Local solar program proposed in Pennsylvania

(The Center Square) – For many Pennsylvanians, connecting to solar energy remains unavailable and technically impossible.

That’s why one Erie County legislator says he’s reintroducing the legislation to bridge the gap between renters and homeowners who aren’t able to invest in their own roof panels.

Sen. Dan Laughlin, R-Erie, sponsored a plan Thursday that would establish subscription programs to ensure residents receive 100% of their solar energy from a local source instead of the traditional grid.

“This bill will allow those who truly believe in renewable energy but live in conditions that are not conducive to its production to put their money where it will validate their desire for a cleaner grid,” he said Thursday.

While residents can purchase renewable energy plans on Pennsylvania’s retail electricity market, most of that generation comes from projects in Tennessee and Kentucky.

A spokeswoman for Laughlin’s office said many plans sold on the market aren’t exactly “green” either. This is because project developers often sell their solar renewable energy credits to fossil fuel suppliers, who then use these credits to prove that some of the energy supplied to customers comes from renewable sources.

The credits range from $3.50 per megawatt-hour produced to as much as $370, depending on each state’s market value. In October 2022, loans in Pennsylvania ranged from $40 to $42.

Laughlin’s plan, however, requires local sources to retain their credits so that the generation counts toward the state’s alternative energy portfolio standard, thus ensuring it is “green.”

The proposal comes amid the senator’s strong opposition to a plan to install wind turbines on Lake Erie. The The House agreed to this solution in Aprilwhich would enable the leasing of land in the central and western parts of the lake.

While supporters say development plans avoid ecological and economic disruption, critics say otherwise.

“If this bill is intended to manage the environment, then it is completely different,” said MP Jake Banta from Co. Waterford during the April 17 debate.

He said the negotiations left out the property owners, anglers and charter captains he represents who “want to maintain a quiet lifestyle.” Everyone feared that the wind turbines would not only destroy the view of the shoreline, but also create a contamination risk from oil spills and stirring up toxic sediment along the lakebed.

Laughlin did not comment on the bill at the time, but on Thursday he made clear he did not support it.