Midgley Climate Action Group completes solar project

The group was formed during lockdown and has been meeting regularly via Zoom to discuss ideas and plan projects to combat climate change at a very local level.

One of the early ideas was to install a Solar PV system on the Co-op building, which would reduce demand for electricity from the grid to run the shop’s fridges and freezers, together with the usual electrical appliances.

The building is owned by Midgley Matters (MMAL), an Industrial and Provident Society run by members for the benefit of the whole village community.

It has housed the community shop, run by volunteers, for the past 11 years, together with a community room, which provides a meeting place for local residents and community groups, including the popular weekly coffee mornings.

When the Climate Action Group began to meet, installing solar panels on the building was an obvious project to work on, reducing the local carbon footprint, whilst also reducing the energy costs of the shop and community room. After getting competitive quotes, the contract was awarded to Future Power Team from Leeds, who installed and commissioned the system in September.

Martin Tallis, member of the Climate Action Group, said: "We are pleased to have completed this element of the work needed to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the community building.

"We estimate that we will use 50 per cent of the Solar power within the building and sell the rest to the grid.

"With the recent rise in energy prices, the system will pay for itself sooner than we thought, and the community will benefit from our reduced energy bills into the future."

The system was formally ‘switched on’ by Coun Scott Patient, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Resilience on Calderdale Council, who said: “This is a great start for Midgley, one which will hopefully encourage other local communities in Calderdale to think about what contribution they can make in tackling the climate crisis and moving towards renewable technologies.

"Those who are interested in doing similar work can take a look at the 1 million pound Community Climate Fund for help making such changes, run by the Council and Community Foundation for Calderdale. Well done to all involved”

The switch on took place at the weekly coffee morning on the eve of the COP26 conference taking place in Glasgow.