The Church of England has said that an increasing number of its parishes are “moving away from oil and gas”, partly in anticipation of rising bills this winter but also as part of its commitment to net zero.
The Church has said it is committed to reaching net zero by 2030.
Efforts to reach this target began in earnest in 2023. Between 2023 and 2025 the Church’s net zero programme awarded just under £6 million in grants to over a 1,000 projects in parish churches up and down the country.
In addition to its main net zero programme, a pilot match funding scheme, known as Give to Go Green, is also in operation and has now been expanded after exceeding its targets.
The scheme saw £938,000 raised by 127 churches with a view to helping parishes reduce carbon emissions and increase energy efficiency. As a result of the success of the pilot, it will be expanded to all 42 Church of England dioceses.
One project highlighted was that of St Paul’s Church in Sunderland. There the church partnered with a local group called Community Action Northumberland (CAN) to have solar panels installed at low cost. St Paul’s has also replaced its old oil-fired boiler with a heat pump, thanks to assistance from the Church of England’s boiler replacement hardship fund.
Canon Tony Macpherson, Priest in Charge at St Paul’s said, “Our old oil boiler did sterling work but its age and condition made replacement essential – and looking towards a greener heating solution was absolutely vital.”
Carol Griffiths, Eco Champion for the Church, commented, “The old oil fired boiler was installed in 1979 and for the last couple of winters, on windy days the wind would blow it out.
"We had it serviced every year and the company that did this told us in the last few years that it was on its last legs. The air source heat pump will use subsidised electricity.”
