New solar energy system installed in Meadville
April 23, 2026
YourErie.com
Meadville celebrated Earth Day with a brand-new solar energy system on the roof of the Department of Environmental Protection’s northwestern regional office building.
The system was paid for using the city’s capital fund for the building, and city representatives said it will pay itself off in time, with $18,000 of electricity savings expected in the first year alone.
“Because of the increase in electricity costs, we’ll probably see a payback period sooner, but certainly the array is gonna let us save enough money to pay for itself over seven years, ten years, something like that, maybe sooner than that,” said Meadville City Council member Autumn Vogel.
The 152-kilowatt system was installed by Energy Independent Solutions and will cover 44% of the DEP building’s energy needs.
“It’s only gonna get better over time because the cost of energy continues to go up more rapidly than the cost of financing a project like this, so there’s an increasing benefit over time,” said Hal Saville, the director of commercial projects for Energy Independent Solutions.
“It’s just important for us to really be thinking about our future, right? Thinking about the future of energy, thinking about the future of cost, affordability is a huge issue for everyone across the country,” said Meadville Mayor Jaime Kinder.
Collaborators said this Earth Day partnership goes beyond Meadville— it’s making an impact on the environment, too.
“It’s a clean energy source, it’s utilizing the energy of the sun versus fossil fuel energy,” said Saville.
The installation was made possible by PA Solar Center’s GET Solar program and the DEP’s Shared Energy Manager program, which deploy local renewable energy projects that reduce energy costs and increase efficiency.
“It’s also a symbolic step for Meadville, right? It shows that we’re investing in our future, that we’re taking care of our resources and our infrastructure, we’re investing in our downtown, and, you know, we’re looking towards a sustainable Meadville that people want to live in and see their own future in,” said Vogel.
“We want a Meadville that’s gonna last, right, and a Meadville that is a place for everyone for generation after generation after generation,” said Kinder.
City representatives said this is just the beginning for Meadville and hope that many local projects to come continue to make a lasting impact.
Up Next: Green group gives Pennsylvania 'F' on solar permitting