Capitola is celebrating a solar and battery storage project on the roof of the Capitola branch of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries — a sustainability effort long in the making.
In the past decade, nine of the 10 Santa Cruz public library branches have been renovated or rebuilt. The renovations were supported through Measure S, a voter-approved tax measure placed on the June 2016 ballot to support the construction of modern, accessible library infrastructure.
The Friends of the Capitola Library had planned for solar panels on the roof in the original design for the library, which opened in 2021. But during construction, the installation was delayed because there wasn’t enough money in the budget.
But the Friends didn’t give up. For years, the organization’s volunteers sold books at its used bookstore in the Capitola Mall to raise money. That funding, plus donations from the community and contributions from the city and Santa Cruz Public Libraries, covered the cost of the approximately $500,000 solar and battery storage project.
The project is the first public building in Capitola to achieve energy neutrality. SCPL said it will save more than $30,000 annually in energy bills.
“We’re thrilled that this is an infrastructure project that is all about resiliency and clean energy, and it obviously is going to save some money for the library system, which we support,” said Sarah Beck, executive director of the Friends of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries.
Community members are invited to the ribbon-cutting at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Capitola Branch Library, 2005 Wharf Rd.
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