Click here for details on St. William Church Installation
Kentucky Interfaith Power & Light is looking to help congregations add solar panels to their facilites.
We are accepting tax-deductible donations from individuals and making grants to faith communities to help them pay for the project. You can click on the "Donate" button below or mail donations to:
Kentucky Interfaith Power & Light
P. O. Box 5084
Louisville, Kentucky 40255-0084
Indicate Solar Energy Project in the memo line.
Why install solar panels?
1. LG&E gets about 95% of its electricity from dirty, polluting coal that releases tons of greenhouse gasses into the air. Each year the solar energy will prevent the release of 5.6 lbs of Sulfur Dioxide, 15.2 lbs of Nitrous Oxide, 7,184 pounds of carbon dioxide as well as other pollutants. Most of these pollutants are release in the neighborhoods of low-income families.
2. Mountaintop removal destroys not only the mountains, but the streams, the animals and plants that live there, the water supply for the people and the communities themselves.
3. Solar panels are too expensive for most people to install on their homes, but pooling our money and installing them as a community is affordable.
4. Installing solar panels is a good witness to the community of faith in action and it may inspire others to do the same.
5. Increase in demand for coal is driving the price up for all, including the low-income folks. By producing our own energy, we are helping in a small way to keep prices down through decreased demand.
6. Kentucky has plans to build seven coal-fired power plants. If enough people install solar panels, we can eliminate the need to build those plants.
7. Solar panels are expensive, but are expected to go down in price as increased demand for panels allows manufacturers to take advantage of economies of scale. Our purchase, though small, is a part of the increased demand that will help make it more affordable for others. It also promotes Green Collar jobs that help the U.S. economy.
8. Installing the solar panels will save the community on its electric bills.
9. Pollution from coal-fired power plants has an adverse impact on the health of people with asthma, COPD, emphysema and other respiratory disorders. People of little financial means are typically hurt the most because of their living in close proximity to the coal-fired power plants.
10. Louisville and Lexington ar among the five worst polluting cities (of the 100 largest cities in the U.S.) in terms of electricity generation according to the Brookings Institution Metro Policy Program Report (2008).
How much will they cost? The total installed cost will vary based on the size of the project, but could cost as little as $1,000 per KwH.
Will it provide all the electricity the community needs? Usually, no. But combined with conservation and efficiency it could provide a large portion. A 2.5 kWh system is expected to generate about 100,000 kWh in its lifetime. That comes to about 24 cents per kWh.
Will it save the congregation money? Yes, but because electricity is so cheap here in Kentucky, it is estimated that in the first year only about $300 for a 2.5KW system, but energy cost are expected to rise considerably in the near future and will save the congregation much more. From August 2007 to August 2008 electricity rose by about 10%. At that rate, it will reach 24 cents per kWh in just 13 years and $4 per kWh in 40 years. But solar energy installed today will remain 24 cents per kWh for the life of the panels.