FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 4, 2019
Contact Co-leaders, Renewables Work for PA coalition:
- Sharon Pillar, Pennsylvania Consultant for Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) at pillarsharon@gmail.com
- Ron Celentano, President, President for PASEIA, Pennsylvania Division of the Mid-Atlantic Solar & Storage Industries Association (MSSIA) at CelentanoR@aol.com
- Bruce Burcat, Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Coalition (MAREC), bburcat@marec.us
Renewables coalition commends Gov. Wolf’s leadership to limit carbon and call for advances in clean energy
Pittsburgh, PA – Governor Wolf issued an Executive Order yesterday to start the process for Pennsylvania to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). RGGI is a market-based compact among nine Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change while generating economic growth. RGGI puts a price on carbon and reinvests the monies into state economies.
The Renewables Works for PA (RWPA) coalition leaders issued the following statement:
“Obviously, this is good news for anyone who cares about the environment, but also for anyone who cares about Pennsylvania’s economy,” said Sharon Pillar, Pennsylvania Consultant for E2 (Environmental Entrepreneurs) and co-leader of the RWPA coalition. “By taking this first step to join RGGI, Gov. Wolf is sending a smart market signal to the world that our state is open for business. The state will reap the full benefits of millions of dollars of clean energy investment and tens of thousands of new jobs only if it also takes the crucial next steps. One of those includes ensuring that some of the proceeds from RGGI are allocated to renewable energy.”
“With the cost of solar and wind declining by 70% since 2010, renewables now provide long-term stable energy pricing for customers,” said Ron Celentano, president of PASEIA, the Pennsylvania Division of Mid-Atlantic Solar & Storage Industries Association (MSSIA) and co-leader of the RWPA Coalition. “While RGGI will incentivize low-carbon energy resources, a study by the Natural Resources Defense Council recently showed that RGGI alone will not lead to large increases in renewable energy development in the next 15 years. In fact, most of the lower carbon fuels will be met with natural gas (70% by 2035) unless we also significantly increase renewable energy policy goals as well.”
“Our renewable energy goals (8% by 2021 with 0.5% from solar) must be increased in order to provide a diverse energy mix that is not dominated by natural gas. Most of the other states in RGGI also have very strong renewable energy policies approaching or exceeding 50% by 2030,” said Bruce Burcat, executive director, the Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Coalition (MAREC). “Pennsylvania is falling to the back of the pack in renewable development as well as the jobs and economic growth that renewables bring. We encourage the Pennsylvania General Assembly to follow the governor’s lead and increase renewable goals in the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard (AEPS).”
Finding Pennsylvania’s Solar Future report by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection showed that a goal of 10% solar by 2030 would result in more than 60,000 jobs. Our coalition estimates that a goal of 30% renewables by 2030 would bring approximately 100,000 jobs. Currently, Pennsylvania is ranked 22nd in both wind and solar deployment. Renewable energy employs almost 10,000 in Pennsylvania across the manufacturing, installation, and supply chain with less than 5% of the state’s energy coming from renewables.
###
Renewables Work for PA is a coalition of 80+ renewable businesses advocating for Pennsylvania to modernize its Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards by increasing the percentages of renewable energy. For more information, visit www.RenewablesWorkforPa.com.
E2 (Environmental Entrepreneurs) is a national, nonpartisan group of business leaders, investors, and professionals from every sector of the economy who advocate for smart policies that are good for the economy and good for the environment. Our members have founded or funded more than 2,500 companies, created more than 600,000 jobs, and manage more than $100 billion in venture and private equity capital. For more information, see www.e2.org or follow us on Twitter at @e2org.
PASEIA is the Pennsylvania division of the Mid-Atlantic Solar and Storage Industries Association (MSSIA) an organization of manufacturers, developers, contractors, installers, architects, engineers, consultants and other industry professionals dedicated to advancing the interests of solar energy and to developing a strong local PA industry offering high quality installation and professional services to business and residential customers in the region we serve. For more information, visit https://mssia.org/mssia/pennsylvania/.
Mid-Atlantic Renewables Energy Coalition (MAREC) was formed in September 2009 as a nonprofit Pennsylvania corporation. Our membership consists of wind developers, solar developers, wind turbine manufacturers, service companies, and nonprofit organizations dedicated to the growth of renewable energy technologies to improve our environment, diversify our electric generation portfolio, and boost economic development in the region. Our mission is to improve and enhance the opportunities for renewable energy development in the nine jurisdictions in the Mid-Atlantic region, which include: Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. The primary areas of focus of MAREC are to provide education and expertise on the environmental sustainability of wind and solar energy; offer technical expertise and advice to assist in understanding the operating and environmental impacts of integrating wind and solar into the electrical power system; and promote fair policies, rules and regulations to expand the region’s electric transmission system to accommodate the growth of renewable energy generation. For more information, visit www.marec.us.
Comentários