Lafayette Urban Ministry (LUM) is officially solar powered thanks in part to a $10,000 EnviroWatts grant. On Jan. 14, Lafayette Urban Ministry held a “Flip the Switch” ceremony celebrating the completion of its solar power project.
LUM Executive Director Joe Micon said the new solar array will potentially save thousands of dollars in energy costs. Those savings combined with revenue from trading Renewable Energy Certificates will be reinvested into the more than 40 churches and 15 programs that serve as a social safety net for Lafayette children and families.
“They saw a neat, educational component in this where they could pass on to the next generation their own passion for renewable energy,” Micon said.
SUPPORTING ENERGY FROM RENEWABLE SOURCES
Tipmont REMC members who sign up for EnviroWatts support environmental projects in our community by electing to pay a small premium of one cent per kilowatt-hour on their electric bill for renewable energy. The maximum contribution is $5 per month per account.
Each extra penny per kilowatt-hour goes into the EnviroWatts Trust Fund overseen by a board of volunteer Tipmont members that distributes grants to not-for-profit organizations in the Tipmont service area. EnviroWatts has contributed over $709,000 in environmental grants since 2003.