Peterborough Quakers

Peterborough Meeting House Solar Panels

Dear Friend,

You may already know that we have been investigating the feasibility of having Photo-Voltaic (Solar) panels installed on the south side of the Meeting House roof, a site which is ideal for generating electricity in this way.  Not having gas, we use a great deal of day-time electricity, which has a substantial carbon footprint, and our roof would allow us to make some of this electricity sustainably, as well as earn money from feeding electricity into the National Grid. The Government, with its commitment to producing green energy and wanting to encourage people to install PV panels, has introduced a very generous feed-in tariff (43p per unit) for any solar electricity generated, whether we use it or not. The offer of this tariff ends in March.

We are proposing to install 14 panels (1m x 1.6m) in a line at the top of the roof, with 3 lower down, generating up to 4KW in the summer. Inside upstairs, we will also need to install an ‘Inverter’ to convert the direct-current (DC) to AC, for use in the building or feeding into the National Grid. The system would cost about £14,000, but because of reduced electricity bills and being paid for exporting electricity to the Grid, it should have a pay-back time of about 8 years.  We have applied to Quaker Peace and Social witness for a £2,000 grant, which may be available as this project would assist the sustainability of the Meeting House. I am also writing to all the members and attenders of Peterborough Meeting and to the clerks of the other local meetings in our Area Meeting to ask for help in raising the £14,000. Donations to this project would be welcomed and we would also be pleased to receive offers of interest-free loans.

If you are able to help by making a donation or an interest- free loan please reply to our treasurer, Mick Langford, using the reply slips attached.

In friendship

Daphne Lynas, Clerk