Tour highlights Bucks County Audubon Society’s innovative solar project

Solebury Township, PA – Local elected officials and residents joined leaders from the nonprofit environmental group PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center, the Bucks County Audubon Society, and Exact Solar for an informative tour of the Audubon Society’s innovative solar project at their Honey Hollow Environmental Education Center. The tour was held to educate Bucks County residents about the benefits of solar energy and steps they can take to go solar.

PennEnvironment joins partners, residents, and local leaders for a tour of the solar array at the Bucks County Audubon SocietyPhoto by TPIN | TPIN

“There’s never been a better time for Pennsylvanians to use the power of the sun to electrify their operations,” said Flora Cardoni, deputy director for PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center. “Plentiful sunlight shines down everyday, and now with generous solar incentives more Pennsylvania residents, businesses, and nonprofits just need to take advantage of them.” 

PennEnvironment Deputy Director Flora Cardoni addresses crowd at Bucks County Audubon Solar TourPhoto by TPIN | TPIN

In 2020, the Bucks County Audubon Society worked with Exact Solar to install a rooftop solar array on their Honey Hollow Environmental Education Center. The array is large enough to offset more than 100 percent of the electricity needed to meet the needs of the organization and of the family that occupies a house on the property. This is not only saving the nonprofit money on its utility bills, but as of late April 2025, the system has produced 178 megawatt-hours of electricity. This is equivalent to having saved 110 metric tons of CO2, or the amount of CO2 sequestered by 1800 new trees over their first 10 years!

The solar panels on the roof of our Visitor Center have become a real draw since we installed them a few years ago,” said Bucks Audubon Executive Director Michael Celec. “They are now part of our beautiful historic site, as a conversation-starter, a striking visual presence, and an educational tool. Our solar panels are so effective and well placed that we are proud to say we pour power back into the grid. We are so grateful to the people that believed in this project and supported it when we proposed this idea.”

Audubon Executive Director Mike Celec addresses attendees at the solar tourPhoto by TPIN | Shutterstock.com

At the same time, the solar array is delivering significant savings to the Bucks County Audubon Society on their monthly electricity bill. The system has added many kilowatt-hours of excess electricity to the PECO grid during its operation which has provided the group with much needed additional income.

 Other nonprofits that want to follow suit have the added benefit of being able to tap into federal solar energy tax credits that can dramatically lower the price tag for going solar.

“After working in the solar industry for the last five years, the reality is that people install solar if the economics make sense,” said Aaron Nichols, Research and Policy Specialist with Exact Solar. “Thanks to the American Clean Energy Tax Credits, the economics make more sense than ever. Projects like this are being built nationwide, giving thousands of Americans freedom of choice over their energy and dramatically lowering their cost of living.” 

Aaron Nichols from Exact Solar speaks at PennEnvironment and Bucks County Audubon’s Solar TourPhoto by TPIN | TPIN

Solar energy is abundant, efficient and increasingly affordable. 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 of our electricity grid, and allows nonprofits to save money on their utility bills which they can then put towards their important social change missions.

Solar panels also increase a community’s energy resilience during extreme weather events, especially since solar panels combined with batteries can be independent from the grid, meaning the lights stay on during power outages.

“Solebury Township is proud to have this exemplary solar installation within the community,” said Township Supervisor John Francis. “Solar is perhaps the most practical way for any facility owner to impact our community carbon footprint. Over 50% of the Greenhouse Gases produced by our local community is attributable to buildings. If businesses and households in Solebury could increase the use of solar energy generation, we’d be well on our way to improving the sustainability of our community environment. Let’s use the Audubon installation here as a prime example of how to do that.”

Solebury Township Supervisor John Francis speaks at the Bucks County Audubon Solar TourPhoto by TPIN | TPIN

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

*** 

Resources: 

• Clean Energy Home Toolkit: Guides & resources for weatherizing your home, cutting energy bills, buying an electric car, and information on financial incentives

###

The PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center is dedicated to protecting our air, water and open spaces. We work to protect the places we love, advance the environmental values we share, and win real results for our environment. For more information, visit www.pennenvironmentcenter.org.