Solar Install Completed At Peninsula Sinai Congregation
Located in Foster City, CA, Peninsula Sinai Congregation is an active, participatory, and diverse community in which people feel a sense of connection and friendship with one another. Members come from all backgrounds, to form an embracing, warm, egalitarian, and Jewishly committed community. PSC has also been committed to sustainability and minimizing its impact on the environment over the past several years, which is why they decided to take the initiative and get solar panels installed along with energy storage systems.
About The Solar Installation
43.2 kW solar
3 Tesla Powerwall 2 batteries with integrated inverters
Roof mount system
SunPower Solar modules
SolarEdge inverters
Project included a 10-Year Production Guarantee provided by the Contractor
Solar installation contractor: Luminalt
Installation completed: December 2021
Contractor Quote:
“Not only did Peninsula Sinai want to reduce their carbon footprint, but they also wanted to have a place where the lights, internet, kitchen, and outlets are always on and available to their community, even during power outages. Creating this type of safe haven has become especially important during this era when PG&E power outages have become more prevalent. I don't think the Congregation would have installed their solar + battery backup system without SDC's financing. It just wouldn't have penciled out.”
Zach Sharpe, Solar Consultant, Luminalt
Customer Quote:
“For several years, Peninsula Sinai Congregation (PSC) has been committed to the principle of "repairing the world" - looking for ways to make the world a better place for all of us to live in. After achieving Green Certification from San Mateo County, PSC looked for additional ways to reduce our impact on the environment, and solar power became an obvious direction to head in. With the support and encouragement of California Interfaith Power and Light (CIPL), the congregation expanded their effort to include backup-battery storage, so that their site could function as a Resiliency Center or Evacuation Center in the event of a community-wide crisis such as the power shut-downs that Northern California has experienced over the last few summers.
After the congregation made the commitment to pursuing a solar/battery installation, the next key decision centered around financing. The aim was to keep the out-of-pocket cost at break-even vs. charges from PG&E for the first ten years of the installation. A key component to this was to capture the Investment Tax Credit offered by the federal government. As a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization, PSC has no income tax liability to be offset by the tax credit. By utilizing the financing supplied by Sand Hill Development (SDC), the congregation's net cost was reduced as a result of SDC's capture of the tax credit, and the installation became more affordable. Working with SDC and their own bank, Peninsula Sinai was able to structure payments for its system at a level just below the cost of buying power from PG&E. After 10 years, when the system is fully paid for, power will be essentially free for the balance of the life of the system.
Peninsula Sinai Congregation's solar panels and Powerwall batteries have been up and running for just over a month now. The installation went smoothly, and the power cost savings, along with the benefit to our environment, are an exciting benefit for PSC and our world. The congregation is looking forward to many years of worry-free operations, at least from an electric power perspective.”
Allan Jaffe, 1st Vice President, Peninsula Sinai Congregation
This is just one of many projects we’ve completed in the recent past with many more in the works. If you’re interested in investing in one of these projects, reach out to us and we’ll discuss your options.
