The Lodestar Award

Nominate a Lodestar today!

Please let us know about any notable solar system installed at a Pennsylvania business, nonprofit, municipality, farm, or any other type of organization so we can honor them at our next Lodestar Award ceremony. We also like to honor the solar development companies who helped them go solar — so if you are a solar developer, please don’t be afraid to nominate your clients so we can recognize both them and you with the award!

Lodestar awardees will benefit from media promotion surrounding the event, as well as the ability to proudly display the award on their website and branding materials. Nominate a Lodestar today!

What is a Lodestar?

PA Solar Center Director Sharon Pillar presenting Angela Garcia, Executive Director of Global Links, with the Lodestar Award
PA Solar Center Director Sharon Pillar presenting Angela Garcia, Executive Director of Global Links, with the Lodestar Award for their solar leadership

The word Lodestar historically referred to a star used in navigation but now connotes an entity that is leading the way. With the Lodestar Award, the PA Solar Center recognizes the inspirational leadership of Pennsylvania-based organizations and businesses that are demonstrating leadership throughout the diverse field of solar energy. The solar energy industry touches a wide swath of the economy from the manufacturing and supply chain and the installation of solar, to the people who choose to invest in solar and those that operate and maintain the technology as well as the ancillary and co-beneficial industries such as Agrivoltaics. Solar energy saves organizations, businesses, homeowners, and communities money and employs people across all educational levels in every county of Pennsylvania, producing ripple effects in the economy of rural, suburban, and urban communities across the Commonwealth.

In addition, we understand that organizations or businesses that have gone solar and sell their solar renewable energy credits (SREC) or are under a power purchase agreement with a third party in control of their SRECs are not permitted to claim that their facilities are powered with solar. With the Lodestar Award, these organizations can publicly display their dedication to solar energy and show that their company or organization is a luminary in solar energy, without violating the rules around claiming environmental attributes.

We hope that organizations and businesses will accept our award and display it on their website as a badge of pride in solar advancement and also as an inspiration for others to do the same.

If your organization and business is interested in receiving the Lodestar Award, please contact us at [email protected] and we will respond with the virtual “award” and information about displaying the Lodestar logo on your webpage or social media.

In addition, be sure that your project is included on our solar installation map.

 

Lodestar Award Ceremonies

Statewide

We held our first statewide Lodestar Award ceremony over Zoom on June 5, 2025, to honor organizations and businesses for their stellar solar leadership. Many of the organizations also showed short and inspiring videos to highlight their solar projects and the reasons they have gone solar or are working in the solar industry. Honorees included:

  • Action Housing (Allegheny County)
  • Aero Corporation (Dauphin County)
  • Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania – Succop Nature Park (Butler County)
  • Clinic for Special Children (Lancaster County)
  • Delmont Library (Westmoreland County)
  • East Vandergrift Borough (Westmoreland County)
  • Hess Brothers Fruit Company (Lancaster County)
  • Moniteau School District (Butler County)
  • NEPA Youth Shelter (Lackawanna County)
  • New York Blower Company (Lawrence County)
  • Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (statewide)
  • Pennsylvania Trolley Museum (Washington County)
  • Solomon’s United Church of Christ (Franklin County)
  • St. Teresa of Kolkata Parish (Allegheny County)
  • University Mennonite Church (Centre County)
  • University of Pittsburgh (Allegheny County)
  • Weaver’s Way Co-op (Philadelphia County)
  • Wesley Family Services (Allegheny County)

 

Philadelphia County

We held our Lodestar Award ceremony for Philadelphia County on September 26, 2024, to honor organizations and businesses for their stellar solar leadership. Honorees included:

  • ASPIRA Charter School
  • Byrne Federal Courthouse
  • Copper Flats
  • Exact Solar
  • Germantown Jewish Centre
  • Onion Flats
  • Philadelphia Energy Authority
  • Philadelphia Solar Energy Association
  • SEPTA
  • Solar States
  • State Representative Elizabeth Fiedler
  • University of Pennsylvania
  • Yards Brewing Company
  • 3135 Montgomery

 

Dauphin County

Dauphin County Lodestar Awardees were recognized in April 2024 for their stellar solar leadership. Honorees included:

  • Arney Bros., Inc. Excavation
  • Commonwealth Charter Academy
  • Dauphin County Industrial Development Authority
  • Greenworks Development
  • Millersburg Pharmacy
  • Solar Renewable Energy
  • Vartan Group
  • Wilsbach

 

Chester County

Chester County Lodestar Awardees were recognized on September 27, 2023, for their stellar solar leadership. Honorees included:

 

Allegheny County

Allegheny County Lodestar Awardees were recognized on May 4, 2023, for their stellar solar leadership. Honorees included:

 

Westmoreland/Blair/Somerset Counties

Westmoreland/Blair/Somerset County Lodestar Awardees were recognized on November 17, 2022 for their stellar solar leadership. Honorees included:

  • Epic Metals Corporation
  • Exodus Renewables
  • Green Solar Systems
  • Levin Furniture
  • Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County
  • Saint Francis University
  • Sheetz
  • Western Pennsylvania Conservancy

 

The Lehigh Valley

Lehigh Valley Lodestar Awardees were recognized on October 27, 2022 for their stellar solar leadership. Honorees included:

  • Black River Farms
  • Country Meadows Retirement Community
  • Crayola
  • Lehigh Gap Nature Center
  • Solar Innovations Architectural Glazing Systems

 

Northeastern Pennsylvania

Northeastern PA Lodestar Awardees were recognized on March 3, 2022, for their stellar solar leadership. Honorees included:

  • A. Rifkin Co.
  • Barley Creek Brewing Company
  • Barbour Grass Fed Beef
  • Clean Energy Cooperative
  • East Lycoming School District
  • Endless Energy
  • Harmony Beverage
  • Hemsarth Dairy
  • Kinsley Family Shoprite (as of November 9, 2023)
  • Pocono Raceway

Speakers included State Senator Mario Scavello (R-Monroe); Dr. Marleen Troy, Professor of Environmental Engineering at Wilkes University; and Chris Weigand, President of the Clean Energy Cooperative.

 

Lancaster County

Lancaster County Lodestar Awardees were recognized on October 7, 2021, for their stellar solar leadership. Honorees included:

  • RETTEW
  • Paradise Energy Solutions
  • Lancaster Travel Plaza
  • GT Discount Auto Parts
  • Universal Athletic Club
  • Shady Maple Farm Market
  • Belmont Solar
  • Slaymaker Electric and Automation
  • Prospect Self Storage
  • Cherry Crest Farm
  • MVE Group
  • Rohrer Seeds
  • Cherry Hill Orchards
  • Hershvale Farms
  • H&F Tire Service
  • The Cope Company

 

Beaver and Washington Counties

Beaver and Washington County Lodestar Awardees were recognized on May 20, 2021, for their stellar solar leadership.  Speakers included: The Honorable PA State Senator Camera Bartolotta; John Vernacchia, Energy Transition Segment Director for Eaton Corporation; and Don Kretschmann, Owner of Kretschmann Organic Farm.

Awardees included:

  • Acutran
  • Beaver Agway
  • Eaton Corporation
  • Felician Sisters of Beaver Falls
  • Greater Washington County Food Bank
  • Greenetech Manufacturing
  • Kretschmann Organic Farm
  • Pennsylvania Trolley Museum
  • Washington County

 

Northcentral Pennsylvania

Our first Lodestar Award Ceremony was held for Northcentral Pennsylvania on February 11, 2021, and the Lodestar Award was provided to the following awardees:

  • BAI Group
  • Burkholder’s Market
  • Centre County Board of Commissioners
  • Envinity
  • Happy Valley Vineyard & Winery
  • KOA Campground
  • Milheim Borough Council
  • Organic Climbing
  • Owens Family Farm
  • Sun Directed

Speakers included: Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff, PA State House; Dr. Paul Shrivastava, Chief Sustainability Officer at The Penn State University; Caroline Owens of the Owens Family Farm whose sheep graze the Susquehanna University solar field.

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