Clean Air Council

CLEAN ENERGY

Introduction

The renewable energy future is here now. Renewable energy sources include solar, onshore wind, offshore wind, geothermal, hydroelectric, and wave energy. The world’s top climate scientists have told us that we must reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero in the next few decades to avoid the worst effects of climate change. This goal requires a speedy transition to renewable energy sources. The Council is working hard to make sure that wind, solar, and other renewables can flourish in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.

The Problem

For decades, there has been an uneven playing field for renewable energy sources to compete against fossil fuels. Coal, oil and gas have historically been regularly subsidized by our government, while renewable energy sources have received far less funding and irregular support. Certain policies in Pennsylvania have devalued renewable energy sources like solar, which has resulted in less demand for new solar projects compared to nearby states. 

The Solution

Renewable energy is the solution to pollution from dirty fossil fuels. Creating electricity with fossil fuels like coal and gas fuels the climate crisis and emits harmful pollution into the air we breathe. The more clean, renewable sources we get to produce electricity for our power grid, the less electricity we will need from older, dirtier sources. Prices for electricity from renewable sources such as solar and wind continue to plummet and the cost to generate electricity with renewable energy is now generally less than the cost to generate the same amount of electricity from gas.
The faster we level the playing field in terms of subsidies for various energy sources, the faster renewable energy sources will outpace fossil fuels. In addition, Pennsylvania has the opportunity to develop policies to remove obstacles and provide incentives for renewable energy to flourish. Municipalities can pass local laws to set clear rules for renewable energy development and streamline permitting processes.
At the same time, we must reduce the amount of electricity we are using. Energy efficiency and conservation is critical to reducing overall demand for electricity in the first place. The cheapest, cleanest, and easiest way to reduce pollution is to simply use less energy. Energy efficiency allows us to use less energy while maintaining the same standard of living and lifestyle. Weatherizing our homes and using more energy efficient appliances and equipment are examples of ways to use electricity more efficiently.

Campaigns

Community Solar
The Council supports a bipartisan community solar policy that will boost renewable energy, spur job growth, and generate much-needed tax revenue in Pennsylvania. This legislation (HB 1555) would let developers install solar arrays within communities and allow multiple customers to subscribe to a portion of the solar array and receive a credit on their utility bill. Community solar provides anyone who pays an electric bill equal access to the economic and environmental benefits of solar energy without the need to install their own system onsite. This policy is already working in other states. There are over 200 shovel-ready community solar projects in over 40 counties that are ready to go once this legislation passes. The bill was introduced by a Republican, has strong bipartisan support, and is championed by a diverse mix of environmental groups, the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, unions who work on solar, and solar developers.


Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards
Pennsylvania’s first-ever clean energy targets were established back in 2004 with the passage of the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards (AEPS) Act. The law required that Pennsylvania utilities obtain a specified amount of the electricity they sell from qualifying sources, some of which are renewable energy. The percentage targets increased incrementally over time, as PA utility companies were directed to eventually provide 0.5% of their electricity sales from solar photovoltaic (PV) sources and another 7.5% from a combination of mostly renewable sources by 2021 (wind, solar, hydropower, and geothermal). Back in 2004, this law was somewhat forward-thinking. But those renewable energy targets were never revisited and flatlined in May 2021. Now they look extraordinarily weak compared to policies embraced by the federal government and neighboring states. It is critical that Pennsylvania revise and strengthen the AEPS to position itself as a clean energy leader. The Council strongly supports efforts to decarbonize the electricity sector as soon as possible, including President Biden’s call for a 100% clean power grid nationwide by 2035. State policy will be essential to meeting that goal, and Pennsylvania must be ambitious with its renewable energy targets to help drive the clean energy economy.

Lake Erie Offshore Wind
The Council previously worked in Erie County in northwest Pennsylvania to promote offshore wind in Lake Erie. Erie has almost 50 miles of shoreline and control over 759 square miles of Lake Erie. Lake Erie is close to major urban areas that use a lot of electricity, and its shallow eastern basin and strong winds make it an ideal site for offshore-wind turbines. That’s why the Clean Air Council helped found the Northwest Pennsylvania Green Economy Task Force (NWPAGE) to advocate for policies to remove obstacles for wind development in Pennsylvania’s section of Lake Erie

Take Action

  • About 12% of Pennsylvania’s greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution comes from burning fossil fuels to heat space and water in our buildings – both residential and commercial. In cities like Philadelphia, buildings are responsible for more than 70% of climate pollution. The Pennsylvania House of Representatives plans to vote on a bill, HB1947, a bill drafted by a national trade group for gas companies that would block municipalities from banning natural gas hookups in all new buildings. Counties, cities, boroughs, and townships across Pennsylvania have been working hard to combat the climate crisis and promote clean energy at the local level. Take action today and tell your House Rep to vote NO on HB1947. 

Successes

  • The Council was successful in organizing solar installers and asking the City of Philadelphia to better streamline solar permits for solar companies, which saves them money and time in developing new projects.  
  • The Council launched Philadelphia’s first ever Solarize Philly campaign, an effort to organize residents to purchase solar panels all at the same time in order to reduce the costs for everyone. The Council’s pilot program in Mount Airy included eight community meetings to explain how homeowners could use their collective buying power to get solar systems for their homes at greatly reduced costs. Through the program, we educated over 125 people and got commitments from 15 households to go solar. Our total impact was about 75 kilowatts, which is the equivalent of planting over 25,000 trees. Perhaps the greatest impact of this pilot program was that it prompted the Philadelphia Energy Authority, an independent municipal authority, to launch it’s own series of Solarize programs throughout the entire city. 
  • From 2014 -2016, the Council and partner Solar States started a solar training program in Philadelphia to ensure Philadelphia youth could access growing job opportunities in the solar industry and to advance solar in the region. The course, taught at the YouthBuild Charter School in North Philly, included training on the technical skills as well as marketing, communications, and community outreach skills that are essential to solar sales jobs. Students gained real-world work experience, including the opportunity to install solar. Four graduates from the program later got jobs in the solar industry and two passed an certification test important for solar installers. In 2017, the Philadelphia Energy Authority developed an ongoing solar training program with the School District of Philadelphia and helps connect program graduates in solar internships.
  • During President Obama’s second term, the Council successfully advocated for the federal extension of the wind production tax credit (PTC) which gave 2.2 cents back to wind developers for every kilowatt-hour generated. Ironically, the fossil fuel industry claims the PTC distorts the marketplace while purposefully ignoring the $4 billion in subsidies given each year to the fossil fuel and nuclear industries. The Council continues to advocate for the investment tax credit (ITC), which would assist any offshore wind project on which construction begins by 2025 with a 30% tax credit.

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