On March 11, 2010, St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church signed a contract with Meridian Solar for the installation of a 32.67 kW solar carport system. The initiative is named the Charles Kolodzey Solar Project in honor of the late Charles Kolodzey, a beloved parishioner who donated the money through an estate gift. The church will be the first Catholic parish in the Catholic Diocese of Austin to make a move to solar and the project will be the largest Catholic installation in Texas. Meridian Solar, an Austin based company specializing in the design and installation of solar arrays will begin the installation in early April 2010.
With the solar panels, St. Catherine parish will be utilizing a 100 percent renewable energy source, allowing for the conservation of the planet’s resources. According to Meridian Solar, the parish will help offset over 32 tons of CO2 emissions per year, which is the equivalent of planting 2,500 trees. In addition, this system will avoid producing other pollutants including soot, mercury, nitrogen oxide, and sulphur dioxide.
St. Catherine of Siena’s pastor Father Pat Coakley on the solar initiative, “I was appointed pastor of St. Catherine of Siena in 2008 and at that time I made the decision that we as a parish need to think about our responsibility to take care of the environment. We began by implementing recycling programs around the parish and making purchasing decisions based on environmental considerations. We also began using bio-degradable products and we are trying to reduce our carbon footprint one step at a time. With so much focus on taking care of the environment we have been inspired by the words of Pope Benedict inviting us to do our part. The Charles Kolodzey Solar Project makes a positive statement about how seriously we feel about being responsible citizens of the earth. This project also makes good financial sense today as well, especially with the cost of energy projected to increase significantly in the future. This is just the beginning and we look to the future for new opportunities to develop and grow our energy.”
Currently the parish is looking into a number of environmental projects including xeriscaping and rain water collection.
“We are proud to be part of St. Catherine of Siena’s solar initiative; this will be a fantastic installation with high visibility to not only those within the parish but to everyone who travels along Convict Hill Road in Austin. This installation will be visible from the street and will serve as a powerful symbol of St. Catherine’s commitment to environmental stewardship” said Andrew McCalla, CEO of Meridian Solar, the company responsible for the design and installation of the system.