LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)— More and more plans for solar panels and solar farms are popping up across NEPA. Recently, a local school district and a non-profit organization received grants to install solar panels in Lackawanna County.
As energy bills climb and budgets tighten, more places across NEPA are turning to the sun for help.
Old forge School District and the NEPA Youth Shelter say solar panels aren't just good for the planet, they're good for the wallet too.
Across northeastern Pennsylvania, plans for solar energy are picking up steam, including right here in Lackawanna County.
At the NEPA Youth Shelter in Scranton, they’ve already made the switch
"We believe in using all the resources that we have available to us. When we bought the apartment building, the electricity was running in the 50 to $70 range a month. Since we installed this the array of solar panels, our electric bill has been consistently $16 an odd change for the last three months with a full house," explained Maureen Maher-Gray, founder & executive director, NEPA Youth Shelter.
And that means more money for the programs that help their kids like budgeting, groceries, and case management.
"It just frees up more money to serve more kids. We get tax credits for the next umpteen years on our taxes as well so we'll get the advantage of that as well financially," expressed Maher-Gray.
Meanwhile in Old Forge, the school district just got a $400,000 grant to start their own solar journey
"We're going to put an RFP out to get bidders so that we can see what different companies can do for us in terms of not only putting solar panels, but you know, where on school district property can we put them to maximize getting you know, the best bang for our buck," wondered Christopher Gatto, superintendent, Old Forge School District.
The panels could be on the roof or even on the ground, and they could save the district millions over time and introduce a new kind of learning
"Right now, our yearly electricity bill is about $120,000 a year. If we can wipe all or most of that off of the books, that's that's money that can be spent, spent elsewhere, on students. It could become a learning tool for our teachers and for our students. You know, our science classes, our stem classes," stated Gatto.
The youth shelter says it’s already seeing those savings stack up, and Old Forge hopes to break ground in the coming months.
