DCED Official Says Energy Independence Strategy Means Good Things for PA Businesses, Consumers;
DATELINE: LANCASTER, Pa. April 9
LANCASTER, Pa., April 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Governor Edward G. Rendell's Energy Independence Strategy will save consumers $10 billion over the next 10 years, promote Pennsylvania's energy independence, and create 13,000 new jobs by rapidly expanding the commonwealth's clean energy business sector, said Department of Community and Economic Development Deputy Secretary Rebecca Bagley during a meeting with Lancaster business leaders today.
"Pennsylvania's businesses and residential consumers need help addressing rising energy prices," said Bagley during her address to the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce and Industry. "The Governor's Energy Independence Strategy provides a roadmap to reduce consumption, lower costs, and establish Pennsylvania's position as a leader in renewable energy production. Using smart and strategic policies we'll be able to attract hundreds-of-millions-of- dollars worth of new investments and create thousands of new jobs.
"The Governor's plan will help to reinforce our state's economic and competitive future, and it will move Pennsylvania closer towards energy independence. The legislature should move swiftly to enact this strategy."
The Energy Independence Strategy will make an $850 million investment that will help Pennsylvania achieve three key goals:
-- Save consumers $10 billion in energy costs over the next 10 years;
-- Expand Pennsylvania's energy production and energy technology sectors
to create more jobs; and
-- Reduce Pennsylvania's reliance on foreign fuels and increase
Pennsylvania's clean energy production capacity.
Bagley noted that although the state has experienced tremendous growth in the renewable energy industry, the demand for such projects outpaces the state's resources, causing Pennsylvania to miss out on tens-of-millions of dollars in economic development.
"Pennsylvania has created more than 2,500 jobs in the clean energy sector, but since funding is limited, we're only able to support 10 percent of the requests for energy dollars and we're losing out on at least $100 million in potential investments every year," Bagley said. "There is no reason the commonwealth should not lead the nation in conservation and in the creation of new energy sources."
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission estimates that an average, medium-sized commercial business uses about $10,524 per year on electricity. Governor Rendell's Energy Independence Strategy provides new options that business could use to reduce that expense:
-- A grant or loan through the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority
to fund an energy efficiency and demand management project, which would
reduce electricity use by automatically turning off lights in
unoccupied rooms and monitoring energy prices, reducing usage at times
when prices are highest. An earlier Pennsylvania demand management
project resulted in savings of 40 percent for a commercial office, with
even greater savings in a warehouse setting. That translates to
$4,209.60 annually.
-- Installing a 20 kW solar system through the Pennsylvania Sunshine Solar
Initiative, saving about $2,093.14 a year on energy costs and receiving
a rebate of up to $25,000.
-- Instituting measures like time-of-use rates, long-term contracts, and
least-cost portfolio to reduce demand across the entire electricity
system through. Such measures can save a medium-sized commercial
customer an estimated $526.20 each year.
Funding for the Energy Independence Strategy will be generated by a minimal charge on electric power consumption. Similar charges are in place in 15 states and the District of Columbia. The charge is proposed at $0.0005 per kWh of electricity used.
For more information on the Energy Independence Strategy, visit http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/ .
CONTACT: Neil R. Weaver
(717) 783-1132
CONTACT: Neil R. Weaver of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and
Economic Development, +1-717-783-1132
Web site: http://www.state.pa.us/
SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development