“It’s probably the best time ever in the history of the state of Virginia to make an investment in solar,” said Page Gravely, head of client services at Catholic Energies.
With this statement, Catholic Energies is helping Catholic churches jump into the solar arena. Three parishes in Arlington, Virginia are the latest Catholic communities to install solar projects with Catholic Energies,with projects completed this month. Catholic Energies is a service of Catholic Climate Covenant.
The churches are: Nativity Catholic Churchin Burke, St. Bernadette Catholic Churchin Springfield and St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Churchin Falls Church. Together the three solar projects will generate an additional 750 kW of renewable energy, produce clean power for decades, save the churches more than $1.5M in energy operating costs combined during the term of their solar agreements, and offset nearly 28k tons of greenhouse gas emissions as calculated by the Department of Energy standards (equal to about 68.4 million miles driven by an average passenger car.)
“These projects represent a sustainable future, and serve as beacons of hope,” said Dan Misleh, executive director of Catholic Climate Covenant. “We can help them save money on their electricity bills while they in turn help communities lower their carbon emissions, and serve as living examples of how we can, and must, all care for God’s magnificent gift of Creation.”
The energy required to power U.S. buildings is responsible for about a third of greenhouse gases in U.S., and these projects will help reduce those emissions. By facilitating the conversion of (often older) buildings in a parish, school or other Catholic entity through energy efficiency and renewable energy, Catholic institutions are able to live up to the challenge of Laudato Si’ to care for our common home, and each other, in practice and in teaching.