In early November, Placentia Presbyterian Church, in partnership with RE-volv, hosted a solar celebration marking the completion of two new solar systems across two church buildings, totaling 73 kW of solar and 57 kWh of battery storage.
With 180 panels installed, the California church will now generate the majority of its electricity on-site and is projected to save more than $466,000 on energy costs over the systems’ lifetime that they will reinvest into environmental and social justice programs. The addition of battery storage will enable the church to store solar power for use in the evening and during outages, enhancing its ability to serve as a reliable community resilience hub during emergencies.
“Today’s solar celebration is an incredible milestone in our congregation’s goal to live generously for the people and our planet,” said Placentia Presbyterian Church’s Pastor Ryan Romberg. “Through installing solar panels, the money we save on lowered energy bills by generating our own power will go directly to our community-serving missions, such as combating local food insecurity and helping provide transitional housing to our unhoused neighbors.”
RE-volv, a national nonprofit that develops and finances solar projects for community-serving nonprofits, provided the church with a 25-year loan for the solar and storage system. The loan from RE-volv required no up-front payment and will start saving the church immediately on their energy bills.
“RE-volv is proud to support Placentia Presbyterian Church’s solar energy journey as they work towards their environmental stewardship and social justice goals,” said Andreas Karelas, executive director of RE-volv. “Placentia Presbyterian Church’s partnership with RE-volv illuminates how accessible funding for clean energy projects can create a ripple effect of positive community impact.”
News item from RE-volv
