The Boulder Jewish Community Center has completed a major rooftop solar installation at its LEED-certified campus at 6007 Oreg Ave. This project significantly advances the organization’s long-standing commitment to sustainability.
The 306 kW DC solar project, completed in late 2025, was developed in partnership with Namaste Solar, an employee-owned cooperative. The new system, made up of 614 panels, expanded on an existing 67 kW rooftop array, together supplying approximately 80% of BJCC’s annual electricity needs.
This solar milestone was made possible by a collaborative funding effort. A $523,143 grant from the City of Boulder’s Community Culture, Resilience, and Safety Tax Program set the project in motion. Additional support came from Boulder County’s PACE program, Xcel Energy’s Solar
Rewards, a loan from the Adamah Climate Action Fund, and gifts from dedicated community donors. By leveraging these partners alongside anticipated federal IRA incentives, the project’s cost was largely covered, reducing financial barriers for the Boulder JCC as a nonprofit.
In addition to the environmental benefits, the solar investment is expected to deliver approximately $1.8 million in total lifetime savings, including:
• $1,424,000 in estimated utility savings over 30 years
• $374,000 in estimated Xcel Energy Renewable Energy Credit (REC) income over
• a 20-year agreement
Those savings will be reinvested directly into Boulder JCC’s mission-driven programming.
“Sustainability is woven into the fabric of the Boulder JCC,” said BJCC’s Executive Director Jonathan Lev. “This solar project allows us to lead by example, educating our community while ensuring that our operational savings go directly toward our mission-driven programming.”
The project also delivers tangible economic benefits locally. 31 Namaste Solar employees, from designers and engineers to project managers and installers, contributed to the project, supporting good-paying clean energy jobs and strengthening the regional clean energy economy.
“We selected Namaste Solar because they’ve been doing this work for decades,” Lev said. “They started right here in Boulder, they are employee-owned, and they have built a reputation rooted in high-quality work and conscientious business practices.”
The Boulder JCC campus is a recognized leader in sustainability. The main building is LEED-certified, and the Milk and Honey Farm operates as a net-zero facility, with 100% of its energy needs met through on-site renewable generation.
“Our goal has always been to offset as much of our energy use as possible by fully utilizing our available roof space,” said Becca Gan Levy, farm and sustainability director. “Decarbonizing the grid is a critical priority, and this project achieves that while significantly lowering our operating expenses. Ultimately, these savings allow us to direct more resources into education, food access, and community-building, modeling what climate responsibility looks like in practice.”
“Investing in local renewable energy projects helps strengthen our community while reducing long-term energy costs for organizations that serve Boulder community members,” said City of Boulder’s city manager, Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde.
“Through the CCRS Tax Grant Program, projects like this expand access to clean, locally generated power and demonstrate how targeted public investment can advance Boulder’s climate and sustainability goals.”
For Namaste Solar, the partnership is a natural fit.
“Working with an organization like the Boulder JCC is exactly why Namaste Solar exists,” said Alicia Creighton, co-owner and commercial project developer at Namaste Solar. “As a Certified B Corporation, supporting a mission-driven non-profit that prioritizes sustainability, aligns perfectly with our values.”
In addition to installing the new system, the BJCC has signed a five-year operations and maintenance agreement with Namaste Solar covering both the new array and its existing solar installation to ensure long-term performance and reliability.
