Ribbon cutting for $3 million renewable energy project on September 1
The Sisters of Mercy of the Americas are hosting a ribbon cutting ceremony on September 1 at 2 p.m. ET to celebrate the official launch of a solar panel installation project on their campus in Belmont, North Carolina. The project, which broke ground earlier this year, represents a major step toward the goal of the Sisters of Mercy to achieve complete carbon neutrality by the year 2045 and will provide nearly a third of the energy use on the campus.
- To view drone footage of the solar panel array, click here.
- To view a time-lapse video of the construction of the solar panel project, click here.
- To view and download photos of the solar panel construction process, click here.
The Sisters of Mercy have long espoused care for the Earth as one of their five Critical Concerns – areas of particular importance to the congregation.
“The Sisters of Mercy are committed to do our part to make life on our home, planet Earth, sustainable for generations into the future,” said Sister Judith Frikker, RSM, a member of the Institute Leadership Team of the Sisters of Mercy. “We have called ourselves to align our institutional practices with actions to address the urgent climate crisis that we all face. There is much that needs to be done and that will only be effective if we collaborate in this effort. We are pleased to be here today and dedicate this array of solar panels and are grateful to all the people who worked hard over last few years to make this step possible.”
The 1,152 panels will be fully operational in September, providing an estimated 919 megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity annually, approximately 30% of the total electricity usage on the campus. According to the EPA’s greenhouse gas equivalency calculator, the amount of renewable energy produced will prevent 634 tons of CO2 emissions from being released into the atmosphere annually, the equivalent of removing 134 gasoline-powered vehicles from the roads, and is enough to provide electricity to more than 158 homes.
On average, the City of Belmont receives between 210 and 220 days of sunshine each year.
The project is the first ground-mounted solar panel installation in Belmont and required a zoning change by the Planning and Zoning Board. The change in the Land Development Code (LDC) now opens the way for other ground-mounted commercial systems in certain zones with a special-use permit.
Belmont Mayor Joe Jordan, Belmont City Council member Jim Hefferan and City of Belmont Chief of Police Boyce “Corky” Falls will be on hand for the ribbon cutting, along with Sister Teresa Bednarz and Sister Judith Frikker, members of the Institute Leadership Team for the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. Other invited guests include representatives from Pisgah Energy, McKim & Creed, several Mercy-sponsored ministries in Belmont, and local Sisters of Mercy.
The Reverend Paul Buchanan, pastor of Queen of the Apostles Catholic Church in Belmont, will offer the blessing.
The solar panel project was designed by McKim & Creed, headquartered in Raleigh; Pisgah Energy, based in Asheville, managed the permitting process and oversaw the installation of the project. The solar panels were manufactured in Georgia by Q Cells North America.
“The Sisters selected Pisgah Energy based on several key strengths,” said Shannon McCowen, the Director of Real Estate and Facilities for the Sisters of Mercy. “They have a track record of project management with other nonprofit and faith-based organizations which demonstrated their sensitivity to mission, governance and community needs. They also have extensive experience in state-wide regulatory and utility landscapes. Moreover, their transparent financial modeling supports responsible stewardship of assets and opens the door to potential collaboration on future sustainability projects on other Mercy campuses.”
The solar panels are ground mounted because of the limited flat and unobstructed roof space available. Approximately one acre of trees were removed east of the solar array to prevent shading during morning hours. The Sisters of Mercy have committed to replanting trees in other locations and supporting reforestation efforts by other organizations to compensate for the loss of trees.