PENNSYLVANIA SOLAR CENTER

TRANSFORM: BY JULY 1, 2025, THE ORGANIZATION INCREASED THE GET SOLAR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STAFF FROM THREE TO SIX FULL-TIME PEOPLE. THE QUEUE OF PROJECTS GREW TO NEARLY 400 INTERESTED ENTITIES SEEKING ASSISTANCE, WHICH INCLUDE MUNICIPALITIES, SCHOOLS, NONPROFITS, AND BUSINESSES. TO DATE, THE PA SOLAR CENTER HAS FACILITATED THE INSTALLATION (OR NEARLY COMPLETED INSTALLATION) OF 20 PROJECTS WITH A TOTAL OF MORE THAN 9 MW OF SOLAR WITH MOST OF THAT OCCURRING DURING THE GRANT PERIOD. THE ESTIMATED SAVINGS DURING A 25-YEAR PERIOD IS MORE THAN 21 MILLION (AND AFTER PAYING FOR CAPITAL AND CONSTRUCTION COSTS) FOR THOSE ORGANIZATIONS. THOSE PROJECTS LEVERAGED AN UPFRONT INVESTMENT OF ALMOST 16 MILLION AND ARE PREDICTED TO AVOID A TOTAL OF 9,193 METRIC TONS OF CO2E OVER 25 YEARS. THE ORGANIZATION INCREASED THE NUMBER OF QUALIFIED SOLAR DEVELOPERS IN ITS NETWORK TO 50 COMPANIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO MAKE QUALIFIED BIDS, AND INCREASED PARTNERSHIPS WITH ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE STATE TO EXPAND OUTREACH CAPABILITIES. THE GET SOLAR TEAM SHEPHERDED A UNIQUE BIDDING PROCESS ON BEHALF OF 12 MUNICIPALITIES AND A WATER AUTHORITY FOR 46 POTENTIAL SOLAR PROJECTS. THE GET SOLAR SWPA WAS STARTED IN SPRING 2025 TO EXPAND OUTREACH TO THE 10-COUNTY REGION OF WESTERN PA. THIS EFFORT IS SUPPORTED BY THE FOLLOWING PARTNERS: SOUTHWESTERN PA COMMISSION, PA SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS NETWORK, SUSTAINABLE PITTSBURGH, CONNECT, RIVERWISE, AND SWPA MUNICIPAL PROJECT HUB. GET SOLAR WESTMORELAND IS NOW HOUSED IN THE BROADER INITIATIVE THAT AIMS TO ATTRACT ENTITIES INTO THE GET SOLAR PROGRAM ACROSS THE REGION. IN ADDITION, THE PA SOLAR CENTER ENTERED INTO AN AGREEMENT AS A GRANT SUB- AWARDEE WITH THE PHILADELPHIA ENERGY AUTHORITY TO BRING PA SOLAR'S GET SOLAR PROGRAM TO THE FIVE-COUNTY REGION OF PENNSYLVANIA TO ASSIST COMMERCIAL ENTITIES TO GO SOLAR THROUGH PEA'S SOLARIZE GREATER PHILADELPHIA INITIATIVE. INCREASED ACTIVITY WAS SPAWNED BY THE PASSAGE OF THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT IN 2023, WHICH INCREASED INCENTIVES FOR SOLAR ENERGY AS WELL AS THE CENTER'S OUTREACH EFFORTS AND GROWING PARTNERSHIPS THROUGHOUT THE STATE. PA SOLARCORPS, THE ORGANIZATION'S VOLUNTEER INITIATIVE TO MAP THE SOLAR POTENTIAL OF LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES, MAPPED A TOTAL OF 1,048 PROPERTIES IN 68 COMMUNITIES IN WESTERN PA. IN WESTMORELAND AND ALLEGHENY, OUR TEAM MAPPED LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES AND MAILED RESULTS OF ESTIMATED SOLAR POTENTIAL DIRECTLY TO 281 PROPERTIES IN WESTMORELAND COUNTY AS WELL AS 151 INDUSTRIAL PROPERTIES IN WESTMORELAND AND ALLEGHENY AND 53 SCHOOLS IN PENNSYLVANIA. IN SOUTHEAST PA, THE PA SOLARCORPS MAPPED THE SOLAR POTENTIAL OF 375 PROPERTIES IN 13 LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES IN THE FOUR COUNTIES SURROUNDING PHILADELPHIA

EDUCATE: THE PENNSYLVANIA SOLAR CENTER WORKS TO EXPAND THE PUBLIC'S KNOWLEDGE AND ACCESSIBILITY OF THE BENEFITS OF SOLAR ENERGY. THE TEAM CONTINUED ITS WATTS & LEARN WEBINAR SERIES, BRINGING SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS TO TALK ABOUT IMPORTANT SOLAR TOPICS, WHICH ATTRACTS ABOUT INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS, LEGISLATORS, MEDIA, AND SOLAR ADVOCATES. THE ORGANIZATION INCREASED ITS SOCIAL MEDIA AND EARNED MEDIA PRESENCE ACROSS THE STATE, WHICH RESULTED MORE THAN 100 MEDIA MENTIONS EITHER FROM EARNED MEDIA STORIES OR THE CENTER AND FROM PRESS RELEASES, OP-ED PIECES, RADIO AND TELEVISION MENTIONS, AND MEDIA INTERVIEWS, REGARDING THE BENEFITS OF SOLAR, ELECTRICITY PRICING INCREASES, AND SOLAR POLICY. THE CENTER HELD ONE VIRTUAL LODESTAR AWARD CEREMONIES TO HONOR ENTITIES THAT HAVE GONE SOLAR ACROSS THE STATE. IN ADDITION, THE PA SOLAR CENTER HELD TWO IN-PERSON SOIREE FUNDRAISER EVENTS THAT INCLUDED LODESTAR AWARD CEREMONIES IN PITTSBURGH AND IN PHILADELPHIA.