The Philadelphia Energy Authority Wednesday released the Philadelphia Energy Campaign Progress Report, detailing findings from a six-month initial planning period and outlining the path toward creating 10,000 jobs from local investment in energy efficiency and clean energy.

Launched in February 2016, the Philadelphia Energy Campaign will leverage $1 billion in private and public investments in order to create energy efficiencies, taxpayer savings, and sustainable jobs in four sectors: municipal buildings, public school buildings, low- and moderate-income residential housing, and small businesses.

The Campaign plans to target 2,500 small businesses, 25,000 households, and create 10,000 jobs over 10 years.

“When I realized the significant amounts of funding for clean energy projects our City was leaving on the table every year, I began talking to experts about how Philadelphia could best use those dollars. It quickly became clear that my greatest priorities, taxpayer savings and job creation, could be addressed by using these funds, and so the Philadelphia Energy Campaign was born,” Council President Darrell L. Clarke said.

“I am so excited to see Energy Campaign projects have already commenced and are creating jobs. My thanks to PEA Executive Director Emily Schapira and her team for their diligence, and to our partner organizations who are getting us closer to the goal of 10,000 new energy jobs in 10 years.”

Since launching in February, PEA staff have consulted with more than 200 stakeholders, experts, and advocates, and developed strategic partnerships with utility companies, lenders, energy services companies, property owners, businesses, and nonprofits to develop pilot programs. Pilot programs that have already been implemented will create more than 5,100 jobs after being brought to scale.

Emily Schapira, PEA executive director, said of the pilot programs: “We’re focused on those areas where we can get the most bang for the buck in terms of job creation, and have made a lot of progress.

Developing fully scalable models will take some time, but we are confident that we will effectively achieve our goals of poverty reduction, neighborhood-driven economic development, more affordable housing stock, greater investor interest in Philadelphia, and cost-effective public health improvements.”

Joining PEA staff and Council President Clarke for the release of the Philadelphia Energy Campaign Progress Report on Thursday were: Christine Knapp, Director, Office of Sustainability; Liz Robinson, Executive Director, Energy Coordinating Agency (ECA); Chuck Graves, ECA Site Project Manager; and representatives of Energy Campaign partners including Constellation NewEnergy, ECG Engineering, Johnson Controls, PA Solar Energy Association, PECO, Penn State at the Navy Yard, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia Housing Authority, PGW, The Reinvestment Fund, Solar States, and Sunvestment.

Among the Energy Campaign projects currently underway are:

-- Multi-family affordable housing energy rehabilitation, with partners including Mission First Housing Group, Friends Rehabilitation Program, BlocPower, PECO, and CMC Energy Services.

-- Energy usage assessments of small businesses such as corner stores and restaurants, in partnership with Penn State University

-- Philadelphia Housing Authority energy performance contract, currently in audit phase, assessing feasibility for 20,000 units

-- Evaluation of School District of Philadelphia buildings for solar energy conversion, with target implementation date in 2017

-- City Council Housing Preservation Initiative, funded by FY 2017 increase in realty transfer tax, to clear the existing four-year wait list for low-income home repair

-- City energy projects led by the Office of Sustainability, including recreation centers and libraries (Rebuild), police and fire stations, Philadelphia Museum of Art, and citywide renewables

City officials discussed the findings of the Philadelphia Energy Campaign Progress Report on the 200 block of West Wishart Street, where two homes are receiving energy upgrades as part of the ECA EnergyFit Program, a key partner in the Energy Campaign.

EnergyFit home weatherization results in an average 38 percent reduction in energy consumption, along with health and repair interventions.

Following the press conference, City officials and representatives of Energy Campaign partner organizations toured the ECA Training Facility at 106 W Clearfield St,, which prepares people ranging from high school students to ex-offenders to enter the home weatherization and green energy workforce.

The Philadelphia Energy Campaign Progress Report is available online.

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Philadelphia Launches $1 Billion Green Jobs Plan

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[Posted Dec. 17, 2016]

12/19/2016