It all started four years ago. Seventeen environmental and utility activism and government groups successfully reached a settlement with Pittsburgh electricity supplier
Duquesne Light over disputed rate increases. Since 2006, groups like
Citizens For Pennsylvania's Future (Penn Future) and the
Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority have been reinvesting the settlement funds to create jobs and diversify the energy portfolio of the state.
This week, PEDA announced receipt of the final settlement payment, with green economy investments totaling $2.6 million. The investments will save more than 10 billion kilowatt hours of electricity,
bring more than $200 million in private investments, and create 1,400
jobs while building the state’s clean energy sector. While the investment is a huge step forward for diversification, Penn Future's CEO Jen Jarrett believes it's a small step in a much larger race.
“Unfortunately, the projects announced today are the last from the
Duquesne Light settlement,” said Jarrett, “That’s why
it’s so important that the Pennsylvania General Assembly pass
legislature to increase our once-groundbreaking Alternative Energy
Portfolio Standard. Without an increase, we will fall behind New Jersey,
Maryland, Delaware--and even Illinois."
One area where the re-investments have made a difference is Pittsburgh, which its re-imagining its industrial roots by exploring solar generation and manufacturing. In May, Pittsburgh was named one of only 25
Solar American Cities for its commitment to solar. Solar hot water
and solar PV installations on city owned buildings new ordinances to assist in the removal of barriers in residential and commercial solar installations and Solar Fellowship program have Pittsburgh on track to meet their stated goal of a 20 percent greenhouse gas reduction by 2023. Jarrett and Penn Future believe these new investments (three of the eight are in Pittsburgh) are another step in the right direction.
“Pittsburgh actually has more sunshine than Germany, the international
solar powerhouse, but we need new installations and new technology," says Jarrett. "The
investments announced today will help a lot but we must increase the
required amount of solar power in every utility’s mix. If we wait, we
are likely to lose the race for green jobs and green energy.”
Source: Jen Jarrett, Penn FutureWriter: John Steele