Project Name: Finding Pennsylvania’s Solar Future
Funding Opportunity: Solar Energy Evolution and Diffusion Studies 2 – State Energy Strategies (SEEDS2-SES)
SunShot Subprogram: Soft Costs
Location: Harrisburg, PA
SunShot Award Amount: $550,000
Awardee Cost Share: $168,975

This project uses detailed scenario modeling to analyze current solar development and legislation and determine how they will be applied in 2030 under a scenario where up to 10 percent of electricity sales are from solar generation. The project will inform strategies that help meet state energy goals, develop environmental compliance plans, contribute to Pennsylvania’s compliance of the Clean Power Plan, and increase grid resiliency. This work will result in a well-informed solar deployment plan that will be available to policymakers, regulators, industry, investors, and consumers. This project is expected to help lower the costs, increase the speed, and lower the barriers to solar market expansion in Pennsylvania.

APPROACH

The project team will convene meetings among collaborative working groups to produce Pennsylvania’s Solar Future Plan, a comprehensive, well-vetted, and consistent statewide plan to increase solar energy production. To develop this plan, the team will conduct thorough, impartial analysis to catalyze and support review of stakeholder positions and several possible solar deployment futures. They will also conduct in-depth analysis of net metering, storage, vehicle electrification, heat pumps, and other critical policy and market-related topics.

INNOVATION

This project will create a shared understanding of the steps needed to increase the amount of solar energy being produced in Pennsylvania. The effort will reveal the roles and opportunities related to regulatory and ratemaking processes, incentives and business models, and operations and systems integration opportunities. The resulting plan will inform Pennsylvania’s Climate Change Action Plan, aid in exceeding the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards goals, drive compliance with the Clean Power Plan, and increase Pennsylvania’s resiliency.