The Hendersonville FUMC Board of Trustees received a suggestion in 2021 from one of the trustees, Mr. Jim Kane, that the church should investigate the possibility of rooftop solar as a means of lowering energy costs and reducing emissions. The church buildings constitute about 66,000 sq. ft. and were consuming on average about $34,000 in electric utility charges, plus another $18,000 annually in natural gas usage.
After discussion among the Board and the congregation, proposals were sought from solar suppliers. Sugar Hollow Solar (https://www.sugarhollowsolar.com/) of Asheville, NC, made a presentation in July of 2022 for a plan to install a 137 kW rooftop system at a cost of about $323,000. The array was projected to produce about 167,000 kWh of electrical energy annually and would comprise 349 Tesla-395H panels. Each panel would have a power rating of 392 watts. The design would provide about 50% of the facility’s electrical requirements. After discussion, the Sugar Hollow plan was accepted and a contract was signed.
The potential for rebates was an important consideration in the decision to embark on the project. At that time the regional utility, Duke Energy Carolinas, offered a rebate of $7500 per 10 kW of solar, up to a limit of 100 kW. A portion of the rebate program was set aside specifically for non-profits. Because the church has two meters, and thus two solar installations, the total Duke rebate would be about $100,000. In addition, the federal Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) direct-pay reimbursements had recently become available for non-profits. The IRA offered a potential 30% reimbursement of the project costs. These inducements served to make the project more feasible financially. With the two reimbursements, the potential payback time was estimated to be about 12 years.
The panels were installed on five roofs of the church complex in Spring of 2023. Four of the roofs had a pitch of 27 degrees, and the fifth was flat. The system went online in May of 2023. The system is monitored by the SolarEdge monitoring program (https://www.solaredge.com/us/products/software-tools/mysolaredge), which enables real-time monitoring of its performance. The solar output is net-metered, with no battery storage. Any excess output goes to the grid, for which the utility compensates the church by reducing the monthly charge for grid-supplied energy.
The 137 kW solar system is expected to produce about 167,000 kWh annually. At that rate, the system’s clean energy production replaces fossil fuel-generated electricity that would emit 92,400 pounds of CO2 equivalent to the atmosphere. This reduces the congregation’s carbon footprint by over 50%. It is equal to the carbon emitted by 104,000 miles of automobile travel, or the charging of 5,100,000 smartphones. It is equivalent to the planting of 50 acres of trees.
We encourage other congregations to investigate the many inducements that have recently become available for solar and other energy upgrades.
One of the best sources of information on funding such projects in the Carolinas is the Energy Funds for All website: (https://energyfundsforall.org/clean-electricity-investment-tax-credits-for-tax-exempt-entities/).
Utility rebates, manufacturers’ rebates and federal direct-pay programs have made such projects considerably more attractive, and are helping us move toward the goal of zero emissions by mid-century.
Contact: Joe Donoghue, Hendersonville First UMC, jfdonoghue1@gmail.com
