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University Park's town Christmas tree will be a lot more eco-friendly this year, and that won't be just because of its 1,000 new, energy-saving LED lights.

For the first time in its 62 years, the tree will be powered entirely by solar energy, thanks to solar panels provided by the University Park Solar Co-op. The tree — which will be lit Saturday night at the corner of Sheridan Street and Queens Chapel Road — will use about 10 percent of the electricity it's used in past years.

"If you could make a pine tree any greener, we're doing it," said Richard Scorza, town resident and co-op member.

The 20-member co-op was founded by residents two years ago with the goal of investing in renewable energy sources for the town. The tree was their first major project, and they now have their sights set on bringing solar power to the town's Church of the Brethren and University Park Elementary School.

"They are an important asset, and a very positive one," said Mayor John Tabori. "We're looking to become carbon-neutral, and this would obviously be part of it."

Members initially considered installing solar panels on residential properties but ran into difficulties, said member David Brosch. The town's abundant trees block necessary sunlight and many of its homes lack an ideal southern exposure and have slate roofs, which make installation more difficult than on asphalt and shingles.

Their focus quickly turned toward the church and school, two large host sites with ideal conditions. Co-op members plan to buy panels from Gaithersburg-based Standard Solar Inc., which is lending the town the Christmas tree's solar panels free of charge. The co-op would pay for installation and insurance costs of future panels, while the sites would pay for the energy they use.

"The underlying issue is concern for the earth," said Pastor Kim McDowell, whose congregation at the Church of the Brethren voted to participate in the project. "I'm really pleased that we can be a part of it."

The co-op hopes to begin installing panels on the church's roof in January or February, but has not yet determined the cost, Brosch said.

"We think that they can pretty much power the church completely," he said. No date has been set for installation at the school.

After installation, the co-op would be able to sell renewable energy certificates, or RECs, to Standard Solar, allowing its members to potentially earn a profit. RECs can be cashed in after a renewable energy purchase and are designed as an incentive for consumers to go green.

"We've been working on this so long that the actual prices of solar panels have come down considerably," Brosch said. "[We] won't get rich doing it, but we also hope people will make a little money."

Brosch said that the project's more important benefit will be to make the town less dependent upon nonrenewable and polluting energy sources.

"It's an important thing to do for the environment," Brosch said. "It's a little step, but it's a way that we can help."