Few disagree that PECO supplying electricity using 100% renewable energy is a divine goal. But the devil is in the clean energy transition details.
POWER Interfaith, the Philadelphia-area/ faith-based community organizing network, is unveiling a People’s Energy Plan at a rally on the north steps of City Hall this Wednesday, June 28, at 4:30 p.m. It is part of the nonprofit’s push to get PECO to move away from its dependence on fossil fuels.
“You can’t leap to meeting a final goal. It’s a transition process,” admitted Rabbi Julie Greenberg, POWER’s director of Climate Justice and Jobs but she said PECO has not taken a leadership role in increasing the use of renewables.
Because POWER wants PECO to purchase more clean energy, such as wind or solar, for resale to its 1.6 million electricity customers, they are also targeting the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission (PUC), the state regulatory agency, which every four years has to approve PECO’s energy purchasing plans.”
“We are concerned that PECO and state government are tied to fossil fuel,” said Wendy Greenspan, POWER volunteer and member leader of its Climate Justice and Jobs group. “Only 0.5 percent of our electricity comes from solar. And everyday you can see the impact (of climate change).”
PECO has reported that it is already on a “Path to Clean” with plans to reduce its operations-driven emissions by half by 2030. Using electric vehicles, replacing aging, less-efficient equipment and partnering on clean energy initiatives with local communities, are all methods the company is implementing to reach its goal.
“PECO will say that it already does so much good for the community,” Greenspan said. She said, however, that efforts such as handing out box fans to seniors is not the level of commitment on climate change POWER is seeking from one of the country’s oldest and largest utility companies.
“A lot of states have gone beyond what our PUC regulates,” Greenspan said. According to the Clean Energy States Alliance, Pennsylvania is not included among the 22 states and the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, which currently have 100% clean energy goals.”
POWER Interfaith proposes the ‘People’s Energy Plan,’ pushing PECO to use more renewable energy
“We are concerned that PECO and state government are tied to fossil fuel,” said POWER volunteer Wendy Greenspan.
by Lynette Hazelton
Updated on Jun 27, 2023, 5:00 a.m. ET
Read the entire article here: https://www.inquirer.com/news/power-peco-puc-clean-energy-20230627.html
