Hope Community Solar Project

The Environmental Action Team (EAT) of Presbyterian-United Church of Christ (PUCC) in Saratoga Springs ran a campaign throughout the Summer of 2023 to subscribe church and non-church members to a community solar farm sited at Hope United Methodist Church in Troy, NY. This example of a solar farm supported by faith communities is worth sharing as a strategy for how churches can advance the transition to renewable energy in their local communities.

The EAT became committed to supporting this solar farm as an outgrowth of our congregation’s work toward becoming a UCC Creation Justice Church and our goal of offering resources to our church community for creation care. Community solar arrays are installed at an offsite location providing solar power to utility account owners who may not be able to install rooftop solar panels. Community solar farms serve multiple customers who subscribe to or sometimes own a portion of the energy generated by the solar farm. Because they are smaller in scale than utility-scale solar arrays, community solar farms are considered distributed energy resources. Forty-three states and the District of Columbia have at least one community solar farm. Community solar programs and consumer protections vary by state. In New York State, community solar subscribers are guaranteed a monthly savings on their electric bills through community solar bill credits.

The New York State Council of Churches (NYSCOC) connects congregations with a consultant to facilitate church community solar campaigns. Through this program, PUCC found the Hope Solar Farm which is owned by Green Street Power Partners, a reputable leader in the renewable energy space.

The EAT communicated these benefits to prospective subscribers of the Hope Solar Farm:

• Receive guaranteed long-term electric bill savings from the solar project
• Help support the operation of clean renewable energy sources that reduce health- and planet-harming fossil fuel emissions
• Help promote climate and environmental justice
• Help shift New York to clean energy in a few easy steps

The EAT members were available after our Sunday morning service to answer questions about the campaign, to provide written FAQs about community solar, and to assist congregants with the subscription process. We conveyed that no equipment or installation would be needed, no changes to their service with their utility would occur, and subscribing to community solar would be free.

Community solar farm signup incentives vary by project. The consultant working with the NYSCOC provides donations to churches running campaigns in the amount of $100 per subscription. PUCC decided to use this money to support initiatives that promote church sustainability. With enough sign-ups, our team proposed to replace our 25-year-old gas riding mower with an emissions-free battery powered model. We enrolled 56 households, so we are well on our way to purchasing a battery powered mower!

If joining a community solar project is of interest, your congregation should examine the regulations in your own state as you consider this opportunity.

Resources:  https://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/community-solar-basics

This article was the joint work of the Environmental Action Team (EAT) of Presbyterian-United Church of Christ in Saratoga Springs. Members include D. Lee Alekel, Laura Faulk, Harry Meehan, and Judy Beers.