Alliance turns to renewable electricity sources

The Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island expects to begin to get 100% of its electricity from renewable sources in the second quarter of 2020.

The board of directors gave the green light to proceed with these plans at its November meeting.

The organization will to work with a developer on an offsite solar array in an as-yet-to-be determined place in Rhode Island. That’s according to Dan Hamel, chief financial officer.

“We aren’t going to have solar panels on the roof,” he said. “This is a state program developed to allow municipalities, housing cooperatives and nonprofits to take advantage of renewable energy.”

The expected savings from what is called remote net metering will be $45,000 per year.

The Alliance brokered the deal to allow for other Jewish agencies and nonprofits to participate in the program as well.

The Alliance continues to make other environmentally positive changes including those at the Dwares Jewish Community Center in Providence where it is working toward receiving the Hazon Seal of Sustainability. The Hazon Seal is an annual program that recognizes progress on a Jewish institution’s sustainability journey. It is issued by Hazon,  the largest faith-based environmental organization in the United States.