This article is part of our series on creation care ministries as part of our celebration of the Season of Creation.
By Dana Carlson
After an energy audit was conducted at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Athens about ten years ago, our creation care/green team began working faithfully on decreasing our congregation’s energy consumption. Earlier this year, this project culminated in the installation of a solar array, generating the energy we need for the mission and ministry of the church while reducing our environmental impact on God’s creation.
The first step when installing solar is to reduce the “energy load” by maximizing efficiency. We put in a smart thermostat, added some insulation, replaced window air conditioners with mini-split AC ductless heat pumps, and replaced the incandescent and fluorescent lighting with LEDs. We also replaced appliances in our kitchen with high efficiency models–important tools for our weekly ministry of free community meals–and replaced our aging boilers with high efficiency models.
All of our initial efficiency efforts were made possible with funding from members of the congregation and with grants from the Diocese of Southern Ohio thanks to the Church Foundation Trustees and the Commission on Creation Care and Environmental Justice.
In 2020, Good Shepherd joined the diocesan Solarize Ohio Task Force as one of fourteen congregations interested in installing solar using a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). PPA’s act like a long term lease where a third party installs solar on a building (such as a church) and sells the generated power to the host at a discount to utility prices. While the PPA method was finally determined to be too high of a financial risk, Good Shepherd’s Green Team continued in our efforts to bring a solar system to the church building.
We began researching power purchase options on websites like EnergySage and had companies come out to provide estimates. We soon learned that Good Shepherd’s roof, being clay tile, would not be a good option for solar due to the possibility of damage to the tiles.
Fortunately, we had a south-facing bit of lawn on the side of the church that would be suitable for a ground-mounted array. After consulting with Shawn Duffy with Garden for All at All Saints, New Albany about their experience of installing solar power, we sought new estimates from companies local and beyond, including some from out of state. Ultimately, with approval from the vestry and the gift of a bequest from a late parishioner, our church signed a contract with ARP Solar (Appalachian Renewable Power) in Athens County to install a 9,900 Watt ground mount system, the largest array possible given our available space and what city zoning would permit.
ARP begins the installation of the new solar array.
The finished, ground-mounted solar array at Good Shepherd, Athens.
Today, our solar installation is complete and has been inspected by the city and approved by our utility, American Electric Power. On day one, the system produced 9,000 Watts in the full sun!
The new solar array is expected to offset 46% of our annual electric usage with an initial investment cost of $29,000. We also plan to apply for a Federal Investment Tax Credit, which should offset an additional $8,643 for projects that had started by June 2026.
At Good Shepherd, Athens, we are very happy we have reduced our environmental footprint in care of God’s creation and that we’ve freed up funds previously used for energy utility to be used for the ministries of our congregation.
Dana Carlson is a member of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in Athens, OH and serves on the diocesan Creation Care and Environmental Justice Commission, dedicated to preserving God’s creation and our island home, the Earth. She is a dedicated vegetable gardener and has owned a solar system at her residence for many years.
