September 08, 2020
Concord Catholic School Sees the Light with Solar Power
Novato and Sonoma based SolarCraft, a leading North Bay solar installer for over 35 years, recently completed the installation of a 94 kW DC solar system at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School in Concord, CA. The installation of the solar photovoltaic arrays will reduce the school's carbon footprint and power their facilities with sunlight, reducing their utility costs by thousands every month, for decades to come.
The solar power system is roof mounted for maximum sun exposure on the school and gymnasium buildings, consisting of 266 high-efficiency solar panels, producing 134,021 kWh annually. Covering a good portion of the rooftops, the solar panels further reduce the building's heating and cooling load by insulating and protecting the roof.
"I enjoyed working with the folks from Solar Craft- they were accommodating, and looked after the safety of our students, from the beginning to the end of the process," said Cathy VanderKlugt, Principal of St. Francis of Assisi School.
The solar installation at St. Francis is one of many planned through the Diocese of Oakland Solar Energy Program for Parishes and Schools, displaying community leadership by promoting environmental responsibility through the implementation of renewable energy, but also recognizing the importance of managing operation costs. Installing solar panels will save them money on utilities, freeing up the operating budget for serving the parish and essential community projects.
California Clean Energy (CCE), a Renewable Energy Service Provider for nonprofit organizations, will own the system and recover its costs through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the church. A PPA is an alternative to purchasing or financing your own solar power system, providing nonprofits the opportunity to utilize clean solar energy with no up-front costs and no system operation, maintenance, and replacement costs. Customers, such as
St. Francis, benefit from fixed electricity prices which will never increase.
Every year over 95 metric tons of carbon dioxide generated by St. Francis' operations will be eliminated. This impact is equivalent to removing air pollution produced by almost 6 million miles of driving over 25 years or the pollutants removed by 124 acres of trees in one year.
About St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School
St. Francis of Assisi School is a private transitional kindergarten through eighth grade Catholic school, located in the city of Concord, CA. Since the doors first opened in 1965, they have nurtured an environment in which children are taught Christian values, receive a Catholic education, and are provided with the necessary skills to become responsible citizens in their communities and in the world.
SolarCraft is 100% Employee-Owned and one of the largest green-tech employers based in the North Bay for over
35 years. SolarCraft delivers Clean Energy Solutions for homes and businesses including Solar Electric and Battery / Energy Storage. With over 8,000 customers, our team of dedicated employee-partners is proud to have installed more solar energy systems than any other company in the North Bay. www.solarcraft.com.
