Image courtesy, Positive Energy Solar

Pledge below. HSFF staff will contact you in upcoming weeks.

2026 Pledges for the Solar Campaign
Greg and Patricia Walke
David and Julie Coates
Michael Seay

Solar Project Proposal
Historic Santa Fe Foundation’s Board is pleased to announce that we are working with Positive Energy Solar (Positive Energy) to pursue solar power for HSFF’s Welcome Center and offices. The first step in the process was to engage Positive Energy Solar – a local solar company and member of Amicus, a cooperative of the most reputable, values-driven independent solar companies operating in almost every US state – for evaluation and a proposal. Positive Energy was the company that collaborated with Cornerstones Community Partnerships and San Miguel Chapel to provide the panels that now generate the electricity for this historic building, and has worked with other historic structures in the downtown area. We have the initial proposal and the next step is to conduct the electrical and structural engineering to evaluate El Zaguán’s capacity.

Feasibility Study
The bid includes the structural and electrical engineering costs. Engineering is the first step to establish the total feasibility of the project and will include drawings and reporting. Provided that we can handle the capacity for all panels required to power both the Welcome Center and offices, HSFF will need to move ahead expeditiously.

Why now?
HSFF is working with a tight deadline to start the process. There is a federal government rebate that covers 30% of the project. This program for rebates to nonprofits is called Direct Pay which provides a check upon completion of the project. However, the project must be started by July 4, 2026 with some purchase of the components. Our timeline to complete the project will be 2-9 months depending on permitting and historic approval.

As with all solar installations, the benefits outweigh the cost over time. The solar panels will require little maintenance and replacement parts and no additional repair costs for many years. We anticipate that our return on investment will be achieved in 10-12 years. The longevity of the panels and components far exceed this timeline as the panels have a 25-year product warranty and a 35-year production warranty.

How can you help?
We are initially conducting electrical and structural engineering to evaluate the amount of solar panels our roofs and electrical system can accommodate. We are delighted to announce that our long-time Board Director Greg Walke and his wife Patricia Walke have supported Phase I with a generous donation of $5,000.

We now ask you to pledge your support for this campaign. The envelope enclosed has a location to mark a pledge to the solar campaign. This donation is not sent in at this time. HSFF staff will reach out upon the completion of the engineering survey to confirm your donation.

The budget for this campaign is approximately $85,000. We ask you to pledge what you can to this worthwhile project. HSFF’s El Zaguán will become a model, joining historic San Miguel Chapel, for historic structures in downtown Santa Fe and beyond in support of more sustainable practices and saving money on electrical bills. These savings can be more effectively used in worthwhile educational and preservation efforts.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!