Desert Garden United Church of Christ (UCC), in partnership with RE-volv, recently held a solar energy celebration for its new 47-kW solar array, sized to generate 100% of the church’s energy needs.
The celebration of the church in Sun City West, Arizona, included a ribbon-cutting ceremony, brief remarks from the church pastor, installer Capital Energy and financier RE-volv.
“Our decision to go solar represents our commitment to preserving and protecting God’s beautiful creation through being good stewards of our environment and community,” said Pastor Bill of Desert Garden UCC. “We’re honored to serve as an example for Arizona congregations and nonprofits, showcasing the benefits of solar energy and the ease of transitioning with zero-down financing options, like RE-volv’s, and federal solar tax incentives.”
The $14,000 estimated yearly solar savings will enable the church to deepen their impact in the community. In 2024, the church donated over $25,000 and regularly volunteered to support local community-serving initiatives from supporting at-risk youth to helping homeless seniors find housing. Specific initiatives include promoting accessible transportation through its Cycles of Kindness bike program that collects used bicycles, repairing them and donating them to schools in low-income communities and homeless shelters. Desert Gardens also supports hunger relief through hosting regular citrus gleanings and donating produce to St. Mary’s Food Bank.
“With its year-round abundance of sun, Arizona could be the solar capital of the country,” said State Senator Lauren Kuby of District 8. “This investment at Desert Garden United Church of Christ represents proactive movement toward a clean energy future. And they are not alone. Places of worship across the State are modeling how solar is good for our communities and our wallets.”
News item from RE-volv