Local tour highlights innovative solar project at Mount Joy’s Shelmar Acres Farm

Mount Joy, PA – Local officials, including Pennsylvania State Representative Tom Jones, and residents joined leaders from Shelmar Acres Farm, Twilight Renewables, and the nonprofit environmental group PennEnvironment for an informative tour of the farm’s innovative solar project. The tour was held to educate Mount Joy residents about the benefits of solar energy and how they can go solar if interested.

“There’s never been a better time for farms to use the power of the sun to electrify their businesses,” said Hanna Felber, organizer for PennEnvironment. “Plentiful sunshine and generous solar incentives are here. Now more farms in Pennsylvania just need to take advantage of them.” 

PennEnvironment, State Representative Tom Jones, Twilight Renewables, and local residents and leaders join PennEnvironment for a tour of the solar array on Shelmar Acres Farm’s Hog BarnPhoto by TPIN | TPIN

In 2023, Shelmar Acres worked with Twilight Renewables to install a rooftop solar array large enough to offset 100 percent of the farm’s annual electricity usage. This is not only saving the farm money on its utility bills, but the array also eliminates tons of carbon emissions annually. 

“We started looking into solar as a business decision. Our farm operation runs on a very tight margin, and when electric prices started to rise, we were unsure how we would manage these additional costs,” stated Mitch Shellenberger from Shelmar Acres. “Our system generates 100% of our usage. After we pay the system off, we will really see the benefits and allocate those funds to growing our farm business.”

The solar array will deliver significant savings to the farm on their electricity bill to the tune of thousands of dollars a month. Other farms that want to follow suit have the added benefit of solar energy tax credits that can dramatically lower the price tag for going solar.

 “The Shelmar Acres solar project has been a great success on a few different levels: Financial, Relational, and Environmental,” said Twilight Renewables representative Brett Nolt. “Weaving these pillars into every project is extremely rewarding, and I am thankful for the relationship forged with Mitch & Harold Shellenberger.”

Solar energy is abundant, efficient and increasingly affordable, and farms are often great candidates for rooftop solar panels. Harnessing more energy from the sun would mean cleaner air, a more stable climate, less strain on natural resources, and an energy source we can depend on to be virtually pollution-free for as long as we can imagine. Plus, going solar increases energy independence and reliability and allows farms to save a ton of money on their utility bills.

“The stress on our electric grid is real,” emphasized Pennsylvania State Representative Tom Jones. “It’s great when we can come together regardless of political affiliation and actually have good conversations about options. Solar is one of those great options.”

Right now, Pennsylvania is currently ranked 26th in the nation for solar power. Farm leaders hope that their array can inspire other farms across Pennsylvania to follow their lead, choose clean energy, and help Pennsylvania become a solar leader.

PennEnvironment is holding events like this throughout the state to help spread the word about the benefits of going solar so that more houses of worship, nonprofits, businesses, and individuals can invest in a clean energy future too.