Catholic Charities - Archdiocese of Washington
2 MW in size, with nearly 5,000 solar panels
As Project Developer, Catholic Energies helped design and implement the largest solar ground array for construction to-date in DC.
Modeling ecological stewardship, the project includes a pollinator field underneath the solar ground array and adds nearly 100 evergreen and deciduous tress around the property to reduce storm water runoff.
Annual energy cost savings enhances Catholic Charities’ mission work, such as offering relief to the homeless, medical and dental care to the poor, services for the mentally ill, and education and job opportunities for young people with developmental differences.
Photo credit: Jay Stern/Landmark Photography
Location: 14 acres surrounding the Gift of Peace house and convent in Northeast Washington, DC
Catholic Organization: Catholic Charities – Archdiocese of Washington DC (CC-ADW)
Leadership: Msgr. John Enzler, CEO
Timing: Fall 2019
Opportunities for Catholic Charities:
Utilize available land to generate solar power for their 12 building portfolio
Honor and live by the direction of Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si
Substantially reduce operating costs and add income from DC and Pepco solar incentives to help fund mission services across the city
Challenges for Catholic Charities:
No precedent within the Archdiocese for developing and generating solar power
A ground array system of this magnitude has never been built in the city
Lack of expertise and understanding of how to organize and benefit from the opportunities
Implementation:
No out of pocket costs were required of CC-ADW
Catholic Energies delivered the following services:
Composed the initial financial and design models to help CC-ADW make decisions
Found the investor and secured the capital that paid for the entire construction
Vetted competitive bids among solar contractors and helped select Solar Energy Services
Helped CC-ADW negotiate the Power Purchase Agreement with the investor
Served as Project Manager for CC-ADW through the beginning of construction
Results:
The proceeds will cover nearly all of the energy costs of Catholic Charities’ 12 properties in the District of Columbia and also fund maintenance costs for the Gift of Peace building
Serves as an example of what is possible when public, private, religious and community groups work together to accomplish a common goal of environmental and community benefits
The project is expected to offset nearly 3,400 tons of CO2 emissions per year, the equivalent of 735 cars on average in one year.
“This project is a prime example of creative thinking by Catholic Charities. So many good things are happening here: lowering carbon emissions, saving money on electric bills, supporting vital services and being a witness to the wider faith community on the importance of caring for God’s good gift of Creation.”
— Dan Misleh, executive director of Catholic Climate Covenant
