People’s Church 20 year Net Zero Plan
While you are all deciding about your pledges for our combined campaign, this is a good time to learn about the Zero Carbon elements in our 20 year building fund program. While the building projects are inspired by the need to make our building last for many generations, they also provide a real opportunity to move us away from fossil fuels and greenhouse gases.

Currently our biggest carbon hogs are a gas fired boiler which heats the 56 year old core building, one gas powered water heater, gas ranges in the kitchen, and gas roof furnaces on the 15 year old addition. We also have an aging riding mower which burns petrol. The plan envisions shifting all these devices to electric as they wear out. (mini-split heat pumps in the older part of the building, full size heat pumps for the addition, induction stoves in the kitchen, a heat pump water heater for the kitchen, and an electric mower for Building and Grounds use).

Of course the electricity we purchase from Consumers Energy is largely produced by burning coal, gas and oil (about 72% fossil fuel generated in 2023), so reducing our total energy use, both gas and electric, is important as well. We have already reduced our electric usage by 40% with the addition of the solar array and some other efficiency measures, and we plan to continue strategically insulating and sealing the biggest heat loss areas such as the walls and ceilings in the core building, and by repairing and replacing the windows and doors. The roof over the commons is going to need replacing in the next 5-10 years, and at that time we will put a layer of insulation down before a new roof goes on.

At the present time adding battery storage would not be an advantage because we can send our excess solar generated elec-tricity back to the grid for a very good rate. However, if the church decides to add more solar in the future, battery storage will begin to make sense for us, and will help provide a climate resilient refuge.

TIME TO GET THE CARBON OUT!