Update 2/7/2012: Well, everything is hooked up, but NV Energy discovered we don't have a big enough line coming to our facility to handle the load. They will schedule to replace it in the near future.
Update 1/15/2012: The panels are mounted!
Update 1/10/2012: The pipes are in:
Update 12/26/2011: Here is a photo of the holes being dug:
Update 12/12/2011: WOW! Construction is starting! After over a year, we now have all our permits and the construction is finally underway. God is good!
Update 11/9/2011: Dave Hall and Pastor Pat met with Vern the city planner and with Mark Kaiser of Life With Solar yesterday morning at 10 am to discuss the landscaping. Vern was very receptive to our suggestions. Basically, all the landscaping will be on the hillside with the exception of 3-6ft evergreens along the edge of the parking area on the newly graveled area. We will plant 5-6 shrubs along the front of the boiler/kitchen also. Mark will draw up the landscaping plan to submit with paperwork and apply for the permit. Pat asked him for start date and he said we should be digging holes before Thanksgiving.He forgot to ask which Thanksgiving though.
Update 11/2/2011: The City Of Reno approved our Special Use Permit. We are still required to add 4 more trees and 24 shrubs to the back landscaping.
Update 9/18/2011: The Special Use Permit has been applied for. This will require another hearing, but all should be done and the construction started soon. The contractor expects to be completed by Thanksgiving. We are praying this is true.
Update 8/15/2011: Our expiration date for our solar reservation is September 9, 2011. Obviously, we will not meet that date. I talked with Renewable Generations this morning and he said it was not a problem. Our reservation will be moved into the next tier which means that instead of $5.00/kw hour we will get $4.70/kw hour. Doug at Life With Solar said that would not be a problem. We will still get the same system as currently planned. The contractor is submitting the “Special Use” permit application(which has to have the $5000 fee attached) for the October commission meeting. If we move forward with the completion of the hillside project perhaps that restriction will be lifted from the requirements to get the building permit.
Update 8/14/2011: Well it is next week, and the City Of Reno has thrown another curve ball at us. The contractor went to get the permit, and the City is requiring a Special Use Permit. This can delay the project about 2 to 3 months. The contractor is filing for an extension on our grant.
The good news is we had a very successful work day and cleared the vegetation off the back hill which was required by the City planners.
Update 8/1/2011: The contractor will start next week (August 8th). We are planning a workday on 8/13/2011 to clean up the hillside as required by the city for our permit.
Update 6/26/2011: We signed a Construction Lean with the electrical company, on of the sub-contractors. This is common practice when a contractor is about to begin construction. Also, the solar company said they will be breaking ground on July 25th, so the rollercoaster ride has begun!
Update 6/14/2011: The work day was canceled because of too many commitments for the leaders. Please keep posted for further developments.
Update 5/29/2011: A work day is scheduled on June 18th so we can complete the landscaping required by the city for the solar project. Please come with gloves, rakes, shovels, and willing hearts.
Update 4/12/2011: The Special Charge Conference was held. Questions were raised, and most were answered. Next members were allowed to express their views. A vote was held and a resolution to proceed with installing the solar project was passed. The Contractor will apply for the building permit and start construction in early May.
Update 4/1/2011: There will be a Special Charge Conference held at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, April 12th. Come and learn about the project and ask any questions you may have.
Update 3/27/2011: We have cleared our last hurdle with the city! The final stipulation was to apply for a special use permit, which will cost us $2,200. We already have donations to cover the cost. There will be a all church meeting to present the project details to the members very soon. We need to schedule the meeting with a United Methodist Elder, so it will be planned on their schedule. Then contractor should be able to start construction.
Update 3/5/2011: We have gotten approval for a building permit! We do have some stipulations we need to meet, like landscaping and fencing. There will be Charge Conference meeting very soon for the church members to learn about the project and ask questions.
Update 1/29/2011: I have in my hot hand a letter from the City of Reno stating our proposal for the Administrative Variance will be heard on Wednesday, March 2, 2011 at their Planning Commission meeting. I talked with Doug Bernard at Life With Solar and he still believes this is just a formality to cover all their bases because we are zoned residential and not commercial. All the other similar projects they have going have had NO problems but then again they are zoned differently than us. So, formality or not I ask you to pray that all will go well on March 2nd and we will come out of the meeting approved for a building permit. If you have any questions give me an email shout out or call. PPat
Update 1/3/2010: The City of Reno has the "shade analysis", now we are waiting for the red tape to move again. They are trying to figure out if this approval requires a public hearing or not.
Update 12/15/2010: Hi All,
I talked with Doug Bernard at Life With Solar and he said the City of
Reno has seen the light(praise the Lord). The engineer I met with a few
weeks ago sent them a letter that the roof system of the church would
not hold the weight of the panels. Doug is sending someone out to do a
“shade analysis” and when the city gets that they will issue the
building permit. The dumpster was moved beside the bus yesterday so we
are ready from this end. I’ll let you know of any more developments. The
start of something big would be a great Christmas present for the
church. PPat
Update 11/30/2010: We are still waiting on the City Of Reno. Our schedule for completion will slip into next year.
Update 11/19/2010: The trees have been removed. The contractor is negotiating with the City Of Reno over the building permit. They initially denied it because of the reduced parking, but we have the trump card because the energy savings out weighs the parking spaces. This is a small snag, but we are still on schedule to be completed by the end of the year.
Exciting news! St. Paul's UMC Reno has a grant to install electrical solar panels! These panels will eliminate our usage of fossil fuels for electricity! Stay tuned to this Web page for updates as the project progresses.
The engineering layout drawing is available to view as a PDF file.
FAQs
Q: What is this grant all about?
A: The grant is issued by NV Energy to reduce the dependence on fossil
fuels in Northern Nevada. We applied and received a $500,000 grant to
install electrical solar panels at St. Paul's UMC. This grant was
awarded in September, 2010. There is no cost to St. Paul's.
Q: Get real, nothing is free, what is the
cost?
A: No, really, the there is no cost to St. Paul's. This money
is collected each month as a surcharge on your power bill. If you look
at your bill, you will note a $1 - $2 charge for "Renewable Energy
Program (REPR)". This money has been collected in a reserve account
to be spent on these grants. Each month, you pay for this grant.
Q: I heard this was a matching grant, does St.
Paul's have to match funds?
A: No, this grant is totally funded by the NV Energy funds.
Q: How much power will this produce?
A: We will be able to produce anywhere from 50,000 KW to 60,000
KW a month, depending on the final design. It is still very early in the
design phase, so a final figure is not available yet.
The final engineering specs are now in: we will be
getting a 40,000 KW system. That is the maximum power load the church
(and area)
wiring can handle.
Q: Will this cover our electricity usage?
A: Yes, it will, in spades. We are currently consuming around
20,000 KW a month. Our system will allow ample room for expansion.
Q: I heard NV Energy will buy our excess
electricity. Will we get a monthly check for what we overproduce?
A: NV Energy will bank our excess Kilowatts. They will not pay
us for them, but the Kilowatt credits will be available for the times
when we cannot produce enough electricity, such as during a heavy snow
period. Compare it to the rollover minutes on your cell phone.
Q: The solar panels look like they cover the
whole back parking area. Will there be any parking there?
A: We will lose the back parking area to the solar farm,
however, we do not use that area except on very rare occasions, such as
a large wedding, memorial service, Christmas or Easter services.
Actually, Peavine school uses the parking more frequently than us during
PTA meetings. There is enough parking in the neighborhood to accommodate
the lost spaces.
Q: What does St. Paul's have to do for this
project?
A: This is a turn-key project. The contractor will do the
complete installation. Our portion will be to remove some trees around
the edge of the solar farm, move the gate for the Church Bus parking,
and remove a utility light pole for the new bus parking configuration.
The Administration Board has approved the expenditure of up to $3,000
for these changes.
Q: Are there ongoing costs associated with
this solar farm?
A: There will be maintenance costs for the system. About one a
quarter, the solar panels need to be cleaned and squeegeed to keep the
efficiency of the panel at there peak. We should fence in the panel farm
to discourage access. There may be snow removal required if we have a
heavy snow. All these costs will be offset by the savings in our
electrical bill.
Q: Speaking of the electrical bill, what will
this do to that?
A: We are currently spending about $600 - $800 a month on our
electrical bill. That will be completely eliminated. In addition, we
need to convert all of the gas appliances to electricity, thus reducing
the gas bill. There is a potential savings of around $20,000 a year.
Q: When will this project be installed?
A: Construction should start within the next month or two. It
should be well under way or finished by the end of the year.