In Short : Pennsylvania experienced slower growth in renewable energy in the past decade, but recent trends indicate a potential reversal. With ongoing efforts to expand renewable infrastructure and policies encouraging clean energy adoption, the state’s renewable sector might see accelerated growth in the coming years.
In Detail : A new report ranks Pennsylvania at the bottom of states in terms of renewable energy growth over the last decade.
Out of all 50 states and the District of Columbia, Pennsylvania only beat out Alaska in adding new wind and solar energy. The commonwealth also placed 50th in energy efficiency programs.
Other states known for oil and gas production were able to grow renewables at a much faster pace. The report says Texas is the leader. In 2022, Texas generated 91 times as much solar power as it did a decade before and three times as much wind.
The analysis from PennEnvironment shows the commonwealth had little growth in wind and tripled solar energy since 2013, with most of the growth happening in 2019.
The country as a whole doubled wind power and saw a 12-fold increase in solar in the same time frame.
Ellie Kerns, climate and clean energy associate with the PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center, said the group is advocating for a switch to 100% renewables by 2050.
“But in the last 10 years, we only brought online enough renewables to power less than 2% of Pennsylvania’s homes, and continue to purchase just 3% of our electricity from renewable sources,” Kerns said.
Doug Neidich, CEO of solar company GreenWorks Development, says one reason is that Pennsylvania met its goal for renewable energy two years ago.
“Our solar renewable energy certificate values–the only incentive that Pennsylvania offers for solar–have slid more than 30 percent in the last six months, and they’re going to continue to slide.”
Bills in the General Assembly that would update the state’s renewable energy goals and improve energy efficiency standards have not been called up. Utility companies in Pennsylvania must buy 8% of their energy from renewable sources under the state’s current standards.
Rep. Patty Kim (D-Dauphin) said a measure to help schools install solar that passed the Democratic-controlled state House this summer may have the best chance of becoming law of renewables-focused bills this session.
“[It’s] bipartisan. Everybody likes saving money. I think that’s the lowest hanging fruit in terms of which bill will be passed,” Kim said.