NOTE: This project was inspired by a collaborated project, "A Case Study into Heat Vulnerable Neighborhoods in Philadelphia," between Elizabeth May and myself. I wanted to take our research and explore other possible interventions within communities to alleviate the urban heat island effect. This project focuses on energy burdened communities and introduces a proposal for solar potential within these communities.
According to Philadelphia's Office of Sustainability, the city's 600,000+ buildings energy usage account for nearly 80% of Philadelphia's total carbon emissions; with Transportation accounting for the second highest of total carbon emissions.
To help combat the ongoing climate crisis, Major Jim Kennedy created a plan which would allow the City of Philadelphia to reach 100% clean energy usage by 2050. To reach this goal, there are intermediate milestone goals which the City hopes to achieve.
Image credited to Richard Newstead/Getty Images
The Problem
For many in Philadelphia, energy costs alone may be too great a burden to pay for. In Philadelphia as of 2020, energy costs make up 3% of the monthly household income within energy burdened areas; within low-income communities this may be as high as 9.5% of the household income. Many citizens are barely able to make ends meet with 26% of Philadelphia's total population living in poverty. An additional loan through the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing program is out of the question.
I am proposing a program that forms a relationship between (low-income) residents, the City of Philadelphia, and the electric company (PECO), that allows for the installation of solar panels on eligible properties in exchange for 'clean' electricity. Residences in these lower income areas would benefit from free electricity, which the City would own & maintain the solar PV systems. Meanwhile, working towards the City's energy vision for 2050.
