One goal of the Climate Witness Committee is to minimize fossil-fuel use at MtToby by replacing heating from oil by heating from air-source heat pumps, themselves powered by solar energy. The Committee obtained estimates for the heat pumps and solar panels, obtained a general go-ahead from the meeting for business, applied to New England Yearly Meeting for a grant, and did the fundraising in Mount Toby to raise the approximately $80,000 in gifts and zero-interest loans for the initial capital outlay, plus more for anticipated overruns. The system is expected to pay itself off in 8 years or so by substantial reductions on what we currently pay for oil and electricity, and by getting SRECs for the energy generated by the solar panels..
Application to NEYM grant program – This application provides a good description of the history, goals, and prospects of the project. This resulted in a $10,000 grant from NEYM for our project.
A trifold display was created and taken to the NEYM sessions to give Friends a summary of the project:
To see a larger image of the trifold (too big to fit on the screen so you will have to use your browser to enlarge it and view it all) to read the text, click here.
The heat pumps have been installed, and the solar panels, on a stand which will rotate and tilt to face the sun, will come this fall. Alice Swift has taken photos of some of the heat pumps inside the building and some of the condenser units outside.
Meeting Room
Champney Room
Nursery
Outside the Champney Room
Outside the Meetingroom
At the rear of the building
Fellowship Room (on the ceiling)