Advanced Energy Perspectives

The need for new advanced energy generation in Pennsylvania has never been more urgent. PJM’s most recent capacity auction exposed a deep imbalance between supply and demand: prices surged more than sixfold, which means skyrocketing electricity cost increases for consumers are coming in June. Meanwhile, the development of advanced energy projects has been stalled by bureaucratic hurdles and outdated alternative portfolio standards, which plateaued in 2021. 

It is clear that what Pennsylvania needs is a comprehensive plan to modernize the grid and ensure reliable, affordable power for the 21st century. Governor Shapiro’s "Lightning Plan" marks a step in the right direction. While Advanced Energy United strongly supports the full plan, we want to highlight two key bills: RESET (Renewable Energy Standards and Energy Transition Act) and PRESS (Promoting Renewable Energy, Storage, and Sustainability Act) which have the potential to open markets in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania has roughly 270,000 energy workers – nearly half are employed by companies in the advanced energy industry, including those generating solar power, manufacturing energy storage batteries, and helping Pennsylvanians save money by reducing energy waste. While Pennsylvania’s history is rooted in fossil fuels, its present and future is as an advanced energy leader.

Last week at the Pennsylvania State Capitol, Advanced Energy United was joined by state legislators and a coalition of stakeholders advocating for electric school buses and a bill that would allow more school districts in the state to buy them. Legislators experienced the benefits of electric school buses firsthand, riding along in one provided by Steelton-Highspire School District, which procured new buses with funding from the federal government for clean transportation.  

When the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced and opened applications for a new school bus procurement funding program last fall, school districts from every corner of the country rushed to apply. Unfortunately, over 70 Pennsylvania districts from across the Commonwealth were waitlisted or deprioritized for funding from the nationwide Clean School Bus Program. There simply wasn’t enough funding set aside to meet the enthusiasm of school administrators for electric school buses in Pennsylvania.

Data is the lifeblood of a modern economy. Today, consumers are empowered with unprecedented data access in virtually all aspects of their lives. Yet the ability of utility customers to access their own energy usage data – and the means for them to easily share that data with the companies of their choice – is lagging. This is unfortunate, because making better use of energy usage data can provide a range of benefits, including achieving greater energy efficiency savings and smart energy management during times of peak electricity demand when costs are higher and the risks of power outages increase. That’s why we were surprised when the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) closed its investigation into how to enable this type of data access without taking any action.