Contact: Cindy Carr, cindy.carr@sierraclub.org
HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Today, Governor Josh Shapiro announced the Pennsylvania Reliable Energy Sustainability Standard (PRESS), his proposal to update the 2004 Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards (AEPS). Forward looking at the time of its adoption, the AEPS requires Pennsylvania utilities and electricity suppliers to purchase minimum amounts of electricity from renewable or alternative sources and includes mostly clean renewable energy like wind and solar in Tier I, and dirtier alternatives like energy from waste coal and trash incineration in Tier II.
Unfortunately, the Tier I requirements for renewable energy leveled off at only 8 percent of the state’s electricity in 2021. Since then, most states have significantly increased their investments in clean energy sources, and Pennsylvania now ranks 50th in the nation for growth in wind, solar, and geothermal generation since 2013. PRESS would update the current standard to require utilities to acquire 35 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2035.
Governor Shapiro also announced the PA Climate Emissions Reduction Initiative (PACER), which would serve as a Pennsylvania-specific replacement for the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). The Sierra Club supports RGGI and will be assessing PACER to see if it delivers comparable benefits.
In response, Sierra Club Pennsylvania Chapter Director Tom Schuster issued the following statement:
“Pennsylvania has fallen woefully behind in clean energy development to the detriment of our air, water, and climate. The introduction of PRESS is such an important step that will begin to put Pennsylvania back on track to meeting our climate and clean energy goals and is a critical complement to a robust cap and invest program for climate pollution from the power sector.
“The Sierra Club thanks Governor Shapiro for proposing what would be the largest increase of renewable energy in our Commonwealth’s history. This package isn’t perfect and still includes some dirtier energy sources, but we can’t wait for perfection. We look forward to working with the Administration and the General Assembly to secure the cleanest, most equitable, and most cost-effective policy possible so that we can once again lead the way in clean energy production.”
About the Sierra Club: The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.