Armidale Uniting Church Pilots Community Energy and Care
The Armidale Uniting Church precinct is more than a church building. It is a small village with the potential for a large community footprint: the Church (1893), Wesley Hall (1864), St Andrews House (1893; second storey added in 1928), and the Youth Centre (1960).
The Armidale Uniting Church precinct is more than a church building. It is a small village with the potential for a large community footprint: the Church (1893), Wesley Hall (1864), St Andrews House (1893; second storey added in 1928), and the Youth Centre (1960). The Church hosts worship and St Andrews House, the former manse, is currently a share home. The remaining buildings are under-utilised for mission and could become places for community meetings, learning and care.
The challenge we face
Despite low usage, energy bills are very high through Armidale’s cold winters. Cooling is less critical in our milder summers, yet heating large heritage spaces is difficult. The Church and Wesley Hall have high ceilings and heritage constraints that limit insulation. The Youth Centre is similarly large, with a basketball court and a high roof, so its thermal envelope is also hard to upgrade. Improving comfort and affordability is essential if these spaces are to serve the community more fully.
The practical path forward: solar and batteries.
Given these constraints, solar and batteries provide the most realistic way to lower costs and free the precinct for mission-aligned use. These are not only technical assets; they are mission assets. They reduce bills, cut emissions and help keep the doors open when the community needs support.
Sharing clean energy as care
We are proposing to pilot a Virtual Energy Network (VEN) that directs the value of surplus solar to local households in need using peer-to-peer bill-credit sharing. The Church exports surplus energy to the grid and the VEN allocates bill credits to partner households identified through trusted community organisations. The result is lower bills where it matters most, greater local use of clean energy and a tangible expression of our mission in everyday life.
Supported by the Uniting Advocacy team, we will share Armidale Uniting Church’s plans to power mission with solar and batteries and inspire other community organisations and churches to unlock the benefits of clean energy.
The Federal Government’s new scheme to lower the cost of small-scale batteries has already seen strong uptake by Australian households. But did you know that community facilities—like sports clubs, community centres, and churches—can also take part?
Through our collective advocacy, we were able to secure this government investment to support communities and households to access clean energy solutions. Join our special webinar to explore how Uniting Churches can help make our vision for a flourishing of God’s Creation a reality.
In this interactive session, you’ll:
· Hear real stories of how solar and storage have helped community organisations lower costs and strengthen their mission, and why more are considering batteries.
· Learn from experts about the key steps to take when exploring battery installation.
· Identify and troubleshoot barriers organisations face in accessing the scheme, and discuss how it could be made easier.
· Connect with peers who are already on the journey, share lessons learned, and build practical knowledge together.
Trevor Brown (Armidale Uniting Church, Electrify Armidale) and Thuy Linh Nguyen (Uniting)
Event Details:
Date: Tuesday September 16, 2025
Time: 5:30pm AEST onwards
Location: Virtual event
