ZELIENOPLE — The borough took a step toward a greener energy future Monday evening.

Borough council approved an amendment to the borough code allowing for more solar energy to be used by residents and businesses.

“I’m glad that whatever the issues were that created the means to relook at the ordinance have been addressed,” borough manager Don Pepe said.

The ordinance would increase limits for solar energy usage from 5 kilowatts to 25 kilowatts for residential developments and 500 kilowatts for commercial developments.

The requirement for ownership also will be eliminated with the updated ordinance. Solar systems can now be owned or leased.

The borough government sells electricity in the borough which is why it is involved with this energy regulation.

If businesses produce more energy than they consume, the borough will give them an energy credit for the next billing month. Excess energy credits at the end of a 12-month period set by the borough will be credited in dollars.

The amendment comes after the Baierl Ford dealership on Route 19 this year installed a solar panel grid on its expansion.

However, the 50-kilowatt panels installed by Pittsburgh-based company Scalo Solar Solutions were not approved by the borough and did not meet the borough’s ordinance at the time.

Pepe said the grid was not in the company’s original plans.

The borough’s initial stand on the issue drew the ire of the environmental advocacy group PennFuture, which sent a letter to the borough criticizing it for its limits on solar power.

Pepe said Baierl Ford will have to have the solar grid panel formally approved by borough council.

“I think this is a good representation of what needed to be changed,” Pepe said of the amendment.

Regarding the amendment, council member Mary Hess said, “We’re trying to be green and progressive. We worked very hard on this ordinance and gave it careful consideration. In the end, I think we struck a good balance.”

Two businesses in the borough have solar panels which did meet the ordinance’s previous conditions. They are Dilts Enterprises and Jack Hockenburger Motors.