The solar array which sits on the roof is helping them become more sustainable and to reach their goals.  According to Lindsay Nohl the Southwest Director of NOLS, “the school has a lofty sustainability goal to reach 30% reduction of carbon emissions by 2020.” Installing a solar array was an obvious way for them to reduce their carbon footprint and work towards that goal.

Apart from photovoltaic or electric solar panels, the school also employs solar hot water collectors to provide hot water to the shower houses on the premises.  They also use a variety of rain catchment systems to collect water for irrigation around the school’s property.

The Montgomery & Associates solar system consists of photovoltaic solar panels resting on a custom-made steel structure.  The array also acts as shading for employees’ cars.  This particular array has a very high capacity and fits entirely on the parking canopy, which is a great alternative for businesses with restricted roof space. 

In addition to the technical design and installation expertise, the company was thrilled and surprised by how easy the installation was.  Jeffrey Meyer, a Hydrologist and Principal for Montgomery & Associates stated, “this process has been a great overall experience – the entire TFS staff has been very helpful and enjoyable – made this project surprisingly easy!”

The organization was chosen to receive the TFS 2011 solar grant because of their wonderful involvement and unfailing assistance in the Tucson community.  At their Free Kitchen, Casa Maria volunteers serve lunch to 600 single persons, many of whom are homeless and they provide a family food bag to more than 200 families who are on the edge of poverty.  They also have a free Medical Mobile Clinic twice every week, a program for Vaccines for Cats and Dogs, and offer American Citizenship Lessons in Spanish and leadership and Community Organizer Training also in Spanish.

According to Casa Maria volunteer, Jerry Gill, “This solar system gives us an opportunity to extend our commitment to serving the poor with justice and in harmony with the earth. We already participate in recycling day old food donated by various food stores and restaurants, as well as used clothing from different private donors. We also grow some food of our own. Now, not only will we be able to save a considerable sum of money, but we will lessen our carbon footprint at the same time”.

Adding solar power to the sanctuary roof and two solar parking structure arrays allows them to more fully take advantage of God’s gifts.  Anne Marie King, the Our Mother of Sorrows Parish business manager said that they ultimately chose to install solar “to become better, more faithful stewards of God’s creation and to set an example and be a leader for other parishes in the Diocese of Tucson in promoting solar energy.”

The environmental and social benefits to Our Mother of Sorrow’s photovoltaic system are dramatic.  The solar array will offset 425,488 lbs of CO2 annually, and prevent other toxic chemicals from entering the air.  In addition to the photovoltaic (PV) solar panels, the facility also has three solar hot water heaters which allow the church to use water heated by the sun.  These systems allow the church to reach its goals by being good stewards and preserving the earth for future generations.  “Solar power is a gift from God to be used wisely to help protect our environment for future generations.”

The parishioners at Our Mother of Sorrows believe that their solar arrays and dedication to the planet is setting a good example.  The solar shading structures are very visible to the community and are helping to encourage other churches and parishioners to make the move to solar power.

The electricity produced by Our Mother of Sorrows’ solar array will be approximately 191,000 kWh annually and this will cover 60% of their total usage.  This offers the church significant energy savings of up to $2,000 a month and the savings can now be put towards other church activities and charities.

Their access to solar was made possible through loans by parishioners who financed the operation.  The church will receive the energy and utility bill savings and will have the opportunity to purchase the system outright in 10 years.  This unique system is allowing churches and nonprofits to make a move towards solar that would have been financially out of reach in the past.

“Having solar power has significantly reduced my energy expenditures,” says Dr. Kipp Metzger, the director and owner of the Animal Health Hospital.  The solar panels will cover 75-80% of the hospital’s electricity needs, saving the business thousands of dollars in utility expenses every year.  “My energy savings will completely pay for the system in about 4.5 years.”

While the financial benefits are great, the main reason Dr. Metzger chose to install a solar array on his business was to reduce its impact on the environment.  “I believe strongly that we need to take care of our earth and a huge way that I can do that is to significantly lessen my carbon footprint.”  Metzger lives with solar power that covers 100% of his home’s electricity needs, and by making his business just as efficient he has taken a huge step in reducing his footprint.

The striking system array is set up on a custom-made steel shading structure that allows the 60 SunPower panels to catch the sun’s rays, supply electricity to the hospital and help shade the building.  This last feature is important as the shade provided by the panels helps the building maintain its temperature in the summer, thus reducing its electricity usage, a technique called passive solar.

The new photovoltaic (PV) panels allow the Animal Health Hospital to get most of its electricity from the sun, so they can continue to focus their energies on helping Tucson’s beloved pets.  “At Animal Health Hospital we understand the impact a pet can have on one’s life. Whether to lounge on the couch with, to play catch with after school or to take on a challenging weekend hike – your pet is a valued family member and we give them the care that they deserve.”

The best part of their new system is generating power from the sun!  “Replacing centrally produced electricity with a locally produced clean source of energy and saving money on utility bills is a definite win/win!”

Kate has turned her home into a working model of sustainability having installed a solar electric system, solar hot water and a significant water harvesting system, which includes two 620 gallon tanks and a 10,000 gallon underground concrete cistern, which feeds into her home’s water supply.

Kate is a busy and very special person, spending her time caring for her mother. For Kate, these renewable energy systems are part of her 10-year financial plan.  “While I knew it was the right thing to do environmentally, it had to work financially for me,” said Kate.

Being environmentally as well as financially minded comes from Kate’s childhood. Having spent her childhood  without much money, living in a rented farm house, Kate remembers learning the basics of conservation at a young age — shutting off the lights and the water when not in use, to save money. She smiles and refers to it as “poverty induced conservation.”

For Kate, the process of making her home more sustainable started small. When she moved into her west Tucson home, after leaving the east coast, the first thing she did was plant a container garden, so that her mother could sit in the garden and watch the plants grow.  After the garden’s success, Kate decided to install gutters on one side of her house in order to harvest the rainwater that would pour off of her roof during Tucson’s monsoon storms. It wasn’t long after that, Kate thought, “Why am I doing this half-way? If I’m going to do this, for long term reasons, I want to do it all the way.”

Kate wanted to generate clean electricity as well as reduce her daily living expenses to free up cash for things other than utility bills. “I’m looking at 10 years. Then, I’ll be completely self-sustaining. Until then, I’ll be enjoying lower bills.  While taking care of my mother, I need to be living my life to the fullest, not worrying about bills,” adds Kate.

“Most people would invest in stocks and bonds, but to me these systems are real, this is it. This is part of my plan; I’m investing in my future.”  Her investment is likely to see an income and savings of over $650 a year, tax free, for 25 years, and this number will continue to increase as utility rates rise.

For every supplemental kilowatt hour that Kate’s solar electric system generates, Tucson Electric Power, will give her credit toward her next months utility bill.  Kate’s solar electric system is made up of sixteen, 230 Watt SunPower solar panels, which are expected to generate, 6408 kilowatt hours annually.