Churches and neighbors: Together to the green energy future!

Churches and neighbors: Together to the green energy future!

Graz, Österreich - The Catholic Church of Styria has launched an ambitious project in order to cover most of its electricity requirements itself through photovoltaics. This initiative not only aims to protect the environment, but also to supply neighboring households with solar power. By 2030, all living parishes are to be switched to the solar power, as Martin Halmer, economist of the Diocese of Graz-Seckau, explains: "Our goal is to switch up to 30 parishes to the sun's current per year. This protects the environment and reduces the running costs for the church." A first major project was already being realized at the Graz Augustinum, where a solidarity of energy was founded that enables households to sell excess electricity from their PV systems and thus to participate in the energy transition, reports orf Styria .

Promotion of regional economy and sustainability

As part of this initiative, a electricity filling station is also to be integrated into each parish. The Federal Monument Office has made it easier to use PV systems on listed churches, which means that these sustainable projects can now be implemented more easily, as Wolfgang Pucher, head of the diocesan presentation for energy, explains. The common energy communities, such as the Solidarly energy community SOL: E , not only strengthen the dependency on fluctuating Electricity prices and ensure a strengthening of the local economy. Christoph Mauthner, campus manager of the Augustinum, also emphasizes that the savings from this project will flow into a social fund that benefits families in the educational institutions. "Our school and campus need more electricity than we win through our own PV system. The cost savings goes into our social funds," he explains.

Already around 40 parishes and church facilities in the diocese are equipped with photovoltaic systems - including GNAS, ligist and tent path. The enthusiasm for the use of solar energy could continue to grow in the future and the potential of the churches as sustainable energy sources can exhaust. New projects are already being planned to strengthen the ecological responsibility of the church and at the same time reduce energy costs.