Despite previous failed attempts, Pennsylvania’s House passed a bill to authorize community solar and natural gas programs to a state with surging energy demands but sluggish energy growth.
The “Community Energy Act” would allow for the creation, financing, accessibility and operation of community solar and natural gas projects at no cost to taxpayers.
Pennsylvania’s lawmakers have been trying to pass a community solar bill for roughly a decade.
The plan is robust. As notable as it is, the Community Energy Act is one of many notable measures within the Lightning Plan’s big pond of initiatives. The plan provides funding for new energy projects through an updated manufacturing tax credit; creates a state energy siting board to streamline energy project approvals, requires 10% of Pennsylvania’s total annual wholesale electricity demand to be met by renewable energy credits that originate in the state, annually increasing by 1% through 2050; creates rebates for energy-efficient appliances; and encourages communities to lower utility bills through shared energy resources, to name a few.