Pennsylvania's Leadership On Energy issues
April 22, 2005
35th Annual Earth Day - A perfect time to think about PA's Leadership on Energy Issues
Just as America's energy past is grounded right here in Pennsylvania, where our work forces and natural resources fueled an industrial revolution and powered this country through two world wars, so is the nation's energy future. Our Commonwealth is establishing itself as a leader in building and deploying a robust diversity of clean and renewable energy technologies with measurable impacts on pollution reduction, environmental protection, economic growth and enhanced homeland security.
With rising imported fuel prices and recent record-high oil and natural gas prices, opportunities abound to explore new energy technologies that only a few years ago might not have been cost-competitive. In just two years, the Pennsylvania Energy Harvest Grant Program has awarded $10 million and leveraged another $26.7 million in private funds since its inception in May 2003 to build a clean, indigenous, diversified energy industry from sources such as biomass, wind, solar, small-scale hydroelectric, landfill methane, coal-bed methane and waste coal.
Pennsylvania is now home to one of the nation's most progressive two-tiered energy portfolio standards, ensuring that in 15 years, 18 percent of all of the energy generated in the Commonwealth comes from clean, efficient sources. At least 0.5 percent of Tier I electricity must come from solar photovoltaic cells — a requirement that is at least three times more ambitious than anything any neighboring states have put in place.
To help build a new energy manufacturing base in Pennsylvania, the state offers significant resources to assist with project financing or business siting, including nearly $1 billion in tax-exempt bond financing for energy development through the recently revitalized Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority and up to $100 million to support energy efficiency and renewable-energy projects such as biodigesters that benefit the agricultural sector.
Improving our energy infrastructure is critical not only to environmental improvement, but also to economic development in Pennsylvania. The Spanish wind-energy company Gamesa Corp. is basing its U.S. headquarters, East Coast development offices and manufacturing facility for wind turbine generator blades in Pennsylvania — a $40 million investment expected to create as many as 1,000 good-paying jobs over the next five years for state residents. Our state already is a leader east of the Mississippi River in wind-farm production capacity.
Pennsylvania has doubled its green electricity purchase from 5 percent to 10 percent, with the goal of reaching 20 percent in green power purchases. An executive order I signed in December 2004 will ensure maximum efficiency in energy management and conservation in state facilities to decrease energy consumption and costs while promoting a cleaner environment.
And, our Commonwealth is neck and neck with California as a national leader with 18 buildings certified under the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system for "green" buildings. Ninety-seven other buildings are registered for LEED certification.
My Growing Greener II initiative builds on these accomplishments by expanding the Pennsylvania Energy Harvest Grant Program, encouraging the development of advanced energy sources and financing a Green Sales Tax Holiday to promote the purchase of energy efficient products. Voters will get to choose yes or no on a $625 million bond question to help fund these initiatives on May 17.
Today we are joining people throughout the world in celebrating our 35th annual Earth Day. It's a day dedicated to renewing our commitment to building a safer, healthier and cleaner world for all of us. It's a day that reminds us that refocusing our priorities on indigenous energy resources will help us realize significant environmental benefits, more jobs, greater economic security and enhanced homeland security — all by investing in clean, efficient energy made right here in Pennsylvania. We have everything to gain and nothing to lose.
Sincerely,
Governor Rendell's Office, 225 Main Capitol Building, Harrisburg, PA, 17120