Nov 18 2015
Sunday November 22, members of a church in Chapel Hill, N. C. will dedicate a solar array installed by Yes! Solar Solutions of Cary, N.C. United Church of Chapel Hill raised the funds for the 84.7 kilowatt solar system with a capital campaign. The system will generate approximately 60% of the electricity used by the church and is part of a long-term strategy to meet strategic carbon emissions reduction goals consistent with recommendations by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
United Church of Chapel Hill Solar System
- 326 solar panels (260 watts each)
- 4 SolarEdge inverters
- 163 SolarEdge optimizers
- 5,720 square feet of roof
- Includes a solar trellis at the entrance
Project Evolution
Kathy Shea, a member of United Earth Ministries explains, "We were very impressed with the flexibility and creativity of Yes! Solar's approach to this project, especially their enthusiasm for the trellis array. This highly visible part of the installation will be a permanent reminder to all who visit United Church of the importance of addressing climate change and caring for God's creation as an integral part of our faith and practice." President Stew Miller says, "Yes! Solar has been fortunate to have won quite a few church contracts recently, but United Church of Chapel Hill is the crown jewel, and we are thrilled to be chosen the installer for the project." Yes! also installed a 4.08 kW system on the home of UCCH pastors Richard Edens and Jill Edens. (They practice what they preach.)
Impact of Solar
The system's 84.76 kilowatts will generate 110,920 kilowatt hours of electricity each year, enough to power 10 homes each year and equivalent to annually:
- Preventing 151,000 lbs. of carbon from the atmosphere
- Eliminating 149,000 vehicle-miles from the road
- Preventing 90,000 pounds of coal from being burned
- Planting 1,760 trees to help sequester carbon
About Yes! Solar Solutions: Founded in 2009, Yes! Solar Solutions is the only company in North Carolina accredited by NABCEP (North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners). Based in Cary, N.C., the company offers turn-key design and installation of solar systems for homes and businesses. www.yessolarsolutionsnc.com
About United Church of Chapel Hill: A member church of the United Church of Christ, "a church of firsts:" first historically white denomination to ordain an African-American, a woman, an openly gay man, and the first Christian church to affirm the right of same-gender couples to marry. The UCC was in the forefront of the anti-slavery movement, the Civil Rights movement and commissioned the sentinel study that launched the modern environmental justice movement.