40 panels were commissioned at the beginning of March and can produce up to 9.8kW of electricity.

Similarly to most churches (which are generally built oriented east/ west), St. Andrew's has a south-facing roof making it ideal for the installation of solar panels. It is also very fortunate not to be overlooked and to be surrounded by trees, which means that the panels are not too obtrusive - important on a Grade II Listed Building.

Vicar of Netherton, Stephen Carter said:

"We have been talking as a church for some time about how we might embrace a greener agenda and were fortunate to be in a position to be able to install solar panels and significantly reduce our use of carbon-based fuels.

We hope to start recouping the investment we've made after about 11 years, but it's not just about the money - rather about actively showing the church's commitment to being more energy efficient."

In order to install the panels, St. Andrew's needed to get planning permission from Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council and also the approval of the Diocesan Advisory Committee for the Care of Church Buildings.

Secretary John Dentith said:

"The DAC members were pleased to be able to recommend permission for solar panels at St. Andrew's. It's just one of the ways that churches in the diocese are trying to support the Church of England's ‘Shrinking the Footprint' campaign.

The DAC has also recommended plans to install some air and ground sourced heating systems in different churches. We would encourage churches to come and talk to us about what might be possible in their circumstances."

ENDS