San Diego, CA
Located in the beautiful Rancho Bernardo community of San Diego, San Rafael Parish is a vibrant spiritual home to thousands of families. Operating a large, modern church campus—complete with a majestic sanctuary, expansive fellowship halls, administrative offices, and religious education facilities—requires a massive, constant flow of electricity for lighting, climate control, and audio-visual systems. To honor its commitment to environmental stewardship and fiscal responsibility, San Rafael Parish partnered with Stellar Solar Commercial in September 2016 to deploy a high-capacity rooftop solar system designed to slash operational overhead.
Designing a solar solution for a prominent faith-based institution requires a sophisticated understanding of unique architectural requirements and fluctuating energy loads. Stellar Solar Commercial engineered a robust, high-performance system that respects the sacred space of the campus while delivering maximum energy yield from its extensive sun-drenched rooftops.
The technical architecture of the San Rafael Parish installation features:
-400 High-Efficiency Modules: This expansive array of four hundred panels was meticulously configured across multiple roof faces to capture the peak San Diego sun, turning the parish’s real estate into a powerful energy-generating asset.
-SolarEdge Inverter Technology: To manage the substantial power conversion and ensure maximum efficiency, we utilized advanced SolarEdge inverters. By pairing these with panel-level power optimizers, the system mitigates any loss from shade or marine layers, providing granular monitoring and redundant reliability.
-127.58 kW Installed Capacity: Placed into service in September 2016, this 127.58 kW system is a heavy-duty energy asset, engineered to offset a massive portion of the parish’s daily electrical load and shield it from rising utility costs.
For a non-profit organization, electricity is often one of the largest and most volatile overhead expenses. By generating its own clean power on-site, San Rafael Parish has effectively reclaimed control over its budget. In the 2026 energy landscape, where SDG&E rates for religious institutions have reached historic highs, the foresight of this 2016 installation has transformed into a critical financial shield.
Every kilowatt-hour produced by the sun is a kilowatt-hour the parish does not have to purchase from the utility at premium peak rates. This creates a permanent, sustainable stream of capital savings that can be redirected directly back into the church’s core mission, supporting:
-Religious Education and Youth Ministry: Enhancing programs for children, teens, and young adults.
-Community Outreach and Charity: Expanding the reach of parish-led initiatives that serve the vulnerable in San Diego.
-Facility Preservation: Maintaining the beauty and integrity of the sanctuary and campus grounds for future generations.
Since 1998, Stellar Solar Commercial has been the preferred partner for California’s churches, synagogues, and non-profits. We understand that these sensitive projects require a unique level of transparency, professional care, and respect for the active campus environment. Our 28-year history is built on helping mission-driven organizations achieve energy independence with expert engineering and $0-down financing options.
Our in-house team handles the entire lifecycle of these 100kW+ projects—from initial structural roof analysis and electrical engineering to navigating complex utility interconnection and state-specific incentive programs. We specialize in working within “live” church environments, ensuring that services, school schedules, and daily parish operations remain undisturbed during the construction phase.
As we move through 2026, the strategy for faith-based solar has evolved to include Solar + Battery Storage. For large campuses like San Rafael Parish, adding a battery system provides an extra layer of resilience, allowing the facility to store excess daytime energy for use during evening services and fellowship events, further insulating the organization from peak-hour utility surcharges.
Stellar Solar Commercial continues to lead this energy revolution, helping California’s faith leaders build a resilient, low-cost energy future. We turn high utility overhead into a sustainable tool for spiritual and community growth.
If your parish, synagogue, or non-profit is ready to follow the lead of San Rafael Parish and reclaim control over your energy future, contact Stellar Solar Commercial today at 866.787.6527. We provide comprehensive, free site evaluations to help your organization shine.