 Article published May 25, 2005 May 25, 2005 Nuns using alternative energy in mission of ‘stewardship'
The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur take seriously what God said in the Book of Genesis about mankind having stewardship over the Earth. According to Sister Lorraine Connell, that means using the Earth's resources wisely and not consuming them without putting back something in return. Good stewardship — along with economic and humanitarian factors — is behind the Roman Catholic religious order's commitment to switching over to greener energy resources at its nursing and assisted-living homes in Worcester and using the sun to provide electricity for its 25 missions in some of the poorest sections of Africa. The sisters have linked up with Sustainable Energy Solutions Inc. of Northboro to build a prototype solar electricity site in Ipswich. Construction is expected to start soon. The company and the sisters are testing how the sun can be used to generate electricity at its African missions through the use of solar panels and photovoltaic cells. Sister Connell, who is general treasurer for the order, said when people doubt they will succeed, she urges them to “have faith.” The sisters as women of faith said they believe they will succeed. “God will provide,” she said. The sisters previously worked with the Northboro company to install cogeneration equipment at the Notre Dame nursing and assisted-living homes located off Plantation Street. They bought and installed equipment to provide electricity and heat from the same basic source. Carol Smith, director of plant operations at the 123-bed nursing and assisted-living homes, said they have saved a lot of money since the cogeneration equipment was installed about a year ago. She did not have exact figures, but said, “Some months, the trash removal fee is higher than the electrical bill.” NSTAR, which provides gas for the cogeneration, also gave Notre Dame a one-time rebate check for about $80,000 for use of alternative energy source, she said. Ms. Smith said the cogeneration equipment is like an engine that gives off heat. The facility gets not only electricity for part of its operation, but also the heat is harnessed and used to heat the buildings. “It's been an incredibly wonderful success,” she said. Ms. Smith said she is also looking forward to seeing the success with the sisters' new photovoltaic cell project. “It's really wonderful that the Catholic Church, an ancient institution, is in the forefront of new technology and energy conservation,” said Cameron Carey, president of Sustainable Energy Solutions. The work at the Worcester site caused Sister Connell to discuss the energy needs at the African missions, she said. “I have a problem,” she told the Sustainable Energy Solution people. They in turn offered the solar solution, she said. The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, who also operate Notre Dame Academy in Worcester, was founded in France in 1804 to educate poor girls. The order's mission has expanded in the last 200 years beyond education and into health care, missions and other works where the sisters see a need. Sister Connell said her religious order has missions in some cities and in rural places in Africa, but these are developing countries where reliable electricity just is not available. Water is often dirty, and the sisters have to spend time and money boiling and processing water before they can drink it. There is often no electricity to run their computers, and in places where they have medical clinics, they cannot properly refrigerate food or medicines. One use of the sun-generated power is to operate a water purification system that will save the sisters time and money, she said. The pilot project will be located at Cuvilly School in the Jeffreys Neck section of Ipswich. They will test the photovoltaic system to see how it operates and in applications such as lighting some spaces in the school. Sister Connell said the order is ready to commit $4 million to make the solar energy system work in all its missions. The sisters are starting small, with sites in Congo and Nigeria, which Sister Connell said are most in need of electricity. They expect to expand from there. Original plans were to bring two sisters from Congo and Nigeria to the United States to learn how to use and maintain the system. “If something goes wrong, they have to know how to fix it,” she said, but “visas have been impossible to get.” The United States seems reluctant to admit people from Africa on a temporary basis for fear they will not leave, she said. A team from the religious order is now expected to go to Africa for the training. Copyright Worcester Telegram & Gazette Corp. |