On August 27, Ready for 100% Montgomery County announced nearly one-third of the communities in Montgomery County committed to a gradual transition to 100 percent clean, renewable energy in its electricity usage by 2035 and in all sectors (heat, transportation) by 2050.

Fully half of Montgomery County's population lives in communities committed to a fossil-fuel-free future.

Lower Providence Township was recently the 19th municipality in the county to adopt those or similar goals.

Since 2018, the county’s Ready for 100 Team has supported Montgomery County’s municipalities in adopting and committing to emission reduction targets with the objective of transitioning to 100 percent renewable electricity by 2035; achieving zero greenhouse gas emissions in all remaining sectors by 2050; and establishing policies and programs to modernize local infrastructure to ease the transition to 100 percent renewable energy.

Lower Providence Supervisor Gary Neights said he was proud of the township for “taking action” in an effort to limit the impact of hydrocarbons.

“This follows other actions our township has taken in recent years, including the adoption of a Sustainability Resolution in 2019, the establishment of an Environmental Advisory Council in 2020, the addition of sustainability best practices to the Comprehensive Plan in 2023, and now a commitment to 100 percent clean energy in Lower Providence by mid-century,” Neights said.

Douglas White, a long-serving member of Lower Providence’s Environmental Advisory Council, which had pushed for the clean energy resolution, agreed.

“This is a collaborative, iterative process. The next step will be the drafting of an Energy Transition Plan that all of us—residents, businesses and local government alike—can live with,” White said. “'Going green' is more than a catchphrase about recycling; it's a comprehensive program to reach sustainability goals that not only save money and offset carbon, but means a commitment to our children’s future and the planet's survival.”

The 19 municipalities with clean energy resolutions in place are the boroughs of Ambler, Bridgeport, Conshohocken, Hatboro, Narberth and Norristown; and the townships of Abington, Cheltenham, Lower Gwynedd, Lower Merion, Lower Providence, Montgomery, Plymouth, Springfield, Upper Dublin, Upper Merion, West Norriton, Whitemarsh, and Whitpain.

Several of these municipalities have drafted energy transition or climate action plans and some have already made significant clean-energy investments, such as adding hybrid and electric vehicles to their municipal fleets, installing solar and water source heat pumps using geothermal in municipal facilities, and—in the case of Lower Providence—making sure that sustainability is a core design principle of its new township complex.

Meanwhile, the Montgomery County Planning Commission is working on a Climate Action Plan that will provide a framework for its municipalities.

Recent federal incentives—including a 30 percent reduction in the cost of solar installations—are available for municipalities, nonprofits, faith groups and schools, making it a great time to invest in clean energy.

For more information on enlisting your municipality in the fight for a cleaner future, email: readyfor100montcopa@gmail.com.

Visit the PA Sierra Club’s Ready for 100% Montgomery County webpage for more information on this initiative.

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-- Pittsburgh Works Together Releases New Report: The PJM Grid In Peril: What Will Keep The Lights On?  [PaEN]

-- Sen. Yaw To Introduce Bills To Establish PA Baseload Energy Development Fund Based On Texas Model; And Have One Permit For Power Plants  [PaEN]

-- Ready For 100% Montgomery County: Communities With Half The County Population Support Clean Energy Future  [PaEN]

-- PennEnvironment: New US DOE Appliance Efficiency Standards Will Save PA Households $128 Annually [PaEN]

-- Washington & Jefferson College To Host Pittsburgh Regional Carbon Capture Conference Oct. 22 In Washington County  [PaEN]

-- Sept. 19 Webinar: A Year Later: Have Leaders Addressed Health Concerns From Natural Gas Development Raised In University Of Pittsburgh Public Health Studies?  [PaEN]

NewsClips This Week:

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: Natural Gas Subsidy Plan Rolled Out To Stabilize Grid [Sen. Yaw’s Energy Development Fund ]

-- Utility Dive: PA Senator [Sen. Yaw] To Introduce Energy Fund Bill, Bill To Require One Permit With One  ‘Statute of Limitations’ For Power Plant Projects

-- Utility Dive: PJM December Electricity Auction Prices Could Jump 157% Over July Auction, Morgan Stanley

-- Utility Dive: Texas Energy Fund Elects 17 Gas-Fired Power Plant Projects Totaling Almost 10 GW For Possible Loans

-- Reuters: Texas Energy Fund Approves Gas-Fired Power Plants For Next Stage Of Consideration

-- Utility Dive Guest Essay: Getting Real About Electric Grid Reliability In PJM After July Capacity Auction - By Glen Thomas, Former Chair of the PA Public Utility Commission

-- MCall Guest Essay: Sen. Boscola, PA Senate Should Advance Community Solar - By Monica Carey, Solar United Neighbors 

-- TribLive Letter: Pennsylvanians Will Benefit From Community Solar - By Monica Carey

-- WHYY - Sophia Schmidt: New State Grant Program Means Solar Panels Could Bring Deeper Savings To Cash-Strapped Philly Schools

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: EOS Energy Storage Meets Milestones For $30 Million

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: Pittsburgh Works Report: Red Tape, New Power Plant Delays Put PJM Electric Grid ‘In Peril’

-- WHYY/BillyPenn: PECO Customers Could Face Double-Digit Electricity Bill Increases Next Year; Experts Blame Growing Demand, Lagging Transition To Renewable Energy

-- TribLive Guest Essay: Biden Clean Power Plant Reboot Will Cripple PA’s Energy Affordability - By Sen. Greg Rothman (R-Cumberland)  [Need To Diversify Our Energy Generation Away From 59% Natural Gas To Prevent Price Spikes]

-- PennLive Guest Essay: Troubling Times Are Ahead For American Energy - By Commonwealth Foundation  [59% Of Energy On PA’s Electric Grid Comes From One Fuel]

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-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Mawson Infrastructure Group Expands Cryptocurrency Operations Into Ohio

[Posted: August 27, 2024]

9/2/2024