The One Hope Community Church, based in North Philadelphia’s Hunting Park neighborhood, is set to solarize its facility and extend the benefits to nearby residents.
This week, a 27-kilowatt solar array is being completed on the church’s roof, which is expected to generate more electricity than the church consumes annually.
Through this initiative, part of the savings from the solar project and the value of renewable energy credits will support small grants aimed at helping four local households manage their energy expenses.
Julian Burnett, community engagement manager at Solar States, the company responsible for the installation, emphasized the project’s innovative approach.
“This is an innovative way for solar to provide benefits to the community, without violating the community solar rules,” Burnett stated.
Current Pennsylvania regulations restrict community solar models that allow multiple households to share the output of a single solar array.
In comparison, such an option is available in Delaware and New Jersey, where lawmakers and activists in Pennsylvania have been striving for years to enable similar projects within the state.
Typically in community solar initiatives, a group of households can utilize electricity from a shared solar array, which is especially beneficial for renters or homeowners facing financial barriers to installing their own solar systems.
This particular solar installation on the One Hope Community Church roof will be run by the Hunting Park Community Solar Initiative, a nonprofit organization formed by local faith and community leaders.
The initiative will benefit from the revenue generated by the solar panels to provide $600 grants annually to four households and one local nonprofit.
Fundraising efforts gathered the project’s initial cost of $75,000 through donations, including contributions from several faith organizations.
“That’s giving away $3,000 a year to the community, all powered by the sun,” said Allen Drew, director of the Hunting Park Community Solar Initiative and pastor in the Christian Reformed Church.
Currently, while the grants are intended to alleviate energy expenses, Drew noted that they are not specifically tied to any particular utility bill.
The initiative seeks to utilize a federal tax credit for the solar project before its expiration, with plans to launch additional similar efforts in the future.
The local Hunting Park Neighborhood Advisory Center, an organization assisting households in applying for various energy assistance programs, will be responsible for distributing the grants to low-income families within the community.
Grants can be awarded to selected households for up to three consecutive years, utilizing a lottery system for selection, as explained by Drew.
Charles Lanier, Executive Director of the Hunting Park Neighborhood Advisory Center, underscored the significance of this model in making renewable energy accessible to underserved communities.
“People who are higher income who can afford solar paneling, that’s great,” Lanier commented, adding, “But for our community, they’re just struggling day-to-day to survive and pay their bills.”
Lanier highlighted that some residents come to the center facing utility bill balances ranging from $1,000 to $3,000, with many spending up to half of their income on energy costs.
Although a $600 grant may not cover a household’s annual energy expenses, he noted, “it does help tremendously.”
Burnett expressed hope that this unique model could inspire replication across other communities.
“This provides an excellent opportunity for individuals to learn about solar and benefit from solar, and hopefully spread this thing across the entire city and maybe the entire state,” he said.
Drew indicated that the initial grants are expected to be available to the households sometime in late 2026 or early 2027.
In a sector driven towards sustainability, the project embodies a pioneering approach to community energy that can potentially enhance resilience for families facing financial hardships.
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