Energy providers, Constellation and Lightsource bp announced that they have signed an agreement with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in helping the region source approximately 50 per cent of its annual energy consumption from solar energy. The project, dubbed Pennsylvania PULSE (Project to Utilize Light and Solar Energy) will be across six Pennsylvania counties, 191 MW of solar projects, and is expected to help the state reduce its CO2 emissions by 157,000 metric tons annually. The project will achieve commercial operation by December 2022 and Constellation’s contract with Pennsylvania will begin in January 2023. Further, under the contract, the Commonwealth will source solar electricity through the end of 2037.
To simplify the purchase, the Commonwealth is using a contract that fosters the development of renewable energy projects while providing the resources and expertise needed to actively manage offsite power purchase agreements. Additionally, Constellation will purchase energy and renewable energy certificates (REC) from Lightsource bp’s solar projects and will then sell these to the Commonwealth’s retail accounts.
The project will also help fulfill the state’s Climate Change Exclusive Order which set a goal of lowering Pennsylvania’s greenhouse gas emissions by 26 per cent by 2025 and 80 percent by 2050 compared with 2005 levels as well as obtaining at least 40 per cent of electricity from in-state renewable energy sources.
In February 2021, UGI Utilities signed an agreement with Archaea Energy for the supply of renewable natural gas (RNG) from the Keystone Landfill located in Dunmore, Pennsylvania. The RNG will be injected into UGI Utilities’ high-pressure natural gas pipeline which is installed across its distribution system in Lackawanna County in the state.
