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Gem City Catfé – OH

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Dayton cat rescue adopts solar energy

By: Gabe Hutchison

Gem City Catfé in Dayton, Ohio, opened its doors in 2018 with the goal of advocating for rescue cats and animal welfare in a new and engaging way. The business is part coffee shop, part cat rescue, and has been powered by solar energy since 2023.

“Every cat café is set up a little differently,” explained owner Karin Gudal. “For ours, we do have a full coffee bar, and our cat lounge is a separate entrance.” Customers can enjoy the space as a regular coffee shop, while observing the adoptable cats through a glass partition, or interact with them directly in the enclosed lounge. The Catfé’s nonprofit partner, Gem City Kitties—where Karin serves as Executive Director—oversees the intake, care, and adoption process.

In the six years since they opened, Karin has observed an uptick in solar adoption in the Dayton area. This community momentum got her interested in solar for her business. “We are also unusually set up well for it because we do not have any gas so everything at our facility is electric,” she added. The Catfé participated in the Solar United Neighbors Miami Valley Solar Co-op which helped them install an 11.78-kilowatt (kW) array in 2023. The initial cost was $40,000. Through the solar co-op, they received a discount on their system and were connected with a vetted, local installer selected by the group.

To further reduce their upfront expenses, the business utilized the solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which was increased to 30% by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in 2022. The ITC saved the Catfé $12,000. For Karin, this was essential. “I don’t think it would have been affordable for us to do it [otherwise],” she explained. “The payoff would have been much longer, so it would have been harder to sink all of that money in.” Thanks to the ITC, Karin estimates a 7-year payback period, making solar a prudent investment for the business.

The system is providing a valuable financial cushion. Since its installation, energy prices have gone up and they have nearly doubled their hours of operation. Because they now produce their own power, their operating budget has not been strained by these changes. “The fact that our bill did not go up at all with the utility increases and with our hours being longer … is a large impact for us,” said Karin. Solar savings have helped her take the rising cost of goods and labor in stride. “We have done staff raises and it has allowed us to pay for the increases from all of our suppliers,” she shared.

Supported by the IRA incentive that made solar financially accessible, Gem City Catfé has secured valuable energy savings that are allowing their operation and mission to thrive. By going solar, they’re able to serve more coffee and more cats in need.

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