Philadelphia, PA – Today marks the start of the 3rd annual Philadelphia Solar Week, and to kick it off, the Philadelphia Energy Authority (PEA) is opening Solarize Philly for enrollment. Solarize Philly is a citywide program to support all Philadelphia homes and businesses to go solar.
“Philadelphia must do everything we can to fight climate change, which is most greatly affecting our most vulnerable residents,” said Mayor Jim Kenney. “Solarize Philly helps put solar on roofs, and create jobs for our youth, year after year. I’m happy to support the 2021 launch of this important program.”
PEA is partnering with local and national solar developers for this round of Solarize Philly — the fifth year of the program. Phase 5 offers new financing options to make solar more accessible to all Philadelphians, including homeowners of all incomes and owners of commercial properties of all sizes. Solarize Philly will be open now through the end of November 2021.
“The Philadelphia Energy Authority has already shown that solar power is a pathway to job creation,“ said City Council President Darrell L. Clarke (5th District). “This new round of Solarize Philly will help get solar power to even more families in Philadelphia and help us put more people to work.”
Solarize Philly has put Philadelphia in the national spotlight for solar growth since 2017. Since the program’s launch, over 750 homes have gone solar and over $12 million has been invested in communities across the city. Solarize Philly is the largest initiative of its kind in the country.
“Supporting the deployment of solar-generated electricity in the Greater Philadelphia region is a top priority for PECO as we work to ensure a cleaner and brighter future for our customers and communities,” said Liz Murphy, Senior Vice President of Regulatory and External Affairs at PECO. “Solar Week provides a great opportunity to share information and collaborate with city leaders and solar industry representatives to further the growth of solar in our region.”
Solarize Philly also recently funded and completed a pilot for the City’s first ever rooftop solar program made specifically for low- and moderate-income households. PEA provided grants and low-cost loans to 50 households from across the city to go solar and laid the groundwork for thousands more over the coming years.
“If you’re not a part of the wave then you’re going to be behind it. I think it’s important for the City to continue making investments in new, important technologies like solar so that clean energy is made accessible to everyone. If it’s not accessible on the lowest income level it’s not innovative or game-changing.” said I. Tyrone Jackson, a Solarize Philly participant.
To celebrate Solar Week 2021, PEA has a full schedule of events planned from August 16-20, including a webinar series and a career panel. Events include panels on how Philadelphia is using solar as a tool to rebuild the economy, create jobs and build a diverse workforce, and a Solar 101 session to demystify the process of going solar. For details and to join, visit solarizephilly.org/events.
PEA is collaborating with PECO on a variety of initiatives throughout Solar Week. On Wednesday, PECO will host its bi-annual Solar Collaborative, bringing together solar developers and advocates for meaningful conversation about the advancement of solar in our region. PECO and PEA have also partnered to host two month-long competitions, a solar art competition inviting solar enthusiasts aged 5-18 to submit artwork showing how solar can positively impact communities to build a sustainable future, and a video competition encouraging customers to share their stories and unique solar experiences.
“Philadelphia Solar Week was established by City Council to raise awareness and shine the spotlight on our growing, affordable, job-creating solar market,” said Emily Schapira, President and CEO of PEA. “We are grateful to our partners, collaborators and City leadership for their support of clean energy in our communities.”
Any homeowner and business in Philadelphia can sign up for Solarize Philly at www.solarizephilly.org.
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About the Philadelphia Energy Authority
The Philadelphia Energy Authority is an independent municipal authority focused on issues of energy affordability and sustainability for Philadelphia. With the leadership of City Council President Darrell Clarke, PEA runs the Philadelphia Energy Campaign, a $1 billion, 10-year investment in energy efficiency and clean energy projects to create 10,000 jobs. PEA has supported over $167 million in projects and created over 1700 jobs so far. Learn more at www.philaenergy.org.
About Philadelphia City Council
The 1951 Home Rule Charter established Council as the legislative arm of Philadelphia municipal government, consisting of seventeen members.Ten Councilmembers are elected by district and seven from the City-at-large. Stay connected with Council on phlcouncil.com, and on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
