Readers of a certain age will remember the popular, “You’ve come a long way baby,” slogan from Virginia Slims. While that slogan no longer applies to the cigarette industry, it perfectly captures the state of Pennsylvania’s solar industry. As a result of various state and federal policy initiatives, solar energy is more readily available in Pennsylvania than ever before. However, understanding the opportunities available for municipalities and municipal authorities (municipal organizations) can be a daunting task. This article will briefly recap the policy developments driving Pennsylvania’s growing solar market and review popular models for solar projects available to interested municipal organizations.

Policy Background

In 2004, the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act (AEPS Act), which was intended to help galvanize construction of alternative energy resources, including solar development, by requiring electric distribution companies (the local electric company that owns and operates the physical electric poles and wires in your area) and electric generation suppliers (the various companies that sell electric power to be delivered to your home or business) to purchase a percentage of their energy supply from renewable energy sources.