Energy & Transportation

In 2022, municipal properties in Philadelphia used over 700,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity. This amount of electricity adds 333,798 tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, which is equivalent to one gas-powered car driving over 770 million miles¹. The city is currently striving to reduce its emissions through increased use of renewable energy and innovation in the transportation sector. Philadelphia’s Municipal Master Plan aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50%, cut energy use by 20%, and generate 100% of all electricity for city facilities from renewable resources, all by 2030². As of February 2024, renewable energy accounts for about 8% of the city’s electricity demand. Therefore, this is a lofty goal, but the city is showing steady improvement in its clean energy transition.

Renewable Energy

One of Philadelphia’s most significant strides in renewable energy is its commitment to transitioning to solar power. The city of Philadelphia purchases renewable energy certificates (RECs) through the Philadelphia Energy Authority (PEA) programs Solarize Philly, Share the Sun, and Solar Savings Grants. The development of a massive solar project in Adams County is also underway, which will further increase Philadelphia’s use of solar power. This 230,000 solar panel field covers about 700 acres near Gettysburg, and will supply enough renewable energy to power approximately 23% to 25% of the city’s electricity. The solar farm is owned and operated by Energix, a company with offices in the U.S., Poland, and Israel. The energy itself does not go directly to Philadelphia’s buildings through transmission lines, but rather flows into the power grid. While solar energy may not always directly reach municipal buildings, the RECs increase the city’s renewable energy portfolio while providing solar panels for low and moderate income residents. In fact, all proceeds from the City’s RECs purchase will be reinvested into more solar projects for low- and moderate-income households, creating a sustained cycle of funding for affordable solar installations around Philadelphia³. Additionally, it has been revealed that across the Mid-Atlantic region including Philadelphia, prior to the pandemic, more than 30% of all renters and 50% of Black households reported facing energy insecurity during the year, unable to afford necessities like food due to the obligation to pay for energy bills. For vulnerable households, especially those who are disproportionately impacted by climate change, affordable rooftop solar can help relieve energy insecurity and increase the value of their homes³. This upholds the social justice and equitability aspects of sustainability. In tandem with its solar power initiatives, the city has also launched the Streetlight Improvement Plan, in which 100,000 street lamps will be replaced with energy-efficient LED bulbs. This change is expected to halve the city’s street light electricity usage².

There are, however, some limitations to transitioning to renewable energy in Philadelphia. One of the primary challenges is integrating renewable energy infrastructure into the existing urban landscape. The city’s historic buildings and densely packed neighborhoods limit potential for extensive solar installations, which means that solar farms take up significant space in areas farther from the city. It also poses a challenge ensuring equitable access to renewable energy resources across all communities, regardless of their economic status². Cost is a major criticism of solar power, as PV panels have been too expensive for significant market penetration. However, they are rapidly becoming more affordable. The creation and disposal of solar panels is another concern, as they are created from extracted earth materials that are rare and expensive, and their extraction involves some ethical implications. Newer solar panel technologies are moving toward utilizing more common metals. Moreover, fabricating solar panels also involves caustic chemicals that have resulted in toxic spills. While this needs to be controlled, the amount of chemical output is still significantly less than that of the fossil fuel industry. Another concern is the disposal of solar panels that are no longer functional, as there are currently limited recycling opportunities. This is why sustainability standards are currently being created for solar panel construction, with the materials’ recyclability in mind. Many opportunities for solar power in Philadelphia are yet to be taken advantage of. The city could begin to encourage rooftop solar panels on residential and commercial buildings, and drive innovation through partnerships with academic institutions, making solar energy both more accessible and more sustainable. 

With all this in mind, the implementation of solar energy involves numerous stakeholders. This extends from the residents of Philadelphia, to corporations, to beyond the city. Constructing a massive solar field would likely involve some significant tree removal, and would affect those that live near that plot of land. The materials involved in the manufacturing of solar panels are extracted from overseas, bringing foreign stakeholders into play. There are many moving parts in the implementation of clean energy, which is part of what makes this infrastructural change a massive undertaking on a large scale.