Tim Kelly, Burlington Post

Church looks heavenward to tap into green energy market

Already well on its way to going green, Burlington Baptist Church has decided to let the sun shine in and power its way to a brighter future.

The local congregation has gladly gone along over the past half-dozen years with T8 fluorescent lights, LED lights, weather-stripping on doors and energy-efficient windows.

But all those moves — “the greening of the church ” — as George Wilbur, chair of the property and finance committee at Burlington Baptist said, are just the opening act.

Last weekend, the New Street church had solar power panels installed on its roof and signed a 20-year contract with the Ontario Power Authority to produce power. Over the life of that contract it will be paid a guaranteed price of 80.2 cents per kilowatt hour for electricity it generates for the provincial grid beyond the church’s needs.

Wilbur said the cost of the panels, including installation, was $75,000. He expects the investment will be paid off in about seven-and-a-half years. After that, the church will only need to cover maintenance costs.

Sue Lamb, co-owner of Canadian Solar Installations, the Dundas-based company which installed the panels, said the church can expect to be paid about $230,000 over 20 years.

“It’s very nice. It’s a money maker,” said Lamb of the deal calling it a “plus-plus-plus not only on the financial side but on the environmental side. You’re able to offset greenhouse gases and also to provide a cleaner environment down the road for future generations.”

For Wilbur, the transformation to solar energy happened very quickly.

After being twigged to a website about the idea last winter, he read up on it, took the notion to his committee, got them on board, then spoke to his church council, got its approval and then had the congregation signed on to it by June. In July, after getting four quotes, Canadian Solar was chosen to do the work.

Wilbur said the system will have a major impact on the carbon footprint produced by Burlington Baptist Church.

“It will reduce the carbon output by 10 tonnes per year, which to me is a big thing for future folks at BBC as well as for the community and our grandchildren,” said Wilbur.

To learn more about this green initiative, click here.