeks
  • Batteries install – two days

Total project time –6 Months

Lessons learnt
Explaining vision and benefits to congregation gets buy in and support for changes. Expertise is often there within the church community

Change can move quicker than we expect

People in our local communities and councils want to help and support is available

Working collaboratively is energising and great fun