East Bay Church & School Go Solar with Diocese of Oakland Solar Program
Novato and Sonoma based SolarCraft, a leading North Bay solar installer for over 35 years, recently completed the installation of a 68.6 kW DC solar system at Holy Spirit Church and an 89.6 kW DC solar system on the adjoining Holy Spirit School in Fremont, CA.
The combined solar power systems are roof mounted on the main school buildings and gymnasium, consisting of 570 high-efficiency solar panels, designed to produce 220,861 kWh every year, saving Holy Spirit over $50,000 annually in utility expenses. Excess power generated during the day is sent back to the power grid for credit towards future use when the sun isn't shining.
"Working with Jeannie, Blake, and the rest of the great folks at SolarCraft made the entire process completely smooth and straight forward," said Jeff Van der Sluis, Business Manager at Holy Spirit Church. "They kept us well informed every step of the way, it couldn't have gone any better. We are thrilled to be fulfilling the calling of Pope Francis in being good stewards of our planet by switching to renewable energy for our large campus here at Holy Spirit, not to mention the long term significant savings in our utility bills!"
The solar installation at Holy Spirit 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.
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 also benefit from pre-set electricity prices which will never increase.
Every year over 156 metric tons of carbon dioxide generated by Holy Spirit's operations will be eliminated. This impact is equivalent to removing air pollution produced by over 9.5 million miles of driving over 25 years or the pollutants removed by 184 acres of trees in one year.
About Holy Spirit Church
Holy Spirit Church is an historical landmark located in the Centerville District of Fremont. Originally named Holy Ghost Church, it has brought worshipers together for the Sacraments since 1886. A Parish of The Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland, California, it serves a diverse community of individuals of the Catholic Faith. It has always reflected the growth and diversity of the parish and the community surrounding it.
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, Solar Pool Heating and Battery / Energy Storage. With over 7,000 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
