Solar power project

Church of the Redeemer is about to go solar.

The Vestry of Church of the Redeemer has approved plans for a 90-panel solar panel system on the huge, flat roof. This will generate at least 26,000 kilowatt hours per year, much of which will help supply the local community grid.

Installation by West Seattle Natural Energy will begin as soon as final preparations finish. This includes permitting from the City of Kenmore.

Cost to install the solar panel system

The cost is an estimated $80,000, plus some building electrical modifications.

Each panel, manufactured by SolarWorld at it’s plant in Hillsboro, Oregon, produces 280 watts at peak. This gives our system total of about 26 kilowatts at peak sun times. View the type of solar panels to be installed.

Enphase makes the inverter.

A publicly visible readerboard, showing energy production and carbon offset numbers, also is planned.

Redeemer will also receive a $1,000 rebate for the project from an IBEW local.

Current electricity use by Church of the Redeemer

Puget Sound Energy charges $.0856 per kilowatthour. Roughly, the church uses about the following in power:

  • 125 kilowatthours daily, which costs $11
  • 3,750 kilowatthours monthly, which costs $321
  • 4,500 kWhrs. annually, which costs $3,852

How the solar panels will affect the electric bills

The solar panel system is expected to shave about $3,000 off the annual energy bill for Church of the Redeemer.

The expected annual energy production credit from Puget Sound Energy is currently estimated at $4,300. This payment will revert to Church of the Redeemer when the funder, a congregation member, is rembursed. After that, the total annual savings for Church of the Redeemer will be an estimated $7,100.

Pictures of solar panel installations

Click these pictures to see larger versions.

This picture is of a 1-megawatt rooftop system of SolarWorld panels. This installation is the largest in the southeast United States. It is at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. This has many more panels than the 90 to be installed at Redeemer.

Solar panels at Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Florida

This picture is of a solar panel system installed as part of the parking garage at Trinity Lutheran College in Everett, Washington.

Solar panels at Trinity Lutheran College in Everett, Washington

Church of the Redeemer

Church of the Redeemer: Worshiping God, living in community, and reaching out to the world. We are an Episcopal Church serving north King County and south Snohomish County, Washington. As you travel your road, go with friends walking the way of Jesus at Redeemer.

Church of the Redeemer is at 6210 Northeast 181st Street in Kenmore, Washington. We are a short distance north of Bothell Way, near the Burke-Gilman Trail. The entrance looks like a gravel driveway. The campus is larger on the inside than it is on the outside. And we managed to hide a large building on the side of a hill that is not easily seen from the street.

The Episcopal Church welcomes you.