Solar is on its way

This project has been in the works for several years – now that we’re seeing physical changes to our property to prepare for solar, I wanted to share history and details with you.

In the fall of 2010, our Board of Trustees appointed a committee to investigate the possibility of solar power for our Center. They quickly found out that it would be too expensive for the Center to consider installing on its own (about $300,000).

Fortunately, they discovered the existence of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs)! Under this type of agreement, an outside company buys, installs, and maintains a solar installation at your property, and you agree to purchase the power produced by the solar installation.

The committee located three companies who were willing to look at an installation for an operation of our size, and met with each of these companies several times. After analyzing their proposals, the committee recommended contracting with California Clean Energy. The Board signed a Power Purchase Agreement with them in October 2011.

The initial idea was to install the solar structure on our roof. However, when the City of Santa Rosa Building Department reviewed the engineering analysis, the City decided the structure of our roof was marginal to hold the weight. Fortunately, installing a covered parking structure along our border with Occidental Road proved to be a workable alternative.

As of this writing, we don’t have a schedule for when the construction will begin. We’ll continue to put up information posters in the entry to the Social Hall as we get further details.

Thank you for your ongoing support and your interest in the health of our community.

Warm regards,

Jan Davis