In mid-June of this year, St. Luke's first solar facility was installed on the south-facing rooftop of the new garage building immediately west of Luke's Lodge. This solar facility consists of 45 solar panels, each capable of generating 565 watts of electricity in the form of direct current. Thus, the total output capacity of the solar facility is 25.43 kW. On an annual basis, the solar facility is projected to be capable of providing 32,700 kilowatt-hours of electricity (after conversion to alternating current), which is approximately 69% of the electricity consumed by Luke's Lodge.

We do not have data available yet on actual performance of the new solar facility. However, we expect that its current performance will be great since it started operation in early summer, which is the period of longest daily sunlight and, thus, greatest daily solar electricity output. We will follow up this report in another month or two once we have reliable data available on electricity generation by the solar facility.

For our Creation Care Ministry, the most gratifying aspect of this new solar facility is the knowledge that its operation is now taking a small bite out of the carbon emissions that have resulted in the past from usage of fossil fuel-generated electricity to supply the needs of Luke's Lodge. This solar facility represents another small step toward achieving carbon neutrality for operations at St. Luke's North Campus. Achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 is the overall goal for St. Luke's pursuant to the Carbon Neutrality Strategic Plan approved by the Governing Board in late August. We still have a long way to go!

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