One thing we have learnt this week-Moroccan mosques are going green

391px-tin_mal_mosque5_jsA large number of mosques are going green.  Last week I was enthusing that some churches in the UK were switching to green energy suppliers (see here).  This is a far more ambitious energy project.   Some 15,000 Mosques across the country are planning to install solar PV, solar hot water as well as heat pumps and energy efficiency measures.  They are hoping for a 40% energy reduction and that the kit is invisible to the ordinary worshipper.

That Moroccan mosques are going green has to be seen in a wider context.  The Moroccan king has been taking his country in a green direction mimicking Germany.  Except that for the most part the solar power is not PV but very large installations of concentrating solar power placed in the desert.  These installations are set to use molten salt.  By doing so they work even after dark providing pretty much 24/7 solar power.  Something that is only possible in hot countries of course.

In these days of Islamic extremism and terrorism and with real doctrinal disagreement between our faiths its nice to have areas where we can cooperate and agree and this area of the environment is surely one of them.  There are also lessons for historic churches, many Mosques are beautiful historic buildings.  Come on Christians become a bit more ambitious!

Neil

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