The Unitarian Universalist Church of Chattanooga is the first church in Chattanooga to install solar panels. Twelve were installed on Tuesday, Earth Day.
The church will be supplying electricity from the sun made with less air and water pollution and thereby reducing their carbon footprint, said officials. For the congregation, it’s a matter of justice and a moral responsibility for fellow Earth inhabitants now and in the future.
Buck O’Rear, church vice president of resources, said, “We have long been a Green Sanctuary and this is another step forward in our efforts to say we care about justice and community.”
Together the 12 250-watt panels will have a 3,000-watt capacity. The solar power produced from the church roof will not directly supply the church electrical needs, but instead will be sent to the EPB/TVA grid for general distribution. TVA will purchase this solar power at $.04/kilowatt hour.
“These panels will make only a small contribution to planet health, but it’s a start, said Sandra Kurtz, Green Sanctuary Initiative leader, “and we hope other congregations of all faiths will follow suit.”
Weather permitting, the panels should be completely installed and operational by the end of the week. Additional solar panels are envisioned in the church’s future.