Three Churches awarded grants from London Community Energy Fund

Since March 2020, the Diocese of London has supported the need to get churches to net carbon neutral by 2030, thereby helping reduce the speed of climate change, which affects all our futures.

So we are delighted and proud that three churches in the Diocese have won grants from the London Community Energy Fund (LCEF).

These vital grants will help provide much-needed support to get community energy projects up and running, so churches can get energy supplied by a range of efficient and clean energy sources, as part of the Mayor’s Energy for Londoners programme.

The three churches that have won funding as part of the fourth phase of LCEF, total £29,000 are:

• St John’s Kensal Green, who are working with Fulham Good Neighbours to use £9,200 funding to assess the viability for installation of solar PV and an air source heat pump. This will maximise the energy-generating potential of the roof, and minimise the amounts of mains gas and electricity consumed. The project aims to become a training centre for the local community in how to maintain solar PV and ASHP.
• The PCC of Ss Philip & James Whitton has been awarded £7,500 for a feasibility study for low carbon heating options in the church, to enable it to become a hub for this community in Richmond.
• OneStonegrove Net Zero Carbon has been awarded £12,300 to explore the feasibility of installing solar panels on their community centre building, which includes the church. Estimates suggest a solar installation, saving 13 tonnes of CO₂ emissions per The Stonegrove Community trust provides training and mentoring to help local residents develop business ideas.

Commenting on the success of the grant awards, Brian Cuthbertson who is the Diocese’s Head of Environment and Sustainability said:

“It is marvellous to see our churches engaging so productively with this excellent fund initiative by the Mayor and London Assembly. Congratulations to all three successful applicants!  We share with them our ambition to move swiftly to net-zero carbon while continuing to serve the local communities in which our churches are placed.”

The Mayor of London’s Energy for Londoners programme helps provide much-needed support to get community energy projects up and running and delivered so together all parts of London can become a zero-carbon city by 2030. For this to happen, energy will need to be supplied by a range of efficient and clean energy sources. Find out more and how to access advice and finance by visiting the link.

Information on the Diocese’s campaign to care for the environment which is God’s Creation is at Environment and Sustainability.