Solar has its day in the sun in Pennsylvania
On a sparkling, sunshiny day, three top Pennsylvania officials discussed an ambitious solar energy initiative the state is touting as “the largest government solar energy commitment” made thus far in the United States.
During a Monday morning news briefing, they outlined seven solar array projects that will be built in six counties and produce about 50% of the state government’s electricity.
None of those counties are within a four-hour drive of Southwestern Pennsylvania.
Secretaries Patrick McDonnell (Environmental Protection Agency), Curt Topper (General Services) and Cindy Adams Dunn (Conservation and Natural Resources) elaborated on the seven projects, which are expected to provide a cumulative 191 megawatts of power. The projects are part of Gov. Tom Wolf’s GreenGov initiative titled Pennsylvania PULSE (Project to Utilize Light and Solar Energy), and are to begin operations on Jan. 1, 2023.
Those arrays are to be built in seven locations in six counties: Columbia, Juniata, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder and York. Kevin Smith, CEO of LightSource bp, a global developer of large-scale solar projects, said at the briefing that his firm will construct, own and operate the Pennsylvania arrays, all of which will be built on farmland, which will not require remediation afterward.
He said those projects are at various stages of development and will total 1,800 to 2,000 acres. Smith added that not only will the solar arrays reduce carbon dioxide emissions, they will create about 400 jobs and draw “millions of dollars in investments.”
DEP said in a news release that when all of the arrays are operational, they will supply all electricity for 434 accounts across 16 state agencies – about half of what state government uses. DEP added that the seven projects also will begin to lower carbon emissions in Pennsylvania by 157,800 metric tons per year, equivalent to emissions from 34,000 cars.
Wolf, who did not participate in the virtual briefing, said in a statement: “Pennsylvania has been a national energy leader for more than 100 years. As we continue to diversify our grid with clean renewable sources of energy, we want to maintain Pennsylvania’s leadership position and bring the associated economic, health and environmental benefits to all Pennsylvanians.”
General Services has contracted with Constellation, an electric generation supplier licensed by the state Public Utility Commission, to secure a 15-year fixed-price supply agreement.
DEP’s McDonnell said: “With over 85% of Pennsylvania’s greenhouse gas emissions coming from energy production and use, pursuing clean energy and energy efficiency at the enterprise scale … will make a big impact. At the same time, research shows the clean energy sector is a leading creator of quality jobs in Pennsylvania.”
DEP said that from 2017 to 2019, clean energy industries added nearly 7,800 jobs in Pennsylvania.