Lewisburg, PA church goes solar, lights the way for others to join the renewable energy future.

On Monday, February 3rd, religious leaders from St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, local elected officials, and community members joined PennEnvironment for an educational tour of the church’s rooftop solar array. Attendees learned about the benefits of going solar from Flora Cardoni, PennEnvironment Deputy Director, Cam Willison from Envinity Solar (who put the solar panels on St. Andrews’s rooftop), and Maggie Chappen, Senior Warden at St. Andrew’s. 

Senior Warden Chappen explained that the church utilized federal tax credits through the Inflation Reduction Act to install solar panels on their church’s rooftop in 2023 “for three reasons: financial, environment, and inspirational. And [they] have succeeded on all three aims.” 

St. Andrew’s 52 panel rooftop array covers 100% of the church’s energy usage, while also saving the church $3,000 on their utility bills each year. It also eliminates approximately 20 tons of carbon emissions annually.

Senior Warden Maggie Chappen in front of St. Andrew’s rooftop solar array.Photo by TPIN | TPIN

Flora Cardoni, PennEnvironment’s Deputy Director, explained to the attendees that “there’s never been a better time for houses of worship to use the power of the sun to electrify their congregations.” With federal tax credits now available for houses of worship and nonprofits, it’s the perfect time for more Pennsylvania churches, schools, residents and businesses to follow St. Andrew’s example and go solar.

Tour attendees gather for a photo in the sanctuary of St. Andrew’s after hearing about the benefits of going solar.Photo by TPIN | TPIN

By going solar, St. Andrew’s is living their values as stewards of the earth and practicing “creation care,” the commitment to caring for the earth and all life on it by reducing their climate impact. Maggie hopes their panels inspire others driving along Route 15 through Lewisburg to go solar themselves. She’s proud to be a part of the ripple effect. “If we can inspire 10 churches and those 10 churches can inspire 10 churches, we will try to add to the ripple effect and the more churches are able to do this the easier it’s going to get.”