How to help deep energy conservation take flight?

For congregations, energy conservation can quickly and cheaply generate significant savings.

Break-even in fourth year

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031

$(2,000)

$(1,000)

$-

$1,000

$2,000

$3,000

$4,000

Savings from conservation - pure savingsSavings from conservation - recoup of costsCost of Conservation

Yet, a congregation excited about conservation is a rare bird.

What does excite congregations?

Solar panels.

For congregations, panels cost a lot and their payback period is prohibitively long*

Break-even in 18th year

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031

$(30,000)

$(25,000)

$(20,000)

$(15,000)

$(10,000)

$(5,000)

$-

$5,000

Savings from Panels - pure savingsSavings from Panels - recoup of costsCost of Panels

* Because congregations don’t pay taxes, they don’t benefit from the 30% tax credit.

…which presents an opportunity.

Might tying energy conservation to solar panels make an enticing combination –both cost-effective and exciting?

Tying panels to deep energy conservation could shorten the payback for panels to just eleven years. Much shorter.

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031

$(35,000)

$(30,000)

$(25,000)

$(20,000)

$(15,000)

$(10,000)

$(5,000)

$-

$5,000

$10,000

Savings from conservation - pure savingsSavings from solar panels - pure savingsSavings from conservation - recoup of costsSavings from solar panels - recoup of costsCost of solar panels to congregationCost of conservation to congregation

Break-even in eleventh year

But still out of reach. Congregations often need to recoup their investments very quickly – in perhaps seven years or less.

Might we get to seven or less by also tying panels to conservation by congregants - and by providing a modest grant?

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031

-40000

-30000

-20000

-10000

0

10000

20000

30000

Income to congregation from congregants

Income to congregation from grant

Savings from panels & conservation - pure savings

Savings from panels & conservation - recoup of costs

Cost of solar panels to congregation

Cost of conservation to congregation

Break-even in six years

Yes! With a $5000 grant and sixty members contributing half their energy savings for three years, the payback shrinks to six years.

Affordable solar – simply conserve.

What’s not to like?

Here are our assumptions.

Congregation Average congregant householdBase year annual electricity cost $5000 $900

Base year annual natural gas cost $3700 $900

Amount of energy conservation 17% 14%

Cost per watt of solar panels $3.40 Annual increase in electricity cost* 6%

Annual kWh generation per installed watt 1.13 Annual increase in natural gas cost 0%

Base year cost per watt from grid $.10 Congregant contribution of energy savings** 50%

* Based on Indiana Utility Forecasting Group projections.** Three years only. $70 a year.

And here are our results,Solar panels funded solely by a $5,000 grant and $23,000 in energy savings recouped in six years.

Savings Over Ten Years from Panels & ConservationCongregation Congregants (60) Total

Electricity (kWh) 76,500 680,000 756,500

Natural gas (therms) 5,500 68,000 73,500

Financial after expenses $10,500 $93,000 $103,500

Carbon emissions (tons) 90 920 1,010

exciting and Earth-friendly.

Energy Conservation

Solar Panels

bring the congregation on board…

while

does the heavy lifting.

Interested?

Contact SeventhDayInitiative@gmail.com.

Credit to Seventh Day Initiative