Solar for your Non-Profit
Groundhog Solar can make it happen!
Non-Profits can’t get the tax-credits that make solar energy affordable. Yet perhaps more than anyone else, they need to reduce their electric bills so that fundraising can be spent on more important items than just keeping the lights on. Groundhog Solar can help!!
Groundhog Solar can offer and finance a Solar Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). The PPA is a binding contract in which Groundhog Solar builds a no-cost solar array on your building and then you agree to buy the energy that is generated at a rate cheaper than what the utility is offering. Thus the non-profit saves money.
Here are the highlights:
– Groundhog Solar pays for all the equipment and installation of the solar array
– The non-profit agrees to purchase all the energy generated from the solar array at a discount from what the energy would have cost from the utility.
– Groundhog Solar owns and maintains the solar array for 15-20 years. Anything that goes wrong will be fixed by Groundhog Solar. That’s like getting a 15-20 year full warranty!
– The non-profit agrees to purchase the solar array for just $1 at the end of the 15-20 year term. This is much better than the PPAs offered by others which have a costly purchase option even after 25 years.
– The rate that the non-profit agrees to pay over that 15-20 years is fixed! Thus the savings grow over time because the utility rate is certainly not fixed. This is also much better than the PPAs offered by others which have an inflation rate built in. Depending on that inflation rate, someone else’s PPA could actually cost more than the utility after 10 years or so .
Solar Array for a Volunteer Fire Department
Example 1: Volunteer Fire Departments in Pennsylvania are often charged a higher electric rate than other non-profits. So Groundhog Solar can really help these community heros so they can focus on keeping their equipment in top condition without worrying about keeping the lights on.
Before Solar:
$260/month average electric bill
After Solar with a 15 year PPA:
$0 total cost to build the array
$15/month average electric bill
$205/month average solar power purchase
The Fire Company saves $40/month initially. But over time, as the utility rates rise, the Fire Company will save even more. Assuming utility rates rise by 4% per year, they will be saving $100/month in 5 years, $140/month in 10 years, and $225/month in the last year of the PPA. Then in year 16 and beyond, the Fire Company will be saving about $450/month. That’s alot of chicken dinners!
Solar Array for a Municipal Building
Example 2: Most Municipalities pay an electric rate that is less than residential energy rates and the rate paid by volunteer fire companies in the previous example. However the utility makes up for this by charging a demand charge.
Before Solar:
$600/month average electric bill ($400 for energy, $200 for demand)
After Solar with a 20 year PPA:
$0 total cost to build the array
$200/month average electric bill
$370/month average solar power purchase
The Municipality saves $30/month initially. But over time, as the utility rates rise, the Municipality will save even more. Assuming utility rates rise by 4% per year, they will be saving $100/month in 5 years, $200/month in 10 years, $320/month in 15 years, and $450/month in the last year of the PPA. Then in year 21 and beyond, the Municipal will be saving about $820/month. That’s alot of tax payer funds that can be put to better use.
Get Your Free Estimate Today!
For all your non-profit solar energy needs.