GJC is going solar! Help us meet our fundraising goals and come celebrate in May!
Germantown Jewish Centre is excited to announce a new initiative that all of us can support: We are going Solar! This is a project like no other that GJC has undertaken. Over 115 solar panels will be installed on the roof of the Education Building, which will benefit our community for generations to come, demonstrate our community’s commitment to Tikkun Olam (repairing the world), and save the synagogue money in the future.
TICKET & CONCERT SPONSORSHIP LEVELS:
- Individual Tickets are $18 – You’re a Ray of Sunshine!
- Sunbeam Sponsorships are $54 and include 2 tickets.
- Sunspot Sponsorships are $72 and include 2 tickets.
- Sunburst Sponsorships are $180 and include 3 tickets.
- Solar Flare sponsorships are $360 and include 3 tickets.
- Bright Star sponsorships are $540 and include 4 tickets.
- If you would like to request a no-cost scholarship ticket, please contact Rebecca Paquet .
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE CONCERT TICKETS!
AWESOME CONCERT (UNDER THE MAPLE TENT)!
G’vanim will be in full swing with songs that celebrate our earth, light us up from the inside out, and gives us hope for the future!
- Nina Peskin and Rabbi Adam Zeff on vocals
- Mikael Elsila on piano and Elliott Seif on accordian
- Dan Berman on electric bass, Justin Fink on bass, and Sam Kassel on guitar
- Hoagy Wing on percussion
GJC extends much thanks and gratitude to the G’vanim musicians, who have donated their talent and their time to making this fundraiser concert a success.
ZERO WASTE!
GJC is aiming to make the Solar Fundraiser Concert a zero-waste event:
- Bring your own water bottles and/or cups to fill up.
- Bennett Composting will be composting this event.
- 100% recycled paper will be used for the programs and signage for this event.
- Please make sure to put programs in the recycling containers before you leave.
PLANT SWAP!
It’s plant-swapping time! Come join us for a Plant Swap at the Solar Fundraiser Concert! Bring your plants and cuttings to share with others, meet other plant lovers, and make new plant friends.
- How does a plant swap work? Bring plants or plant cuttings to share with others. You can bring outdoor or indoor plants, but each plant or cutting should be in its own pot with soil or [recycled] container with a bit of water. Bring your own bag or box to carry them home in!
- Plant Newbie? Bring something simple like some succulent cuttings or babies.
- Plant enthusiast? Bring some of your special stuff to share with the rest of the collectors.
- Don’t have a plant but want one? Stop by the table! We’ll have plenty!
- Have too many plants and want to find them homes? Bring them over!
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE CONCERT TICKETS!
ECO-BASKET RAFFLE!
As part of our fundraiser, GJC will be raffling off a basket or two of eco-goodies donated by local organizations that are doing amazing things for the environment. Take a chance on a raffle ticket or ten! $5/raffle ticket, 3 for $10 or 10 for $20! (Cash only.)
LEMONADE & COOKIE SALE!
These are no ordinary cookies! We will be selling I Want Moore Bakery’s celebratory sunshine-filled cookies and [compostable] cups of lemonade as part of GJC’s fundraiser. (Cash only.) Get a discount for bringing your own cup or bottle to fill!
INFORMATION BOOTHS!
Stop by the following booths to find out more about:
- GJC’s Green Team & their initiatives
- Solar States (solar panels)
- Bennett Composting
- Family Promise
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE CONCERT TICKETS!
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Become a core donor at one of our Campaign Giving Levels. All levels include 4 tickets to our celebratory fundraising concert. Contributions of $3,600 and above will be acknowledged on a permanent display in the GJC Education Building.
CLICK HERE TO BECOME A CORE DONOR!
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A Case for Giving: The GJC Solar Initiative
Call to Action
The Germantown Jewish Centre Solar Initiative thanks you for your long and generous support of the GJC community and respectfully asks that you consider supporting a Synagogue project that we feel is vitally important. GJC is embarking on a long-term campaign to dramatically reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.
The global warming and environmental destruction experienced worldwide are largely attributable to reliance on fossil fuels. GJC is resolved to join in local efforts to combat global warming and thereby, the existential threat it poses to mankind and so much of life on our interdependent planet. Our energy-intensive way of life makes us particularly responsible for global warming. Increasingly, our members are asking that in pursuit of Tikun Olam, repairing the world, the GJC community recognize this responsibility by reducing our contribution to global warming and accompanying climate change. In so doing we will also demonstrate to our neighbors and to our children that not only does Judaism teach that we engage in lifelong learning and self-reflection, but that we are willing to change based on what we have learned.
First Steps
The Germantown Jewish Centre is planning to install an array of 117 solar-powered photo voltaic panels on the roof of the education building, which is estimated to generate 67,000 kWh of electricity per year. To make this feasible, we must first replace the roof of the building, which is beyond its life expectancy. The new roof will be much more energy efficient, further reducing our energy consumption and costs. Conservatively estimated, the solar panels alone will eliminate approximately 58,000 pounds of CO2 discharge into the atmosphere per year. We will also reduce by 50% GJC’s purchase of electricity for the education building.
In conjunction with the Solar Energy Project GJC will soon embark on the long-planned replacement of the antiquated HVAC system in the sanctuary section of the building with a modern, energy-efficient alternative. Multiple other initiatives are under consideration for potential recommendation to the GJC Board. We would welcome your review and input on future work.
Long-Term Costs and Savings
Based on our timeline, the cost of the roof and solar panels will total approximately $275,000. The new education building roof will account for approximately $132,000. The cost of the solar array is estimated at $143,000. However, the recently enacted Inflation Reduction Act should enable us to recover thirty percent of the cost of the solar array (roughly $43,000) in the form of a direct rebate. This will reduce the net expense of the project to approximately $235,00.
At today’s electricity rates, the synagogue’s annual electricity bill will be reduced by approximately $5,700. In addition, we expect to qualify for payments of approximately $2,800 per year (at current rates) in the form of Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs) purchases from our electricity supplier, PECO. SRECs are credits purchased by utilities to meet their regulatory renewable energy obligations. Conservatively estimated, the combination of our reduced energy consumption and the SREC payments will save the synagogue approximately $8,000 per year. As electricity rates rise, our savings attributable to reduced electricity purchases will only increase.
Contribution Request
In consideration of the cost of this project and its long-term benefit to GJC and the community, we are asking that you consider a donation to make you a leading supporter. Your leadership contribution would help us attract additional donations and meet our goal of completing fundraising by early summer. In the coming days a Synagogue representative will reach out to you to answer any questions that you may have and discuss your potential contribution.
Upon the conclusion of the project, major contributors will be honored by inclusion on a permanent display in the education building. In addition, for each $3,600 donation, contributors will be invited to name a solar panel in honor of friends and family. Contributions to this campaign will be tax deductible on the same basis as other donations to the synagogue.
We are humbled and deeply moved that for years you have supported the Germantown Jewish Centre. Your efforts have immeasurably contributed to our standing today as one of the most inclusive, diverse, and forward-thinking centers of Jewish education and worship in America. Since our founding in 1936, it has been progressive and visionary leadership that has brought us to where we are today. We hope you will agree that our commitment to aid in the effort to counter global warming as we propose, in addition to being a sound financial decision, is in keeping with our history and priorities. It is the right thing to do — for us, for our children, and for us all.
The GJC Solar Initiative: Frequently Asked Questions
Why install solar panels rather than purchase “clean” electricity?
- Once the installation is paid for, the electricity produced by the panels will be at virtually no cost. Our savings will grow as the cost of electricity rises.
- The money we save on electricity can be applied to synagogue programs.
- Many of our congregants have suggested installing solar panels to demonstrate our commitment to Tikun Olam, repairing the world. Generating our own electricity visibly demonstrates our commitment to fight global warming.
- Clean energy sourced elsewhere typically requires land to be developed (e.g. installing wind turbines or solar farms on undeveloped land). Our solar cells will use space that is already developed.
- Generating electricity on site eliminates loss during distribution and transmission over the grid, reduces the over burden on the grid, and should make more power available to others.
What will the solar panel project cost?
- The first part of the project will be to replace the current roof of the education building, which has outlived its life expectancy and is uninsulated, with a new efficient roof. This will cost approximately $130,000. The solar array will cost approximately $143,000. The total initial cost will therefore be about $273,000. However, once the solar panels are working we will qualify for a payment from the federal government under the Inflation Reduction Act. The final cost will be reduced to approximately $233,000 for both the new roof and the solar array.
Will the synagogue save money with this project?
- At the current rate for electricity, the synagogue will save over $5,500/year on electricity purchases, which is equal to about 50% of the annual cost of electricity for the education building. Our savings will increase as PECO raises electricity rates. These savings do not include the reduced cost of heating the education building with a new, insulated roof. We cannot quantify these additional savings but anticipate that they will be meaningful. In addition, GJC will be granted Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECs), which are financial instruments issued at the state level enabling us to earn money for the electricity generated by our solar panels. At current SREC market prices, these would generate $3,000 in revenue, for a total of approximately $8,500 of financial benefit each year.
How long will it take for the solar panels to pay for themselves?
- Once the system is working the synagogue will receive a payment from the federal government of 30% of the cost of the solar system. We will also receive annual payments from PECO under Pennsylvania law (Solar Renewable Energy Certificates). These payments will reduce the payback period to approximately 12 years at today’s electricity rates. This period will be reduced as electricity rates increase.
Do our financial estimates account for weather and equipment deterioration?
- Yes. Our electricity production estimates are individualized based on the historical measures of the amount of sunlight exposure for the education building roof and reflect the anticipated rate of reduced generation due to degradation of the panels over their 25-year lifespan.
How long should the panels last, and do they come with a guarantee?
- The life expectancy of the panels is 25 to 30 years.
- There is a 10-year warranty on the installation and the system from the vendor, Solar States.
- There is a 25-year manufacturer warranty on the panels.
Will the panels require maintenance?
- Solar panels are exceptionally durable, requiring minimal care. To maintain peak performance, they might benefit from periodic washing. They will be inspected annually.
Will the solar panels be visible from ground level?
- No. The parapet surrounding the education building roof will prevent them from being seen.
When will the project be completed?
- We anticipate that the solar panels will be operational within approximately 18 months of when we contract with the vendor.
How will the synagogue raise the money for the Solar Initiative?
- Primarily by asking our generous and supportive members for contributions. In addition, a fundraising concert by G’vanim is planned for late May. We will supplement the campaign with additional fundraising efforts as needed.
Will contributions to the Solar Initiative be Tax Deductible?
- Contributions will be tax deductible on the same basis as other donations to GJC.
Does GJC plan additional projects to save money and protect the environment?
- Yes. Among the projects planned is the replacement of the antiquated and unreliable HVAC system in the Sanctuary Building with a much more reliable and efficient system. The Green Team meets regularly to discuss recommendations with the Board and welcomes new participants and ideas.
Will contributors to the GJC Solar Initiative be recognized?
- Yes. All contributors will be listed in the Centre Call.
- Contributors who donate $3,600 or more will be invited to name a panel. The names of contributors at this level will also be included on a permanent display in the education school building.