Power for Good (PfG), believed to be Britain’s first faith-based community energy enterprise, has now launched its pilot project in the West Midlands. Solar panels are to be installed by November at two churches: St Andrew’s Carters Green in West Bromwich (expected to produce 23.635kWh pa) and St Richard’s Lea Hall in Birmingham (expected to produce 8,075kWh pa).
Both churches are community-minded and located in disadvantaged areas. St. Andrew’s is home to youth work, children’s and older people’s activities, as well as being a meeting place for settlers from Zimbabwe. In Lea Hall, where little non-statutory community provision remains, St Richard’s has a major role in meeting local needs, sponsoring after-school activities, help for the unemployed, support for parents, families and special-needs children, computer training and youth work.
Power for Good has now launched a Share Offer to finance this project; investment of £42,000 is needed. In just six weeks over half the shares have been purchased; the whole sum is needed by August 5th.
Shares are withdrawable. Investors can expect four benefits: a tax break equal to 50% of the sum invested; a projected annual return of 2% from Year 4, membership of PfG and – satisfaction! – every pound invested will reduce the carbon footprint and the daytime electricity costs of all who use these premises.
This is PfG’s pilot project. When it’s all completed in November, PfG aims to initiate a much bigger scheme to supply solar panels on an inter-faith basis for religious communities across the less affluent areas in the West Midlands.
See the Power for Good website for more information and for the Share Offer Document, which includes the application form. Email PfG on info@pfg.coop or phone John Heywood on 0121 242 5830.
By John Wilkinson
