By Chad Forcey, PA Conservative Energy Forum

This op-ed first appeared on Triblive.com November 6, 2020--

With Pennsylvania staring down a pandemic-induced $4.5 billion budget deficit, and just a few short weeks before our current budget expires on Nov. 30, the commonwealth is short on options.

Without new revenues, Harrisburg lawmakers will need to enact painful cuts that will make our COVID-19 recovery longer and less effective than the one that followed the Great Recession.

The Pennsylvania Conservative Energy Forum (PennCEF) was founded as the conservative “voice for energy” in 2018, by Pennsylvania leaders like former Lt. Gov. Jim Cawley, former state Rep. Tom Stevenson, former U.S. Navy secretary John Lehman, and former Department of Environmental Protection secretary Jim Seif.

These individuals — and a Leadership Council made up of industry, education and faith leaders — have endorsed new community solar legislation that would raise revenue without raising taxes or spending public money.

Pennsylvania’s lawmakers should quickly pass these bills-- House Bill 531 [Kaufer-R-Luzerne] and Senate Bill 705 [Scavello-R-Monroe]— to enable community solar, a clean energy model that will produce a triple-bottom-line benefit: generating significant income for farmers who are suffering, bringing in badly needed revenues and responsibly expanding access to clean energy.

It’s important to note that participating in community solar is completely voluntary, and Pennsylvanians who choose to subscribe will immediately start saving money on their monthly electric bills.

With increased utility savings, consumers will be able to increase their household spending and in turn stimulate other economic sectors.

Community solar projects allow landowners, particularly farmers with underutilized or sloped acreage, to lease a portion of their property for solar array installations. Area residents have the option to subscribe and receive a credit on their electric bill for their portion of the power produced at that local solar garden.

Whether your property is measured in acres or square feet, you can take advantage of solar energy, and farmers can generate a steady source of additional income that can help them weather tough times.

There are many reasons why community solar makes sense for Pennsylvania. First and foremost, the economics are staggering.

A recent study by Penn State found that community solar would generate $1.8 billion in economic output for the Commonwealth during the construction phase and $83 million in annual economic output during the operations phase. [Read more here]

Second, these projects are far-reaching. There are 235 projects planned in nearly three-quarters of Pennsylvania counties. [Read more here]

Customers can benefit whether they live in rural, urban or suburban areas. Penn State expects 12,000 total jobs to be created across 48 counties.

Third, community solar is a way to provide more consumer choice. This means more economic freedom for customers to decide where their energy comes from.

Pennsylvania is lucky to have a diverse energy sector, and it is healthiest when renewables have full access to markets alongside other significant sources like natural gas, nuclear and coal in an all-of-the-above energy portfolio.

PennCEF has proudly supported an “all of the above” energy strategy since its inception.

Finally, in a year that’s been lost to a pandemic, farmers are desperate for economic relief. By allowing landowners to monetize unused or underused parts of their properties, the assistance provided by new solar installations can blunt the financial pain that was caused by months of lost productivity.

The bills each have a list of strong, bipartisan cosponsors. But the window for passing the legislation, which would allow community solar projects to move forward, is short.

Lawmakers won’t return to the capitol until November 10 and will then have less than three weeks before the budget expires at the end of the month.

Conservatives should be able to agree that community solar is one of the rare economic opportunities that achieves substantial benefits through open markets, less red tape, greater economic freedom and cleaner energy options.

And there’s nothing partisan about economic development that benefits urban, suburban and rural Pennsylvanians alike.

Chad Forcey is Executive Director of the PA Conservative Energy Forum and can be contacted by sending email to: chad.forcey@penncef.org.

NewsClips:

Op-Ed: Community Solar Offers Bright Spot Of Revenue Opportunity - PA Conservative Energy Forum

Laura Legere: Sharing The Sun: Greene County Woman’s Quest To Get Solar Power To The People 

Laura Legere: EQB Opens Public Comment Process On Controversial Carbon Pollution Cutting Plan

Rachel McDevitt: Public Comment Period Opens For Draft RGGI Rule

Laura Legere: Consol Gets Federal Grant To Design Cleaner Coal-Fired Power Plant, Maybe In Greene County

Laura Legere: Putting Carbon Back In The Earth Re-Emerges As Bipartisan Strategy

Anya Litvak: 200,000 Utility Customers In Western PA Behind On Their Bills, Help Available For Many

WESA: PA’s Moratorium On Utility Shutoffs Ends Nov. 9

Related Articles - Community Solar:

-- New Poll Shows Bipartisan Support Across Pennsylvania For Passage Of Community Solar Bill

-- Penn State Study Finds Passing Bills To Authorize Community Solar Would Support 12,000 Jobs, Generate $1.8 Billion In Economic Impact For PA

-- House Hearing: $2 Billion In Community Solar Projects, Family Farms Waiting For Passage Of Bipartisan Legislation That Costs Taxpayers Nothing

-- New Analysis: Over 200 Shovel-Ready Community Solar Projects Await Action On Bipartisan Legislation

-- PA Conservative Energy Forum Clean & Renewable Energy Is Essential To National Security Town Hall With Dr. John Lehman Now Available On Demand

-- New Report Shows PA Lags Behind In Renewable Energy Development, Despite National Growth

-- House Committee Hears Comments On Bill Authorizing Local Solar Energy Subscriber Programs

-- Sen. Yaw Wants To Load Up Solar Energy Projects With Bonds; Will Kill $2 Billion In Private Solar Investment, Hurt Family Farms, Increase Electricity Costs

-- Republicans On House Environmental Committee OK Bills To Exempt Water Supplies, Slow Down Solar Energy; And Disapprove Of Air Quality Fees, New Manganese Water Standard

Related Articles - Climate - Renewable Energy:

-- DEP Now Accepting Applications For Electric Cargo Handling, Marine & Rail Freight Movers Grant Programs

-- Environmental Quality Board Invites Public Comments On Proposed Carbon Pollution Reduction Program For Power Plants Consistent With RGGI; 10 Virtual Public Comment Sessions Set

-- Virtual College Town Hall: PA And Climate Change - What Does The Future Hold? Nov. 9

[Posted: November 7, 2020]

11/9/2020