A church in Buckinghamshire installed solar panels at the beginning of the year as part of its work to lessen its impact on the climate crisis. Despite a cloudy and rainy start, within a few days the church had already saved 20kg of CO2 and 10kg of coal. Because of the large number of panels they expect to feed surplus power back into the local network.
Solar panels have been installed at Christ Church Flackwell Heath and began generating electricity in January 2026. It marks a significant milestone in the church’s journey towards carbon neutrality.
Around 150 people worship at Christ Church on a typical Sunday, as well as other activities throughout the week. Revd James Dwyer, who has been Vicar of Christ Church for five years, describes it as “a church with a real heart to serve the village.”
The church hall and centre, where 45 solar panels and battery storage have now been installed, is used nearly every day. It hosts daily volunteer-run coffee mornings, a choir, uniformed organisations, tutoring groups, and a wide range of community activities. As an active community hub, it provides a highly visible way for the church to demonstrate its commitment to caring for God’s creation.
James, Vicar of Christ Church Flackwell Heath, said:
“The solar panels have been installed and are generating electricity. Typically for the UK it rained all week in that first week. This is a hugely significant moment for us as a church as we seek to reduce our impact on the climate and move towards becoming carbon neutral. A huge thank you to our PCC and Eco Subcommittee for coming up with, and then approving the proposal, and to all those who have worked hard to get us to this point. It’ll be interesting over the coming months to learn how they work and begin to see the impact they’ll make.”
The decision to install solar panels followed an energy audit funded through seed funding from the Diocese of Oxford. The audit identified solar energy as one of the most effective steps the church could take on its path to net zero.
The project builds on work begun in 2022, when the church appointed an Eco Champion to lead its response to the climate emergency. For Christ Church, environmental action is rooted in faith.
James explained:
“For us it is, ultimately, a gospel issue: we are called to care for God’s creation. While there may be cost savings from solar panels, the main driver is to care for God’s creation and take a significant step to reducing our impact.”
The church had already implemented smaller environmental measures, including switching to LED lighting, improving draught reduction, monitoring energy use more closely, and encouraging reusable travel cups for refreshments. However, the installation of solar panels represents the most substantial change to date.
The process began with the energy audit, which provided a clear framework for the church’s Eco Subcommittee, chaired by Liz Bellamy. The committee developed proposals that were approved by the Parochial Church Council (PCC). Funding for the installation was made possible through past legacies, and after consultation with the Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC) regarding faculty requirements, the church appointed a local contractor following a tender process.
Liz Bellamy, Eco Champion at Christ Church, said:
“Installing solar panels and battery storage demonstrates that Christ Church takes the responsibility of caring for God’s creation seriously by actively working to reduce our carbon footprint. Our large installation means we are also supporting our local community by feeding surplus power back into the local network for our neighbours to use, reducing their footprint too. We also have the additional benefit of reducing the church’s outgoings on utility bills, which means we can focus those cost savings on supporting the Christ Church vision of becoming more like Jesus by courageously sharing Jesus, creatively reaching the younger generation and compassionately serving our local community. I’m very pleased we have reached this milestone, but there is more to do on our Net Zero journey. Please keep praying as we seek ways, both as a church and as individuals, to lessen the impact of the climate crisis.”
The installation process was straightforward. Church leaders say they felt well supported throughout, thanks to an engaged PCC with relevant expertise.
While the panels will reduce energy bills, church leaders emphasise that the primary motivation is environmental stewardship and love of neighbour.
James added:
“The most important thing is that this is about caring for God’s world. The financial savings are a gift — but this decision is about taking responsibility for our impact and acting faithfully for the sake of creation.”
Christ Church plans to monitor performance over the coming months and continue exploring further steps towards net zero.