WHEREAS, Community energy facilities allow customers to choose the source of their electricity, including customers that desire to purchase solar energy but do not have suitable conditions to install their own solar facility; and
WHEREAS, Community solar facilities are a more decentralized, resilient, and efficient way to deliver electricity to ratepayers; and
WHEREAS, Small scale community solar facilities are designed to interconnect with local power distribution systems, reducing barriers to entry such as regional transmission approvals; and
WHEREAS, Allowing community solar facilities would create economic benefits for Pennsylvania’s farmers, landowners, and homeowners with a roof or space to build or lease ground for community solar facilities; and
WHEREAS, Community solar facilities have been shown to save households 10% on their electricity costs; and
WHEREAS, A recent study from Penn State University determined that constructing the 235 community solar facilities planned in Pennsylvania could add 520 permanent jobs and $83.3 million of annual economic activity; and
WHEREAS, Governor Shapiro has called for the creation of community energy programs as part of his Lightning Plan; and
WHEREAS, The Community Energy Act, as proposed by Representative Peter Schweyer, which passed 114 votes to 89 votes in the Pennsylvania House, will enable the creation of community energy facilities, and is now being considered in the Pennsylvania Senate; and
WHEREAS, 24 states currently have specific enabling legislation for community solar, which provides a framework that supports the production of and streamlines approval of community energy facilities in those states; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHAIA, Hereby calls on the Pennsylvania State Senate to approve House Bill 504, the Community Energy Act, and the Legislature of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to pass this legislation to allow for the creation of community energy programs in Pennsylvania.
End