Common Street Spiritual Center has recently flipped the switch on an 18kW rooftop solar system. Common Street Spiritual Center is an inclusive, love-centered community space that works together to bring peace, justice and healing to the earth. The project was made possible by a $25,000 grant from the Solar Moonshot Program, which is managed by Hammond Climate Solutions and funded by Left Coast Fund to help stop the climate crisis. SunBug Solar, a Massachusetts owned and operated certified B Corporation, was contracted to design and install the system.

“Common Street is a community that has been at the forefront of local and statewide climate and environmental justice initiatives, and so it is fitting that we now have solar panels on our roof,” said Ian Mevorach, Founding Minister and Director of Common Street Spiritual Center.  “The recent International Panel on Climate Change report spells out clearly that humanity’s window of opportunity to act on climate is rapidly closing. We owe it to future generations to change our priorities and start treating each other and the Earth in non-exploitive ways. Part of that change is that we have to stop burning fossil fuels and invest in renewable energy.”

 In addition to saving money on electric bills thanks to solar, which will be reinvested into serving its mission, the solar power project will help decrease greenhouse gas emissions driving the climate crisis and creating environmental injustices. The clean energy system will also help educate the community about the importance of moving to renewable energy and creating local green job opportunities. 

“We have had the chance to work with many nonprofits and houses of worship, but few turned out to be as dedicated as the Common Street Spiritual Center team, which determined in 2015 that there was not enough capital for a solar power system at that time,” said Daniel Covey, co-owner of SunBug Solar. “In 2021, after six years, thanks to help from a keystone grant from the Solar Moonshot Program, Common Street was able to overcome many hurdles and end up with a clean energy system that produces most of its annual electricity needs.”

 The solar project comes at the heels of the newly released Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, labeled a “code red for humanity” by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and at a time when the state of Vermont is seeing severe drought and record breaking temperatures.

“We applaud Common Street Spiritual Center for making the switch to solar, and we hope this project inspires other nonprofit organizations across the country to go solar and become clean energy champions,” said Tara Hammond, founder and CEO of Hammond Climate Solutions. “This project showcases how rooftop solar can reduce electric bills, support local green jobs and mitigate impacts to the climate crisis while contributing to a just and livable future.”

The Solar Moonshot Program has funds available for other nonprofit organizations looking to make the switch to solar in the new year. The no-fee grant initiative that is generously funded by San Diego-based Left Coast Fund, which is invested in stopping the climate crisis. There is a $1 million budget for solar projects in 2021 available, expected to fund about 40 more solar projects across the country. To learn more about the program, please visit the website at www.solarmoonshot.org.

To learn more about Common Street Spiritual Center, visit www.commonstreet.org.