NEWS RELEASEFebruary 1, 2022Contact: Susan Stephenson, executive director (510) 484-7198 (mobile)Gerald Bernstein, report author (510)444-4891 or jerry@interfaithpowerandlight.org
California Houses of Worship Lead the Nation in Adoption of Rooftop SolarSlowdown expected if utilities reduce the incentives for onsite solar energy
Interfaith Power & Light (IPL) has reported its third survey of congregations in the United States with solar Photovoltaic (PV) systems. Congregations from all faith traditions have dramatically increased their investments in solar PV systems for both environmental and financial benefits. View the solar directory and a map of solar congregations here:https://www.interfaithpowerandlight.org/congregational-solar/IPL’s survey identified:
- 1,250 congregations with PV systems in 48 states and the District of Columbia.
- The 480 congregations added nationwide in the past two years exceeds the 400 additions identified in the 2019 biennial survey.
- California is home to 305 of these congregations, almost twice the number identified in 2019.
- On a population (per capita) basis, California has twice the national average of congregations with on-site solar PV systems.
Rooftop systems vary from a 3.5 kW system at the Felton, CA Bible Church (smaller than the average residential system) to a 1000 kW system at Destiny Christian Church in Rocklin, CA. The largest system is a 2000 kW ground-mount array at St. Anthony’s Retreat Center and Santa Teresita Youth Conference Center in Three Rivers, just outside Sequoia National Park.
As this enormous variation in installations suggests, not all congregations are equal in size and financial capability—just as there are lower and higher income households, there are financially strong and financially-challenged congregations. However, when seeking to install a solar PV system, all houses of worship already have one challenge —as non-profits, they cannot directly access the federal tax credit which is available to homeowners and businesses. Thus, they either pay full-price for an installation, or seek lease-financing with its attendant interest costs. The new Net Energy Metering (NEM) plan proposed by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) would add monthly fixed charges to these already elevated-cost systems, which from California Interfaith Power and Light’s (CA-IPL) experience, would eliminate the economic benefit of a PV installation for many congregations.
“States’ solar and utility policies really make a difference,” said IPL President Rev. Susan Hendershot. “If utilities greatly reduce payments to solar customers for the clean energy they deliver to the grid, or charge them more to deliver this clean energy, as they are currently proposing in California and has happened in other states, we could see solar becoming unaffordable for houses of worship and other nonprofits.”
Pastor John Current of Hope United Methodist Church in South San Francisco explained the inspiration for many houses of worship: “We have installed a pollution free solar powered energy system because we are aware that God’s creation itself is under attack. Air, water, trees… fruit and flower, birds and beast; adults, children and those generations yet to be born are all under the shadows of environmental degradation. We can’t just talk about the goodness of God’s work. We are called to do the work of defending God’s creation in all that we do. Our leaders should empower every community across California to turn their rooftops into clean power plants, to fulfill our duty as stewards of Creation.”
But finances are a consideration. According to Shirley Pajanor, Chief Financial Officer at the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego, “Our solar generating program (in the Diocese of San Diego) shows the power of doing well by doing good. In his encyclical, Laudato SI, Pope Francis reminds us of our responsibility to care for the Earth as our ‘Common Home.’ Here in San Diego, in addition to our constant efforts to recycle and transition to sustainably sourced products, we’ve installed over 50 solar power plants at a number of schools, parishes, and our Diocesan Pastoral Center.” she continues “That’s good for the environment, but it’s also significantly reduced what we pay for electricity.”
According to Bishop E.L. Jackson of Grace Tabernacle Community Church, San Francisco “Every rooftop has the potential to redeem humanity’s debt to Creation and lift up those in our community who need a hand.”
CIPL urges Gov. Newsom and the California PUC not to increase the cost of rooftop solar, which could derail this expanding segment of solar users.
*****To set up an interview with any of the leaders quoted above, please email susan@interfaithpowerandlight.orgIf your house of worship is interested in going solar, check out CIPLs Energy Efficiency and Solar Resource Guide. More questions? Email us at allis@interfaithpower.org.
State Water Board and Gov. Newsom Act Amidst California’s Historic Drought
California – along with much of the Western U.S. – is in the grip of a severe drought. This drought, expected to be long-lasting, will lead to water shortages in several states, and will require millions of people to conserve water.
On August 20, the State Water Board unanimously approved emergency regulations to temporarily halt farmers, landowners and others from diverting water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta watershed.
Governor Newsom has issued an Executive Order strongly encouraging all Californians to conserve water by 15%. “The realities of climate change are nowhere more apparent than in the increasingly frequent and severe drought challenges we face in the West and their devastating impacts on our communities, businesses and ecosystems,” said Governor Newsom. “The entire state is in a drought today, and to meet this urgent challenge we must all pull together and do our part to reduce water use as California continues to build a more climate resilient water system to safeguard the future of our state.”
Governor Newsom’s announcement, made on July 8, includes water conservation strategies for households. The faith community, as a rule, has been implementing the mandate to protect all of Creation – including natural resoures – for years. Some of the best strategies undertaken by houses of worship can be found here.
If your house of worship is doing an admirable job at water conservation, we want to hear about it. Send us an email at info@interfaithpower.org. You might just find your congregation’s story on our website.
2020 Action – Off to a running start
CIPL has started off 2020 with a climate bang! The 2020s is our best – and final – decade to avert the worst of climate change effects, and the faith community is responding in kind.
CIPL staff presented to several congregations in Los Angeles, Oakland, San Francisco, San Mateo, Watts, and Menlo Park on a variety of issues, including climate justice, transportation electrification, climate activism, carbon neutrality for houses of worship, and building faith advocacy.
In early February, CIPL hosted a group of Middlebury College students from Vermont for an “immersion week” demonstrating the faith/ecology nexus. Many of the students had taken a course from Bill McKibben, father of 350.org, who teaches at Middlebury. They came with a trained perspective of conservation and a systemic way of looking at issues.
The “Green Justice” event on February 5 was a highlight, exemplifying the power of community while delving deeply into the many justice issues related to climate change and sustainability. Held at Tabernacle of Faith Baptist Church in Watts, folks from the faith, justice, green career, and education sectors stressed an over-arching concern – truly sustainable communities that include affordable housing. Two themes were repeated. One, systems management – that construction, housing, safety and sustainability don’t exist in a vacuum, but when change is proposed, it must be part of a larger discussion of how the greater “eco-system” will be affected. Two, there was great interest in community investment strategies – how residents of Watts can take ownership of employment, housing, and sustainability strategies so that improvements for the community do not mean money taken out or displacement of members.
Strong work on policy has already taken place in 2020. Some 2019 priority legislation that did not pass in 2019 have received even greater support for their success in 2020. These include AB 345 (Muratsuchi), that calls for the Department of Conservation to study and implement a health and safety buffer zone between oil and gas extraction sites and homes, schools, churches and other such areas. In a concerted effort to get AB 345 passed in the Assembly by January 31, CIPL sent out an alert that yielded more than 100 letters of support. AB 345 did pass the Assembly and is now making its way through the Senate, and statewide workshops on this issue will include attendees from the faith community.
Another set of legislation from 2019 is SB 54 and AB 1080, which will have California reduce plastic use by 75% by 2030. Again, CIPL and supporters are already attending in-district legislative meetings, signing petitions, and holding planning meetings aimed at the passage of these bills.
In addition to the above policy, there has been strong action on a number of initiatives in the last three months: banning natural gas in San Jose; Caltrans oversight; environmental justice action at the port of Stockton; fare-free transit for youth; and the push for greater public transit in heavily-traveled areas of the Golden State.
If you and/your house of worship is involved in a climate issue in your community, or you want to be more involved, contact Liore or Allis for more information.
RISE for Climate, Jobs and Justice – Some Favorite Photos
The faith community was out in full force Saturday to RISE for Climate, Jobs, and Justice. In all, some 900 marches happened in 80 countries, calling for the equitable and accelerated transition to clean energy and environmental justice. In San Francisco, CIPL staff member Liore Milgrom-Gartner was a key partner in coordinating the faith contingent of the SF RISE march, which brought some 30,000 folks to their feet. Check out some of our favorite photos below!
Do you have a favorite picture of faithful folks in action during the RISE California marches? Send it to allis@interfaithpower.org.
SF March – Start of the Faith Contingent
SF March – Aloka Vihara Monastery Nuns and Assembled Faithful at Interfaith Service
SF March – Rabbi David Cooper of Kehilla Synagogue offers a pre-march Shabbat Service
SF March – The Interfaith Power & Light Climate banner
SF March – The United Methodist Church Women
CIPL participates in EPA Hearing on Smog
On Monday, February 2nd, California Interfaith Power & Light members and staff participated in an EPA Hearing on ozone standards. What is ozone and why is ozone a moral issue? Ozone also known as smog happens when chemicals and fumes from industrial plants and cars mix with sunlight and heat. The most endangered by this poisonous air are often our most vulnerable members: children, the elderly, and people who have lung diseases like asthma, leading to respiratory illnesses and unnecessary loss of life.
Executive Director, Susan Stephenson, Program Director, The Rev. Will Scott were joined at the Sacramento hearing by CIPL steering committee member Katelyn Roedner Sutter of Catholic Charities of Stockton and local congregation members Ann Rothschild of Trinity Cathedral (who is featured in this LA Times story and had a Letter to the Editor published in the Sacramento Bee) and Betsy Reifsnider of St. Francis of Assisi Parish each urged the EPA to adopt the standard for ozone recommended by health professionals — no more than 60 parts per billion. If the EPA accepted this standard, we could prevent approximately 1.8 million asthma attacks, 1.9 million missed school days and 6,400 premature deaths annually. To read Susan and Will’s comments click here.
Susan, Will & Betsy also participated in a rally with clean air advocates, where CIPL offered this opening prayer:
Great creative Spirit of many names, who some traditions say breathed the world into existence, inspire us and those in positions of power today to use our own breaths for the wellbeing of others, to speak up for those who suffer the consequences of poisoned air, especially children, the elderly and those with asthma. We give thanks for the wisdom of medical professionals, scientists and other experts who help us know the importance of stronger regulations to curb smog and protect one another’s health. We are grateful for everyone who has come together from many walks of life from across the golden state today, to speak truth and support actions that take care of our shared home, this one planet. May the work we do together on this day deepen our commitment to seek the common good, not only for ourselves but for generations to come. In the name of Love, Amen.
To learn more about the EPA’s Ozone Regulatory Process click here.