Community Corner

Greenbelt Baptist Church Powers Up with Solar Panels

This week Greenbelt Baptist Church is seeking power from above in more ways than one.

Greenbelt Community Solar (GCS) bought solar panels for that Astrum Solar began installing this week.

It's part of a 20-year power purchase agreement between GCS and the church, reported Lore Rosenthal, a member of GCS's management committee. GCS purchased the panels from Astrum Solar and sells them at a rate below what the church is paying PEPCO, Rosenthal explained.

Thirty-four people pooled their money together in order to purchase the panels, according to GCS website. GCS wants to replace some of the electricity PEPCO generates from fossil fuels with solar energy and reduce Greenbelt's carbon footprint.

The crew installed around 30 solar panels this week, Rosenthal said, but has stopped working for the holidays and plans to install the remaining 60 panels on Dec. 27. An electrician is slated to finish up the work on Dec. 28. Then in two- to six-weeks PEPCO will turn them on, Rosenthal reported.


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