On Friday, the First Presbyterian Church at 12th Street and East Third Avenue flipped the switch on a new kind of solar panel “off the grid.”
Saturday is the first day the church will rely entirely on solar power to fuel its electrical infrastructure, which includes all interior and exterior lighting, sprinkler systems, the facility’s accessible elevators and “everything,” said church administrator Dave Hugh said.
“This program is a little more expensive than what you’d be looking for in the Yellow Pages, but we really like the concept of communities helping communities,” Shew said.
Hugh said it has always been his dream to convert the renewable energy provided by solar panels into Pastor Bo Smith.Two years ago, a New Mexico couple donated a piece of property to the church.The church sold the property and put the money into solar panels.
The board approved the proposal, and the church began researching companies to assist with the installation of solar panels, which began in mid-June.The church reached out to Solar Barn Raising, a Durango-based solar panel installation nonprofit that serves the Four Corners.
Solar Barn Raising is assisted by engineering students at Lewisburg College.Shew said the nonprofit was the brainchild of John Lyle, who was on-site to lead the installation process.
The church also received help from eight American Legion volunteers, parishioners and church staff, and other community volunteers.Participants used Solar Barn Raising on the roof and learned the process of installing solar panels.
By late July, wiring and electrical connections were complete.Licensing and government approvals continue through August and September.
There were some delays in getting the materials and getting the right approvals, which pushed the expected end date from late August to late September, but eventually everything fell into place.
“It opened on Friday,” Shew said.”We finally got state inspections and LPEA inspections, fire department inspections.”
The solar panels generated about 246 kilowatts of electricity Saturday, which is much more than the facility relies on every day, Shew said.
“We’re running less than 246 people a day,” Shew said.”So as they say, we’re going to store it for a rainy day. We have batteries.”
Shew said that because of his knowledge of the technical process, the battery can store excess energy, and if the church chooses to do so, it may also be possible to sell it back to the La Plata Electric Society.
“When we’re up and running, we consume quite a bit of electricity,” Shew said.”We’ve been a little slow to get back to full use, but there are a lot of external users.”
In addition to ballroom dancing and cooking, the Presbyterian Church is home to four Al-Anon groups and two Alcoholics Anonymous groups, Shew said.
“The 9-R school system uses our kitchens a lot,” he said.”Adaptive Sports uses our space because we meet elevator disability standards.”
Hugh said Durango First Presbyterian Church is one of the oldest buildings in town.The early Protestant church was established in May 1882.Its foundation stone was laid on June 13, 1889.
Post time: Mar-26-2022
