15-04-2025
Reading church powered by solar panels
Creation care is one of the basic tenets of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Berks County In Reading.
To that end, the congregation moved forward on a plan to install solar panels on the roof of the church property at 416 Franklin St. to reduce its carbon footprint and completed the first phase of its plan last April, according to Frank Wilder, ministry and operations board member.
The church installed a 40-panel, 19.4 kilowatt solar voltaic system on the rear roof, resulting in the generation of 19.5 megawatts of electricity over the past year, reducing the carbon footprint of the church by 14 tons and meeting 100% of its electricity needs, Wilder said.
More than 20 people last week took part in a project tour sponsored by PennEnvironment, a statewide environmental advocacy group.
'By going solar, many congregations are living their values as stewards of the Earth by doing their part to care for creation,' said Hanna Felber, organizer for PennEnvironment.
Felber noted that over 1,250 houses of worship nationwide have installed solar panels.
Hanna Felber, organizer for PennEnvironment, speaks on Thursday, April 10, 2025, during a tour of the solar installation at First Unitarian Universalist Church of Berks County, 416 Franklin St., Reading. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)
Bethany Ayers Fisher, sustainability manager for the city of Reading, lauded the church's efforts to upgrade the 1891 building as well as the congregation's participation in the Reading for 100 resolution passed in 2019 by City Council to replace fossil fuels energy sources to 100% renewables by 2050.
'Over the many years and generations, this congregation has striven to be good stewards of this building and of the city of Reading,' Ayers said.
State Sen. Judy Schwank pointed to the extreme weather events that have been experienced locally as a result of climate change.
'We've seen record-breaking flash flooding here in Berks County and throughout Pennsylvania,' she said.
Solar energy can be a big part of the climate solution, Schwank said.
'We have a long way to go in order to reach our clean energy goals, but I think every accomplishment along the way is worth celebrating,' she said.
The Unitarian Universalist Church is hoping to build on the success of this initial installation.
The church has planned an addition of a battery storage system for its second phase of the project with the ultimate goal of replacing its aging gas-fired furnaces with efficient electric heat pumps powered by 96 solar panels, Wilder said.
'These steps reflect our deeply held values and our responsibility to care for the world we share,' he said.
