The Diocese of Rhode Island’s Episcopal Conference Center in Pascoag. Photo: Courtesy of Kristin Knudson
[Diocese of Rhode Island] After nearly a decade of planning and collaboration, construction has begun on a 2.9-megawatt solar energy project at the Episcopal Conference Center (ECC), a ministry of the Diocese of Rhode Island. The project is expected to provide long-term financial support for the conference center, generate energy savings for congregations across the diocese and advance The Episcopal Church’s commitment to environmental stewardship.
Located on approximately 20 acres of ECC’s 186-acre campus in Pascoag, the solar array is being developed by Kearsarge Energy and is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. Through a long-term land lease agreement, the project will provide the conference center with a predictable source of revenue to support its ministry for decades to come. Much of that revenue will be directed toward building an endowment that will help sustain ECC’s mission long after the solar array has reached the end of its useful life and the land has been restored.
“This project is one way we are responding to our call to participate in the healing of God’s world,” Rhode Island Bishop Nicholas Knisely said. “We are deeply grateful to the many people whose vision, persistence and expertise helped bring this project from an idea to reality.
“By generating renewable energy, supporting the ministry of ECC and helping congregations reduce their energy costs, this project demonstrates that caring for creation is not separate from the church’s mission; it is part of it. As we seek to be faithful stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us, this investment will benefit our congregations, our camp ministry and future generations throughout Rhode Island.”
The project reflects the diocese’s ongoing commitment to creation care and environmental stewardship. Construction and long-term management plans include measures to protect wetlands and wildlife habitat, establish native and pollinator-friendly vegetation, minimize impacts to soil and water resources and restore the site at the conclusion of the array’s useful life.
When fully operational, the solar array is expected to offset approximately 8,400 metric tons of carbon emissions annually, the equivalent of removing nearly 2,000 passenger vehicles from the road each year.
The project’s benefits extend beyond the Episcopal Conference Center itself. Through Rhode Island’s Community Solar program, 40 of the Diocese of Rhode Island’s 48 congregations have enrolled to receive credits on their Rhode Island Energy bills. Participating churches are expected to see energy cost savings of 20%, helping congregations direct more resources toward ministry in their local communities.
For generations, congregations throughout Rhode Island have helped sustain the ECC’s ministry through their generosity and support. One of the most meaningful aspects of the project is that its benefits will now flow back to those same congregations, strengthening local ministry while helping secure the conference center’s future.
The initiative is unique among Episcopal camp and conference centers in New England, combining long-term land lease revenue, diocesan-wide community solar participation and renewable energy generation in a single project.
Founded in 1949, the Episcopal Conference Center serves hundreds of children, youth, families and adults each year through summer camp programs, retreats and year-round ministry. For ECC, the project is ultimately about ensuring that this ministry can continue serving future generations.
“We often remind ourselves that we inherit the work of those who came before us and become responsible for those who will come after us,” Sara Clarke, the Episcopal Conference Center’s executive director, said. “ECC exists today because generations of faithful people invested their time, resources and love into this ministry. This project allows us to honor that legacy while creating a more sustainable future for those who will encounter God’s love here in the years ahead.”
As construction begins, ECC leaders remain focused on the ministry that has guided the organization for more than 75 years: helping people encounter God, build authentic community and discover who they are called to be.
“Our hope remains the same as it has always been,” Clarke said. “That future generations will come to ECC, walk these paths, gather in the Barn, build lifelong friendships and discover God’s presence in this place. This project helps ensure that ministry can continue for generations to come.”