Intercourse, PA Grid Tied Solar Library System
Photo Credit: pvpl.org
Belmont Solar is partnering with other generous community members to supply and install an exciting new grid-tied solar system in Intercourse, Pa. Ben Zook, founder, and owner of Belmont Solar has decided to gift the Pequea Valley Public Library a grid-tied solar system large enough to eliminate its expensive energy bills that easily total between $400-$500 each month.
The Pequea Valley Public Library is very special to Ben because he would go there as a young boy to read about electricity and solar power. The library had a lot to do with Ben Zook starting Belmont Solar and growing it into the successful solar installation company that it is today.
Fundraising Progress!
(Thermometer by ABC Fundraising)
We are so excited to have multiple donors already contributing to this project! In addition to the generous partners in the community we have listed below, we have also received an anonymous donation that has moved us closer to the project total.
We will continue to keep updating these numbers as more donors join the project.
If your company would like to participate in this project and help to bless the library with the gift of solar power and alleviate their electricity bills fill out a contact us form today and mention in the comment section that you would like to contribute.
Pa Grid Tied Solar Library Project Partners
Hoober Inc., a local agriculture equipment dealership is the first to sponsor the community-enriching Library Solar Project. The Hoober location in Intercourse, PA has been a part of the local community since the 1940s. Belmont Solar and the Intercourse Public Library extend their deepest gratitude to Hoober for choosing to invest in the community and the solar project.
Cherry Crest Adventure Farm, a local agritainment business has generously offered to sponsor the solar system for the library. Cherry Crest Farm has been providing good, clean farm fun for families for over 20 years. Their corn maze and farm attractions are a popular location for Lancaster County natives and visitors from all over the country. Thanks, Cherry Crest Farm for investing in the community and the library!
Why Grid Tied Solar For The Pequea Valley Public Library?
Ben Zook used to go to the Intercourse Library to learn about electricity and solar. He is giving back to the library that made it possible for him to learn about his passions and build a successful Amish solar installation company.
Photo Credit: LancasterOnline.com
Pequea Valley Public Library History
The Pequea Valley Public Library played an integral part in Ben Zook’s journey from a young, curious Amish boy to Solar Panel Installation Company owner. The Pequea Valley Public Library is where the young Ben Zook would read books about electricity and solar energy in his early years when he became very interested in those fields. It fed his fascination with clean, renewable energy and helped him become the successful business owner he is today. In 2002, after attending Thaddeus Stevens and receiving a degree, Ben Zook started Belmont Solar. Since then, Ben has invested in his community and his clients’ lives by helping them transition to solar-powered living.
The Pequea Valley Public Library has served the townships of Lancaster County, Pequea Valley, Leacock, and Salisbury for more than 45 years. The library began in a little, one-room schoolhouse in Intercourse, Pa in 1975. It existed in that schoolhouse until 2007 when it moved to its new location across the road from Kitchen Kettle Village.
The mission statement of the Pequea Valley Public Library:
“To provide everyone in the community equal access to information, technology, and high-quality reading materials.”
It’s because of that mission statement that Ben was able to learn more and more about electricity and solar power. He wants to give back to the library that helped him get his start by organizing the installation of a grid-tied solar panel system that will eliminate the library’s expensive electricity bills.
Pa Grid Tied Solar Community Investment
The town of Intercourse, Pennsylvania has been famous for its tourist attractions for many many years. Like other parts of Lancaster County, Pa, Intercourse offers its guests the chance to see and learn about the Amish and Mennonite ways of life. Every year, Intercourse is visited by thousands of guests seeking an authentic Lancaster County Amish experience.
Guests of Intercourse enjoy the Kitchen Kettle Village and its unique shopping center, they can grab a cup of coffee at the Corner Coffee Shop across the street from Kitchen Kettle, and then take a real horse and buggy ride to get an up-close view of the Lancaster County countryside. The Pequea Valley Public Library is right there in the heart of all the authentic Amish and Mennonite experiences. The library has been a huge part of the local community for so many years and Belmont Solar is excited to be leading this effort within the community to bless the library and all who enjoy its huge collection of resources.
What Makes This Pa Grid Tied Solar System Unique?
In order for this grid-tied solar system to provide enough power to eliminate the expensive Intercourse Library electricity bills, the solar system needs to be much larger than the average grid-tied solar system. The average grid-tied system that Belmont Solar installs for its residential customers is typically between 10 and 15 Kilowatts. The Pequea Valley Public Library will be receiving a system sized at 38 Kilowatts, a system more than twice the size of the average residential installation done by Belmont Solar.
Belmont Solar specializes in designing and installing all sorts of solar panel systems to meet the needs of the solar community in Lancaster County, Pa, and parts of Maryland.
A grid-tied solar system of this size will be special because it is so much larger than the average system. The solar panels will be connected to the power grid so any extra energy that is produced by the panels will be made available to the immediate community. Not only will this system provide power for the library, but it will also support the surrounding businesses and homes.
