Panels added to Lourdes University parking lot
SYLVANIA – The Sisters of St. Francis announced in April that they will tackle the growing climate crisis by building solar panels in the parking lot of Lourdes University near the Russell J. Ebeid Hall. The announcement was made on April 22, 2025 – Earth Day. It also came one day after the passing of Pope Francis.
The project is currently in phase one, which involves building solar canopies. This first phase is expected to be finished by the end of the year. Once completed, the project will move forward to phases two and three.
The overall project will cost $5 million. The money was raised through fundraising and government grants, as the Sisters are a nonprofit organization. Once completed, the solar project will reduce 328.2 metric tons of carbon emissions annually, save $63,000 in yearly energy costs, and provide the campus with clean, renewable energy for decades to come. The CO2 reduction is equivalent to offsetting 100 percent of the Franciscan Center’s energy use on campus.
To build the solar panels, the Sisters of St. Francis are working with Elevated Energy. This nonprofit organization installs rooftop solar systems, ground-mount solar systems, solar carports, and car charging stations. They have been in the solar industry for 17 years.
Elevated Energy offers guidance on where solar panels can be added and assists with development, construction, engineering and fundraising throughout the process. The Sisters also received help in identifying grants and optimizing the direct pay incentive.
Sara Grunberg, sustainability coordinator for the Sisters of St. Francis, encouraged other universities to invest in green energy.
“This is our response to that climate crisis,” she said. “However, if you do look at it from a financial standpoint, the savings are $63,000 annually, and it’s estimated to last 25 to 30 years. So $63,000 annually is what we’re expected to save.”
“That money can be reinvested into the sister’s mission industry elsewhere,” she added. “So from the lens of a university, it is a great investment, and it’s also a great education tool for students who might want to get involved in that type of work.”
She also noted that the solar power initiative responds to Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’ encyclical, which calls each of us to care for the earth and for the poor. Laudato Si’ translates from Latin to “Praise be to you, my Lord.”
Solar panels are not the Sisters’ only commitment to helping the environment. According to a press release from April, this initiative is part of the Sisters’ larger seven-year commitment to Laudato Si’ and to the Sylvania community that has been their home since 1916.
The announcement follows years of sustainability efforts on campus, including the launch of an advanced composting program, planting over 100 trees, a thriving beekeeping initiative, and donating over 500 lbs. of fresh produce from the Grateful Harvest Community Garden. Together, these efforts reflect a faith-based commitment to both ecological action and community care.
Grunberg added that funding and infrastructure are likely the leading factors preventing other universities from investing in similar green energy projects, especially with the current administration revoking tax credits.
