March 28, 2024, Middleton, WI – Holy Wisdom Monastery is on track to produce 100% of its energy needs onsite from renewable resources by the end of 2024.
Solar Spring Tilt
90 volunteers are needed to help tilt the new ground-mounted solar panels at Holy Wisdom Monastery. Join the Benedictine sisters, who are known for their radical hospitality, ecumenical monastery and care for the earth efforts, to celebrate their net zero journey with the inaugural Spring Solar Tilt event on April 17 from 1:15-2:15 pm, followed by an optional tour of the land from 2:15-3:45 pm.
The new solar array at the monastery, made possible by funding from a third-party investor, is a major component of the net zero energy initiative. The 30-panel array can be tilted vertically or horizontally, depending on the season. The panels are currently in their more vertical position which helps to shed snow and catch the lower winter sun more efficiently. They must be manually hand-cranked by teams of three people into their flat spring/summer orientation. Individuals and teams from the community and local businesses are invited to be part of the inaugural tilt event as participants or spectators.
Our partners in installing these panels, Northwind Solar, Madison Solar consulting and Hoffman Planning, Design & Construction, Inc., will attend the event to celebrate this journey and answer questions about the initiative.
Net Zero Energy Initiative
The Net Zero Energy Initiative is the current sustainability project at the monastery and includes replacing a failing gas boiler with geothermal wells and using the new ground solar array and battery energy storage system (BESS) to operate the wells. Once the wells and BESS are operating, Holy Wisdom Monastery will be a net zero energy campus.
President Biden’s 2022 Inflation Reduction Act includes significant incentives for individuals, businesses, and organizations to invest in clean energy and help reduce their carbon footprint. Holy Wisdom Monastery plans to utilize these incentives once their net zero energy initiative is complete at the end of 2024. In addition, the monastery also secured a grant from the Wisconsin Office of Energy Innovation for $575,000. Donations for the project are being accepted at www.HolyWisdomMonastery.org.
Caring for the Earth
Established by the Benedictine sisters in 1953, Holy Wisdom Monastery is a retreat and meeting center and Benedictine monastery in Middleton, WI. The monastery is located on 130 acres of restored prairie, oak savanna and woodland overlooking Lake Mendota and the city of Madison. The sisters have a long history and commitment of caring for the earth. When their new monastery was built in 2009, to replace the original structure, it was awarded a Platinum Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification and was the highest rated building in the world for LEED Version 2.2 new construction at the time. Other sustainability/environmental projects include dredging 85,000 cubic yards of silt from a small glacial lake that acts as a filter for runoff heading for Lake Mendota, restoring native prairie and oak savanna, installing solar panels and creating nature trails.
“Long before ecological awareness was popular, monastic communities had a history of transforming landscapes. Such an investment and transformation does not take place by chance but presumes the combination of long-term communal commitment and love of the place. The sisters of Holy Wisdom Monastery have a deep respect for creation and carefully consider our impact on the earth. For more than 17 years, our goal has been to produce as much energy as we use and to become a net zero energy campus. By the end of 2024 we hope to reach that milestone,” shared Sister Mary David Walgenbach.
Awards
Holy Wisdom Monastery’s net zero energy initiative is receiving recognition for sustainable practices and the use of clean energy. The initiative is one of 13 projects on RENEW Wisconsin’s Clean Energy Honor Roll for 2023 and recently received a unanimous vote from the City of Middleton’s Sustainability Committee for the 2023 Sustainable Middleton Award. This award will be presented to the monastery at the April 16, 2024, meeting of the Middleton Common Council.
In a time of uncertainty and concern about climate change, Holy Wisdom Monastery continues to be an example of sustainability and land stewardship. We hope you will share in our efforts to care for the earth and join us on April 17. Please register at holywisdommonastery.org/event/spring-solar-tilt/
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Holy Wisdom Monastery is non-denominational and welcomes all. The mission is to weave prayer, hospitality, justice and care for the earth into a shared way of life. In addition to environmental education and volunteer opportunities, the monastery also offers spirituality programs, individual retreats, space for events, group meetings & retreats, weddings, memorial services and Christian church services every Sunday at 9:00 am. More information on Holy Wisdom Monastery is available at www.HolyWisdomMonastery.org.
Media Contact:
Carolyn McGinley, Director of Communications
Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Rd. M, Middleton, WI 53562
608-836-1631, x119; 608-209-2167; cmcginley@holywisdommonastery.org