Catholic Charities Receives Free Solar Energy System from SRP Solar for Nonprofits™
The 100% customer-funded program is now helping the nonprofit save money that can be reallocated toward advancing its mission
Live shots and interviews can be arranged at the nonprofit’s campus in Phoenix where the solar system was installed. Interviews are available with Catholic Charities and SRP. To coordinate, please contact Tyler Wegleitner at tyler.wegleitner@srpnet.com.
Catholic Charities is the latest Valley nonprofit to receive a free solar-covered parking structure through the SRP Solar for Nonprofits program. The new system is expected to reduce the organization’s energy costs by up to 25%, allowing more funding to be applied toward programs that help the communities and people they serve.
Serving more than 23,000 individuals each year, Catholic Charities provides care for the vulnerable of all faiths in central and northern Arizona by strengthening children and families, welcoming refugees and immigrants, serving and sheltering our neighbors, and collaborating with the community.
“Refugee resettlement, immigration legal aid, foster care and adoption, and DIGNITY Diversion, which assists those who have been sexually exploited, will be among the programs which benefit from the cost savings associated with the solar program,” said Sandra Remy, Sr. Director of Property Management. “Any time we can invest more resources in helping our most vulnerable clients, we are grateful. This program allows us to do just that.”
The new system was installed at the nonprofit’s location in Central Phoenix near 19th Ave. and Camelback. Construction of the system started last year, and the nonprofit began receiving clean energy from the system in May.
“SRP is proud to provide deserving organizations like Catholic Charities with a free solar energy system that can help them spend more money on making an even bigger impact in the community,” said Darrell Bearden, Senior Manager of Distributed Energy Programs at SRP. “SRP Solar for Nonprofits is made possible by our customers who generously donate to the program each month.”
SRP Solar for Nonprofits is funded entirely by customers who agree to add as few as $3 to their energy bill every month. Customers interested in learning more about the program can visit srpnet.com/solarfornonprofits.
Since it launched in 2007, SRP Solar for Nonprofits has installed 52 solar systems at Valley nonprofits, and more than $1 million in energy costs have collectively been saved by these organizations. Previous recipients of the program include the Arizona Humane Society, Aid to Adoption of Special Kids (AASK), A New Leaf and the AZ Agribusiness & Equine Center High School.
SRP remains committed to increasing its investments in solar power and renewable energy. In October, SRP announced plans to add 6,000 megawatts of utility-scale solar by 2035, which is enough to power more than 1.3 million average homes.
SRP is a community-based, not-for-profit public power utility and the largest electricity provider in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area, serving about 1.2 million customers. SRP provides water to about 2.5 million Valley residents, delivering 260 billion gallons of water (800,000 acre-feet) each year, and manages a 13,000-square-mile watershed that includes an extensive system of reservoirs, wells, irrigation laterals, and 131 miles of canals.