First Congregational's Pursuit of Solar

Most people of faith around the world are experiencing increased anxiety over witnessing the negative impact global climate change is having on God’s creation. We are feeling called to action to care for Creation in all that we do. However, when faced with complicated and difficult problems with no easy solutions, we can become frustrated and discouraged.

At First Congregational Church a group of people were determined to remain hopeful and take a positive step to make a difference. That first step was to surround ourselves with allies by forming a “Green Team”. These were people with some knowledge, passion, and energy needed to be successful. Members of the Team support each other through encouragement and shared commitment to be better stewards of God’s creation.

The Green Team quickly determined that they would focus on areas where they had some control and could make a tangible difference within a reasonable time frame. The Team chose the issue of how to reduce the use of carbon based energy in our own facility. They decided the best place to start was by looking at ways to conserve energy and simultaneously explore solar based energy options.

Solar power is technical in nature but the Green Team found several solar based companies that work locally and were willing to help us through the planning and decision making process. Helios Solar, Solar Faithful, and Absolute Solar all had good recommendations and a reputation for being easy to work with.

Helios Solar and Solar Faithful were willing to give us proposals at no cost to us. (We just recently contacted Absolute Solar and are waiting to hear from them.) The companies only needed FCC’s most recent utility bill. They were able to do a preliminary design for installation of solar panels based on looking at air photos of our property and building. The proposals were comprehensive and showed how much energy and cost savings would result and what the payback (Return on Investment) period would be. It is not uncommon for the payback period to be under 10 years.

During this process, the Green Team kept our Facilities Committee and the Church leadership informed. There was general support for solar because it is the “right thing to do” and it would save on church operating costs in the long run. Members of the Green Team met with the Facilities Committee to present the proposal, answer questions and discuss concerns and opportunities. Aesthetics of the historical church was one area of concern so the installation design was confined to areas that are not visible to the public.

The next major concern was how to fund the solar project. This question often causes most congregations to stall in their efforts. However, one reason to move quickly on solar is to take advantage of the 30% savings from the Inflation Reduction Act passed in the last administration. Luckily Michigan didn’t hesitate in securing the Federal funds so it should still be available at least through 2025.

The FCC Green Team has found several possible ways to fund solar. The most obvious but perhaps difficult options are running a broad capital campaign within the congregation or finding a few major donors within the congregation who have a passion for solar and are willing to fund the project. FCC is also fortunate to have an endowment that we could borrow from and repay it with the monthly savings on the electric bill. Another possibility is to find an investor to front the capital and then pay the investor back from the utility bill savings. These agreements often have a net savings of about 10 percent on your electric bill after making payments on the loan but the payback period could extend for up to 25 years. A slightly different take on the investor funding is to find a congregational member(s) to fund the project with payback terms that are more favorable or consider creating a bond. Commercial banks are another source of funds. Although not as common, it is worth seeing if you can find a charitable foundation that will provide a grant or a low interest loan.

Finally, after collecting all the information on solar possibilities and funding, the Green Team will present a proposal to the Church Council (Board) for their consideration. In the Congregational (United Church of Christ) tradition, the proposal will then have to be voted on by the entire membership. I am optimistic that the congregation will approve the solar project.

I would be glad to answer questions or just help you think through this process. Feel free to reach out. We all have an urgent calling to be good stewards of God’s creation.