Considering it was hosting both the PV America and 34th Photovoltaic Specialists and Conferences this week, it’s not hard to see why Philadelphia was formally recognized with a Solar America Cities Award on Monday.
The award, however, isn’t just an honorary designation. Philadelphia is fast becoming recognized as a leader in building the national solar market from the ground up, most notably through its Solar City Partnership that has brought together various stakeholders to identify and overcome barriers to solar development in the city.
“Philadelphia’s long-term goal for solar energy is to fully utilize its potential to safely, reliably and cost-effectively displace the use of energy generated by fossil fuels,” says Susan Carollo, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Energy.
Through the department’s Solar American Cities program, Philadelphia has received $200,000 in grants and $250,000 in technical assistance to fund innovative solar energy initiatives to facilitate mainstream adoption of solar energy.
Through its GreenWorks sustainability plan, which aims to make the city the greenest in the country, Philadelphia has worked with experts from the National Laboratories who are helping research solar PV at various sites throughout the city.
The city’s goal is to purchase or generate 20 percent of its electricity from alternative sources, aiming to install 2.3 MW of solar in the city b 2011 and 57.8 MW by 2021. Across the Commonwealth there are close to 150 companies and organizations–including Philly-based SRS Energy–which presented its solar roofing tiles at the PV America this week–involved in solar energy manufacturing and installation.
“Since 2001 Pennsylvania has lost over 208,000 manufacturing jobs, but the solar industry is ready with warehouses full of solar panels to create jobs for America’s new energy economy,” says Carollo.
Source: Susan Carollo, U.S. Department of Energy Solar Program
Writer: Joe Petrucci