By: Deanna McArthur
The High River United Church is looking to solar energy to help reduce its operating costs and its carbon footprint.
Thanks in part to a grant from local electricity retailer, Foothills Energy Co-op, and the United Church of Canada, work on the installation of a 76-panel array will begin this summer.
The $68,000 solar installation is one of the Church’s 135th-anniversary projects and will be installed by Goose Creek Renewable Energy, a local solar installer. A grant from Foothills Energy Co-op will cover $10,000 of the cost, and $30,000 will be provided by the United Church of Canada’s Faithful Footprints program, which awards grants to modernize churches and reduce their carbon footprints.
“I am excited to not only be making a difference for the environment but also decreasing the operating costs of the Church,” said Mark Smillie, Member of the High River United Church Council. “This will improve the viability of the church and will ensure that our faith community as well as many other High River community groups that use the church will be able to call the church their home.”
The solar PV system, which will be installed on the south-facing portion of the church, is expected to make a significant dent in its overall electricity costs. Currently, it costs about $800-$1,000 per month to maintain and operate the church. The solar array will provide the church with approximately 60-70% of its energy, which will mean a savings of about $650 per month in electrical costs.
Local Energy Company Provides Funding Boost
Managed by a local volunteer board, the Foothills Energy Co-op markets electricity, natural gas, and high-speed Internet services to the residents of the foothills area. One of the guiding principles of the Co-op is to reinvest all of its profits into the community in the form of grants and bursaries.
Every residential, small business and farm customer that signs up for service with the Foothills Energy Co-op is helping to fund and support energy conservation, green energy and sustainability initiatives within the area.
When the High River United Church applied for a grant from the Co-op, approving funding was a no-brainer according to Graham Lettner, Executive Coordinator of the Co-op.
"The High River United Church is doing something important—they are coming together to create something valuable for their community. And this is exactly what Foothills Energy Co-op wants to invest in. This is what real community investment looks like and our Co-op feels privileged to be a part of it."
In addition to the grants and bursaries available, the Co-op has also launched a unique program to encourage further development in the solar industry in Alberta; the Solar Club. The Solar Club is a program designed specifically for Albertans who have installed solar PV systems on their home, business, or farm. Members of the club have access to exclusive electricity rates, cash-back bonuses and free Renewable Energy Certificates, all with the goal of helping micro-generators get the most value out of their solar PV systems and encouraging more Albertans to consider adding solar to their property.
“Foothills Energy Co-op has been extremely generous in offering a $10,000 grant to help with the cost of our renewable energy project,” said Smillie. “We really encourage people to sign up for the Co-op as their energy retailer. It is a great reminder of how people with creative ideas can make a difference in the sustainability of our planet.”
While the grants from the Co-op and the Faithful Footprints program have covered a large portion of the cost of the system, the church is looking to its parishioners to help fund the remaining $28,000 required to complete the project.
The public can help support the project by purchasing one or a part of the 76 solar panels. As of the end of June, the church was closing in on having half of the panels sold but is still looking for additional donations. The public can:
- Purchase a whole panel for $370
- Purchase half a panel for $185
- Provide any donation amount they can towards the purchase of a panel
Click here to donate (add a note that the donation should be directed towards the solar project).
Click here to learn more about the Foothills Energy Co-op.