The 686kW photovoltaic system at Casas Church is the largest solar installation in Oro Valley.  It is composed of two shade structures built over children's play yards, and a 2 acre ground mounted array.  In order to install this array TFS relocated hundreds of protected cacti and ran electrical underground through a wash to the main campus.

"We decided to go solar for two reasons," says Casas spokesperson Seth Kreimeyer-Kelly.  "The primary one was that we recognized the economic sense that [solar] made for our church.  We're always trying to be wise with our finances and using solar energy seems to be a way to do that."  

The Casas Church system will produce over 1,099,000kWh each year, covering 80-85% of the facility's electrical needs.  By installing this system through a Solar Services Agreement Casas Church will have a fixed electric rate for the next 15 years that is less than what they currently pay TEP for conventional energy.  The system will ultimately save the church an estimated $2-2.5M in the first 25 years of operation. 
 
In addition to the financial savings, the church decided to pursue solar for environmental stewardship reasons.  Kreimeyer-Kelly said, "we believe it to be a spiritual thing to be conscious of the earth and environment as God's creation and when we can feasibly find ways to do so we happily want to participate." Each month the solar system will offset over 105,000 lbs of coal from being burned, 222,800 lbs of CO2 from being emitted into the atmosphere and allow 52,500 gal of water to be conserved.