A Community Story About Solar Worth Retelling
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Last week in Shepherdstown, West Virginia the Shepherdstown Presbyterian Church members, project organizers, and local leaders held a ribbon cutting celebrating the installation of the largest community-supported solar system in West Virginia. Working with a local solar company the church developed a project plan that allowed it to go solar at no cost and without a traditional fundraising campaign.
Nearly 100 families and businesses in and around Shepherdstown made the project possible through an innovative crowd funding campaign. Funding for the project was raised through the installation of ‘demand response’ controllers on community members’ electric water heaters. The water heater controllers have been installed and operated by Mosaic Power, a smart grid technology company in Frederick, Maryland. Mosaic Power pays property owners $100 per tank per year for participation in their virtual power plant. In Shepherdstown, project participants agreed to donate those funds to pay off a loan taken out to install the church solar project. The Church will benefit from lower electrical bills while generating electricity that reduces air and water pollution, consistent with the church’s commitment to creation care.
Jim Auxer, Mayor of Shepherdstown, was quoted as saying as the oldest town in West Virginia, Shepherdstown prides itself on both its history, and being ahead of the curve. Mayor Auxer went on to express his thanks to the volunteers of the town’s Historic Landmarks and Planning Commissions for seeing through a project that maintains our historic spirit while leading West Virginia into the 21st century.
For more information visit http://www.solarholler.com
