Most people who visit Albany UU never see one of the congregation’s most significant environmental commitments.
It’s right above their heads.
Installed on the roofs of Community Hall and the Religious Education building, 112 solar panels quietly generate clean electricity every day the sun shines. Since becoming operational in February 2013, the system has supplied about 35% of the church’s annual electricity needs while reducing carbon emissions by roughly 33,000 pounds every year.
The panels don’t call attention to themselves. They simply do their work—capturing sunlight and turning it into electricity that powers our lighting, offices, classrooms, and gathering spaces.
That quiet consistency reflects the Unitarian Universalist value of Interdependence. The energy that sustains our congregation comes not only from the people inside our building, but also from the natural world around us. Every sunny day reminds us that we are part of a larger web of relationships, and that caring for the Earth includes considering how we power our lives.
Choosing solar energy was also an act of Transformation. Rather than relying entirely on electricity generated elsewhere, Albany UU embraced a different way of meeting its needs. Through a Power Purchase Agreement, the congregation was able to install the solar array with virtually no upfront cost, while reducing both its carbon footprint and its long-term energy expenses. Sometimes transformation begins with a single decision that continues making a difference year after year.
The solar panels don’t meet all of the church’s electrical needs. When the sun isn’t shining, Albany UU continues to draw electricity from the power grid. And when the panels generate more electricity than the building is using, the excess flows back into the grid, helping power the surrounding community.
Like many of our environmental commitments, the solar project grew from careful study and thoughtful collaboration. Members of the Green Sanctuary Team researched options, evaluated proposals, and worked through the practical questions that accompany any major investment. Their work reflected Generosity—sharing their time, expertise, and dedication to help the congregation live more sustainably.
Today, the panels continue producing clean energy with little fanfare. Most visitors never notice them, yet every worship service, committee meeting, community meal, and gathering held during daylight hours is supported, in part, by energy from the sun.
The solar array reminds us that caring for the Earth isn’t always dramatic. Sometimes it looks like thoughtful planning. Sometimes it looks like a roof quietly capturing sunlight. And sometimes the most meaningful expressions of our values are the ones working faithfully in the background, day after day.
Want to learn more?
If you’re interested in how Albany UU evaluated solar power, chose a Power Purchase Agreement, or considered the environmental impacts of the project, we invite you to read Albany UU’s Solar Power System, a report by Steve Andersen and David Musser that documents the congregation’s decision-making process and the lessons learned along the way.
