The Philadelphia Energy Authority (PEA) completed the city’s first rooftop solar program for low- and moderate-income homeowners. Solar was installed at 50 homes through PEA’s Solar Savings Grant Program.
“Solarize Philly makes it possible for all homeowners and businesses to go solar while saving money, creating jobs and improving public health and the environment. Solar is a win-win for Philadelphia,” said Darrell Clarke, city council president Darrell Clarke.
Pilot participants had household incomes of less than 80% of the area median income. PEA provided subsidies to participating households to cover part of the installation cost, paired with a low-cost loan and no minimum credit score or any upfront cost. The solar panels are warrantied for 25 years and participants will see utility bill savings in year one.
“The Philadelphia Energy Authority continues to position Philadelphia as a national leader in using clean energy to drive equitable economic development,” said Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson. “This innovative program lays the foundation for thousands more low- and moderate-income households to go solar over the coming years.”
Partners in this project included the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, Solar States, Centennial Parkside CDC using grants from Spark Therapeutics and William Penn Foundation, Firstrust Bank and the National Energy Improvement Fund.
Philadelphia Green Capital, Philadelphia’s new green bank, is providing loan loss reserves and a revolving fund for the solar renewable energy credits generated by the projects.
The Solar Savings Grant Program is part of Solarize Philly, a citywide program to help all Philadelphians go solar. Installers include Solar States, Superior Solar Design, PosiGen and EDP Renewables. Any Philadelphia homeowner or business can sign up at www.solarizephilly.org.
