Saint Dennis Dedicates Second Solar Project
$10,000
Madison, Wis.
Madison Gas and Electric
Madison, Wis. – Saint Dennis Catholic Church dedicated its new 72-array solar installation Tuesday evening, October 1, the second solar project at the church since 2017.
The 5:15 p.m. ceremony on the second floor of the parish center, which provides a view of the new solar panels, will include a blessing from Bishop Donald Hying.
The new solar array will provide annual savings of just over 28,000 kilowatt hours of electricity and, combined with the first solar installation at Saint Dennis, is expected to contribute $158,000 in avoided electric costs over the 30-year expected life of the arrays.
“For the Saint Dennis community, this is a good investment,” said Father Randy Timmerman, pastor. “We are purchasing future electric power for less than 4.3 cents per kilowatt hour compared to the current cost of 13.2 cents. It is also a morally correct action in response to Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home.”
Like the 2017 project, this one included competitive grant funding of $10,000 from FOCUS ON ENERGY®, Wisconsin’s energy efficiency and renewable resources program. Saint Dennis received an additional $10,000 grant from Solar for Good, bringing grant funding to $20,000, to help offset the cost of the $53,000 project.
This latest solar installation is on the roof of Saint Dennis School and began producing electricity after being commissioned by Focus on Energy partnering utility, Madison Gas and Electric, on August 30.
Both solar projects at the church are part of the Saint Dennis Care for Creation (C4C) Team’s efforts to reduce the parish’s carbon emissions. The church says it is projecting a carbon footprint reduction of 57% from 2015 to 2020.
About Focus on Energy
Focus on Energy is Wisconsin utilities' statewide energy efficiency and renewable resource program funded by the state's investor-owned energy utilities and participating municipal and electric cooperative utilities. Focus on Energy works with eligible Wisconsin residents and businesses to install cost-effective energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. Focus on Energy information, resources and financial incentives help to implement projects that otherwise would not be completed. Its efforts help Wisconsin residents and businesses manage rising energy costs, promote in-state economic development, protect our environment and control Wisconsin's growing demand for electricity and natural gas. For more information call 800.762.7077 or visit focusonenergy.com.
