In a bid to turn the tide on climate change, and fulfil the Church of England’s commitment to a greener future, new solar panels have been placed on the roof of York Minster.

It’s the first time that solar tiles have been placed on a listed building in the city, and the road to the installation wasn’t as easy as some may expect.

It took extensive consultation between York Minster, City of York Council and Historic England to see the plans come to fruition.

Discretely placed, solar tiles will produce approximately 10,000 kilowatt-hours of power every year and will support the Minster’s ambitions to achieve operational net zero carbon.

A ceremony was held to mark the occasion, attended by City of York Council members, including Cllr Paula Widdowson, Executive Member for Environment and Climate Change.

Acting Dean, Rev Canon Michael Smith, led a dedication.

Rev Smith said: “We are very excited to have installed these new solar tiles, which signify a first not just for the Minster, but for the wider city.

“We want to thank both City of York Council and Historic England for their support up to this point, and we hope to continue our partnership working as we seek to deliver our Neighbourhood Plan over the next 15 years which has sustainability at its heart, while also being sensitive to the Precinct’s historic architecture.”

York Minster has further plans to upgrade the site; in 2023, they hope to open a refectory-style restaurant café in the former The Minster School building.