Saint Anselm's Episcopal Church of Lafayette, Calif., has installed a 7.9 kW AC solar photovoltaic system to generate electrical power. Utilizing the design and installation services of Borrego Solar Inc., the church expects to generate an average of 935 kW hours of electricity per month, lowering its utility bills by up to 80%.
The church's solar endeavor was rooted in its membership within the California Interfaith Power & Light, which defines its mission as providing a ‘religious response to global warming as the moral issue of our time.’ Saint Anselm's was able to take advantage of a $2.95 per watt state rebate offered to nonprofit organizations through the California Solar Initiative, equaling over $15,000 in savings. The church estimates that its solar installation will offset CO2 emissions by over 18,000 pounds per year.