A sustainable solar-powered solution to preserve history

In 2025, York Minster, one of the UK’s most iconic landmarks, took a bold step to address the challenges of climate change by reducing its carbon footprint. This commitment to sustainability aligns its centuries-old legacy with the pressing need to address modern environmental challenges, safeguarding its heritage for the future.

The solar panels, part of a wider sustainability initiative, will generate nearly 70,000 kWh of renewable energy annually — enough to power 41 average UK households. This will account for approximately one-third of York Minster’s energy consumption, reducing its annual carbon emissions by 13 tonnes of CO₂.

High-efficiency, glass-glass SOLARWATT Panel vision solar modules which have a very low CO₂ footprint were selected for their durability, performance, and adhere to necessary Class A safety standards, making them ideally suited to the unique challenges of a centuries-old cathedral roof.

The robust construction of the Solarwatt panels ensures they are designed and rigorously tested to withstand extreme weather, mechanical stress, and harmful pollutants, representing the latest advancements in a new generation of solar energy technology.

ACT’s team of experienced installers worked meticulously to ensure the project implementation ran smoothly and that the system design not only provides maximum efficiency but that also integrates seamlessly with the architecture. The panels’ solar cells are encapsulated between a double layer of toughened glass and lamination bonded to ensure they are reliable and sustainable in every way, so they produce high yields for decades.