State and Local Policy Database

Pennsylvania

State Scorecard Rank

21

Pennsylvania

18.5Scored out of 50Updated 12/2022
State Government
Score: 6.5 out of 9
State Government Summary List All

The state invests in efficiency projects several grant, loan, and financing programs. The state government leads by example by setting energy requirements for public buildings and encouraging the use of energy savings performance contracts. Research focused on energy efficiency takes place at several institutions in the state.

Financial Incentives List All

The state of Pennsylvania offers the following financial incentives to encourage energy efficiency improvements:

  • Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant (AFIG): Administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, this program offers funding for clean, alternative fuel transportation projects in Pennsylvania's energy sector.
  • Green Energy Loan Fund: The Pennsylvania Green Energy Loan Fund (GELF) provides financing for energy efficiency retrofits and the installation of energy conservation measures and high-performance energy systems in buildings throughout Pennsylvania. GELF is managed by The Reinvestment Fund and is supported by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Department of Energy. Borrowers eligible for a GELF loan include for-profit businesses, nonprofit organizations, local governments, multifamily residential, and industrial companies. Homeowner are not eligible for a GELF loan. The type of financing provided includes construction loans, term loans and lease financing. Loans will range between approximately $100,000 and $2,500,000.
  • Keystone Energy Efficiency Program (KEEP) Home Energy Loan: Residential financing program for homeowners to improve their energy efficiency.
  • Municipal Opportunities for Retrofits & Energy Efficiency (MORE) Program: Grant and loan program for municipal governments to plan and implement energy efficiency upgrades.

Further financial incentive information can be found in the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE Pennsylvania). In addition to these state-funded incentives, Pennsylvania has enabled commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing and has two active programs. For additional information on PACE, visit PACENation.

Last Reviewed: November 2024

Equity Metrics and Workforce DevelopmentList All

The PA Department of Environmental Protection’s Environmental Justice Office released on April 1, 2022, a draft Environmental Justice Policy for public comment until May 11, 2022.  The draft Environmental Justice Policy includes several sections to expand and improve upon the existing Environmental Justice Policy which has been in effect since 2004. The new policy will attempt to integrate environmental justice into more aspects of DEP's work to benefit environmental justice communities. This may include revising definitions of environmental justice areas or populations; increasing collaboration and planning between state government agencies; developing environmental justice mapping, resources, and data for community use; prioritizing environmental justice in grantmaking practices; and training DEP staff and external partners on environmental justice.  To help facilitate further engagement from entities that represent environmental justice communities, DEP held three virtual public hearings to accept comments on the draft Environmental Justice Policy.

The Local Climate Action Plan (LCAP) program as well as climate plan implementation programs such as Shared Energy Manager, assist local governments with creating local plans to identify, address, and take action to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change. These programs are designed to target and assist environmental justice communities in particular as they can be recruited to participate. As of the completion of the 5th cohort of the LCAP program, 44 of the 72 local government participants contained at least 1 environmental justice census tract. In addition to this, 16 of the 30 total local governments that have been accepted into the Shared Energy Manager program are designated as environmental justice communities. A significant aspect of the local climate plan development process is identifying marginalized and disproportionately affected communities that will be impacted by climate change to appropriately allocate attention and resources in an equitable manner. This may include things like siting the location of disaster relief centers, resiliency microgrids, electric vehicle charging and other community facing resources. Related to this, our shared energy manager contractors also take these types of things into consideration in their analysis and proposals for local government participants of the program. As mentioned in section 6b, the Shared Energy Manager program also tracks metrics on the work completed for the participants of the program designated as environmental justice communities. The current cohort of 20 participants includes 13 EJ communities.                                                                                                                                                     

In addition to these efforts, DEP also launched a Climate Action for Environmental Justice Communities program, which primarily sought to gather input from marginalized communities to inform climate and energy program design in Pennsylvania. Through in-person and online engagement sessions, surveying, and engagement with the Environmental Justice Advisory Board DEP staff collected feedback and ideas from all corners of Pennsylvania, which has informed the development of federal funding programs, training programs, an online resource database for energy project funding, as well as a guide for more equitable implementation. This program also spurred ongoing engagement with communities, carried out through a variety of DEP programs. Through the development of the PA's Priority Climate Action Plan, input was solicited from environmental justice communities across the state. This included four in-person public meetings and one virtual public meeting to generate ideas about what priorities rural and urban constituents have to address climate change in their communities. This broadened input from the Climate Action for Environmental Justice Program. This helped to shape what key focus were included in the plan that was submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency for the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant planning process.

Workforce Development

DEP worked with BW Research Partnership to deliver Pennsylvania-specific reports that will help determine the future direction of energy workforce development activities. This included a Pennsylvania Clean Energy Employment 2020 Report (PACEER) and a Pennsylvania Energy Employment 2020 Report (PAEER). These reports were based on data that BW collected as part of its US Energy and Employment Report. These reports were released in summer 2020, and new 2021 reports will be released in summer 2021. The PACEER highlighted employment in the major clean energy sectors and also included workforce data such as demographics and employer hiring difficulties, revenue or wage data, and other customized data points. The PAEER contained information on job growth over time and employer hiring projections in all energy technology sectors, not just clean energy. The Energy Programs Office and BW released a follow-on report in May 2021 to identify training needs and gaps in Pennsylvania for clean energy jobs. The findings of this report have informed conversations between DEP, the PA Department of Labor and Industry, and the Department of Community and Economic Development.

Last Reviewed: November 2024

Carbon Pricing PoliciesList All

Pennsylvania has been a participant of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) since 2022.

Per EO 2019-01, Pennsylvania does have a statewide emissions reduction goal in place, specifically to reduce emissions 80% by 2050 (baseline year 2005).

Last Reviewed: November 2024

Building Energy Disclosure List All

Pennsylvania passed an Executive Order (EO 2019-01) in January 2019, requiring benchmarking for public buildings over 20,000 square feet.

Last Reviewed: August 2019

Public Building Requirements List All

Pennsylvania passed an Executive Order (EO 2019-01) in January 2019 that is still in effect and requires state-owned and occupied facilities to reduce energy consumption by 3% per year, as well as 21% by 2025 from 2017 levels.  EO 2019-01 also requires benchmarking for public buildings over 20k square feet. We are currently maintaining a 12%+ energy reduction with a drop of 1.7% for FY 2022-2023. This overall energy reduction has been maintained even through the returning of employees to our facilities following the COVID shutdowns.

Since July 1, 2023, the Commonwealth has been developing a lead-by-example Building Performance Standard (BPS) policy, which will establish GHG and/or energy reduction targets for Commonwealth owned & leased buildings.  We have contracted with Penn State Facilities Engineering Institute to assist us in developing the policy and are also receiving free technical assistance from the national BPS technical assistance network, which includes EPA, DOE, and their national labs.  Our tentative goal is to implement the BPS in 2025.  A BPS naturally incentivizes the electrification of existing building portfolios.

The City of Philadelphia has required as of July 2023, all newly built or renovated municipal buildings must earn a LEED Gold certification.

EO 2019-01 requires any new building construction project, build-to-suit leased building, or renovation project by a Commonwealth agency that costs more than 50 percent of the replacement cost of the building, where the design of the project commences after the effective date of the EO, shall be designed and constructed as a high-performance building achieving a 10 percent reduction in energy consumption over ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1.2016. Furthermore, the EO states that agencies "may seek US Green Building Council LEED certification, Green Building Initiative Green Globe rating, or a comparable numeric rating from another accredited sustainable building certification program where appropriate."  We currently have 52 facility construction projects that include the high-performance standard (10 percent reduction in energy consumption over ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1 2016) within their design since beginning in 2019.  Additionally, from October 2022 - April 2024, the Commonwealth contracted with Penn State University to develop eleven sustainable building training modules to educate state agencies, as well as the AEC firms that bid on our capital projects.  Now that the educational foundation has been built, the next step, which will begin in summer/fall 2024, is to work with Penn State to develop sustainable building guidelines for Commonwealth capital projects.

Last Reviewed: November 2024

Fleets List All

Executive Order 2019-01 sets a goal of 990 electric or plug-in electric hybrid vehicles to be introduced to the fleet by 2025 (25% of passenger cars). Progress toward meeting this target can be viewed on pages 11-12 of the PA GreenGov Council 2021 Annual Report. The PA DGS has instituted a driving tracking system (telematics) in their state vehicles. This system can track individual driving habits and locations. It is the expectation that this system will curtail unofficial usage/mileage and could identify inefficient drivers.

EO 2019-01 has the following performance goal for EVs and associated infrastructure: replace 25% of the state passenger fleet with battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles by 2025. Commonwealth Agencies have deployed 225 EVs into their fleets, meeting 22% of our EV goal of 1026 units. 1026 is 25% of the Commonwealth’s passenger fleet, a number that fluctuates annually based on the overall vehicle fleet compliment. Additionally, we have delivered 231 EV charging plug heads to support our EV charging needs.

Last Reviewed: November 2024

Energy Savings Performance Contracting List All

In 1998, the Pennsylvania legislature passed the Guaranteed Energy Savings Act (Act 57), amended by Act 77 in 2004 and Act 39 in 2010. The act allows local governments, schools, and other agencies to receive state funding to enter into guaranteed energy savings contracts without the formal bid process. Act 57 of 1998, Act 77 of 2004, and Act 39 of 2010 are amendments to Title 62 (Procurement) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in guaranteed energy savings contracts, further providing for definitions, for contracting procedures and for contract provisions.

Last Reviewed: July 2020

Research & Development List All

The Energy Research Center (ERC) at Lehigh University is a multidisciplinary research group with major emphasis on research dealing with energy conversion, power generation, and environmental control. Research within the Center is supported by contracts and grants from government and industry. The Center has particularly close ties with industry, with a significant number of joint research projects involving Lehigh faculty, staff, and students and staff from private industry. The Center also operates the Energy Liaison Program, which provides consultation and problem-solving assistance to participating companies for up to $20,000 a year.

The Indoor Environment Center (IEC) at the Penn State Institutes of Energy and the Environment conducts interdisciplinary research, knowledge transfer, and outreach activities to support the development of indoor environments that are more safe, more thermally, visually, and acoustically comfortable, and that minimize the use of energy and other resources.

The Consortium for Building Energy Innovation (CBEI) is located at the Navy Yard in Philadelphia. CBEI is comprised of 14 organizations including major research universities, global industrial firms, and national laboratories from across the United States who collaborate to develop and demonstrate solutions for 50% energy reduction in existing buildings by 2030. CBEI is a research and demonstration center that works in close partnership with DOE's Building Technologies Office. 

In addition, several state-funded financial incentives encourage research activities. The Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority requires a research component directly related to each project, and the Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant (AFIG) funds innovative research projects including electric vehicles and fuel cells. As one of the largest unregulated electric distribution systems on the East Coast, the Navy Yard at Penn State provides a unique test bed for new technologies. The Scott Institute supports Carnegie Mellon University strategic energy research and innovation through faculty funding, strategic partnerships and investments.

Last Reviewed: July 2019

Buildings
Score: 9.5 out of 24
Buildings Summary List All

Residential buildings must comply with the 2015 IECC, while commercial buildings must comply with the 2015 IECC, with reference to ASHRAE 90.1-2013. The state has completed a gap analysis and offers code training and outreach.

Residential Codes List All

Pennsylvania adopted the 2018 IECC, which went into effect on February 14, 2022. 

Last reviewed: November 2024

Commercial Code List All

Pennsylvania adopted the 2018 IECC and ASHRAE 90.1 - 2016 (with some amendments), effective February 14, 2022.  In June 2018, Philadelphia City adopted the 2018 International Building Code for commercial construction.

Last reviewed: November 2024

Compliance List All
  • Gap Analysis/Strategic Compliance Plan: The Building Codes Assistance Project completed a gap analysis in 2012. The Pennsylvania Energy Code Collaborative (PECC) met to further define best practices and recommendations and produced a compliance plan. In 2015, the Northeastern Energy Efficiency Partnership started facilitating the PECC and came up with a vision and goals for 2015 - 2020. The PECC group is currently working on tasks that support the vision and goals that include a state-specific plan with practical near- and long-term actions.
  • Baseline & Updated Compliance Studies: Performance Systems Development (PSD) was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy to implement a residential energy code compliance study in Pennsylvania as a part of the eight-state Residential Energy Code Field Study. This study was performed in 2014-2015 with a follow-up evaluation in 2017. The report on this study is available here. This project received financial and in-kind support from PECO and PPL electric utilities. A study also collected data in 2022, though it has not yet been published 
  • Utility Involvement: The electric distribution companies require code compliance for any of their Act 129 (financial incentive) programs. Additionally, under Act 129, EDCs will only get credit for codes initiatives if they are supporting projects that go above and beyond code standards because the standards are viewed as the baseline, regardless if they are currently being met.
  • Stakeholder Advisory Group: The Pennsylvania Energy Code Collaborative meets four times per year. The Pennsylvania Climate Change Advisory Committee meets at least six times per year.
  • Training/Outreach: The Pennsylvania Code Construction Academy provided trainings on residential and commercial 2015 IECC and ASHRAE 90.1 - 2010. Additionally, they provided webinars and circuit rider trainings. These trainings are new, since PA adopted the 2019 I-Code in October 2018.  The intended audience is residential energy plan reviewers and inspectors, but is appropriate for builders, design professionals, and other industry professionals. Additionally, duct and envelope testing training is made available as well as specialized circuit rider trainings.

Last reviewed: November 2024

CHP
CHP Summary List All

CHP is included as an eligible resource within the state's alternative portfolio standard and CHP deployment is encouraged through additional policies and technical assistance efforts. The Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission issued a CHP policy statement in 2018 encouraging utilities to make CHP an integral part of their energy efficiency & resilience plans, design interconnection and standby rates, and promote the consideration of special natural gas rates for owners and operators of CHP facilities. One new CHP system was installed in Pennsylvania in 2018.

Interconnection StandardsList All

Policy: Pennsylvania Administrative Code Title 52, Chapter 75, Subchapter C

Description: Pennsylvania, in accordance with its Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act of 2004, adopted interconnection standards for DG, including CHP, in August 2006. The standards cover four different tiers of interconnection, up to 5 MW in size. Specific technical screens and timelines are associated with each level of interconnection. Pennsylvania’s standards were based upon the model interconnection standards promulgated by the Mid-Atlantic Distributed Resources Initiative Working Group, and also adhere to the technical standards delineated in the IEEE 1547 interconnection standards.

In October 2016, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission issued an final order amending interconnection rules that reflected a number of adjustments, including raising the size-limit on customer generation capacity.

Last Updated: July 2018
Encouraging CHP as a ResourceList All

CHP in energy efficiency standards: CHP is an eligible resource under Pennsylvania’s Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard (AEPS). The standard was adopted in 2004 and then amended in 2007 and requires all electric distribution companies and retail electric generation suppliers to ensure that 18% of their electricity is derived from alternative energy resources by 2020. The standard divides these requirements into three tiers to develop a compliance schedule to gradually reach the 18% goal. CHP is part of Tier II, which must comprise 10% of the total electricity supply by 2020. The other 8% is to be comprised of renewable resources. 

Revenue streams: CHP systems are eligible to receive production incentives (per kWh) through Pennsylvania’s AEPS, which provides compliance credits that are based on production. Also, some major utilities in Pennsylvania, including PECO, First Energy and PPL, offer performance incentives for CHP to their customer base in their respective territories. These utility-run program offerings provide financial incentives to commercial and industrial customers that employ CHP to reduce their energy consumption and demand usage.

Last Updated: July 2018

Deployment IncentivesList All

Incentives, grants, or financing: CHP systems may have access to state grants and loans through the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority (PEDA) and Commonwealth Financing Authority’s Alternative Clean Energy (ACE) Program.

Net metering:   Net metering rules apply to CHP in Pennsylvania. The PUC adopted net-metering rules and interconnection standards for net-metered systems and other forms of DG in 2006, pursuant to the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards (AEPS) Act of 2004. In 2007, H.B. 1203 amended the Pennsylvania AEPS and also expanded net metering. Revised rules consistent with these amendments were adopted by the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission (PUC), effective November 29, 2008 (PUC Omitted Rulemaking Order, Docket L-00050174).

In Pennsylvania, investor-owned utilities must offer net metering to residential customers that generate electricity with systems up to 50 kilowatts (kW) in capacity; nonresidential customers with systems up to three megawatts (MW) in capacity; and customers with systems greater than 3 MW but no more than 5 MW who make their systems available to the grid during emergencies. Net metering is available when any portion of the electricity generated is used to offset on-site consumption (i.e., system size is not limited by the customer's on-site load). Systems eligible for net metering include those that generate electricity using combined heat and power (CHP) technologies.

Last Updated: July 2018

Additional Supportive PoliciesList All

Some additional supportive policies exist in Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission and other entities are working toward the promotion of CHP through a CHP policy statement published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin on April 5, 2018. The main purpose is to encourage Electricity Distribution Companies (EDCs) and Natural Gas Distribution Companies (NGDCs) to: make CHP an integral part of their energy efficiency and resiliency plans, design interconnection and standby rates, and promote the consideration of special natural gas rates, for owners and operators of CHP facilities. EDCs will be required to report on their CHP activities.

In 2016, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection partnered with the Penn State University Mid-Atlantic CHP TAP at The Navy Yard in Philadelphia to conduct a pilot microgrid demonstration project that integrates CHP and renewable energy. The project will of share lessons learned, provide technical assistance to others in the state, and act as a demonstration site for the U.S. DOE’s Grid Modernization program. Efforts to develop a “CHP-Enabled Renewable Energy Guide” are also underway.

The state also encourages the use of renewable-fueled CHP systems through its AEPS, which recognizes renewable CHP as eligible as a Tier I resource.

Last Updated: July 2018

Utilities
Score: 5.5 out of 29
Utilities Summary List All

Pennsylvania utilities have significantly expanded energy efficiency program offerings in recent years since the enactment of the state’s EERS in 2008 (Act 129), with oversight by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC). Pennsylvania Act 129 required each of the seven major electric distribution companies (EDCs) to procure cost-effective energy efficiency and to develop energy efficiency and conservation plans to reduce electricity consumption by a minimum 1% by 2011, increasing to a total of 3% by 2013, and to reduce peak demand by 4.5% by 2013. In August 2012, the Pennsylvania PUC issued an implementation order for Phase II of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EE&C) Program, establishing electricity savings targets for each EDC over the 3-year period from FY2014-2016. The targets amounted to an average of 2.3% cumulative savings over the 3-year period; no incremental annual targets were established. Phase III targets set 5-year cumulative targets of 5,710,487 MWh, equivalent to about 0.77% incremental savings per year through 2021.

On June 11, 2015, the Commission adopted additional incremental reductions in consumption for a Phase III of the Act 129 Energy Efficiency and Conservation Program. Phase III began on June 1, 2016, and will end on May 31, 2021. Phase III requires a cumulative average savings of approximately 3.7% (range of 2.6% to 5.0%) from EE and also includes a DR requirement with average annual savings of 425 MW. (See pages 35 and 57 of the implementation order, Docket #M 2014-2424864, for details on DR and EE, respectively).

The most recent budgets for energy efficiency programs and electricity and natural gas savings can be found in the State Spending and Savings Tables.

For further reading, in May 2009, as part of the State Clean Energy Resource Project, ACEEE completed the report Potential for Energy Efficiency, Demand Response, and Onsite Solar Energy in Pennsylvania.

Customer Energy Efficiency Programs List All

Pennsylvania utilities have significantly expanded energy efficiency program offerings in recent years since the enactment of the state’s EERS established by Act 129 in 2008. In accordance with this law, each electric distribution company filed an energy efficiency and conservation (EEC) plan with the PUC in July 2009. Plans submitted by each company explain how energy reductions are to be met, including a contract with a conservation service provider, and provide for energy efficiency measures for low-income households. The PUC may approve, reject, or modify the plans.

Under Act 129, the electric distribution companies’ energy efficiency and conservation plans propose a cost-recovery tariff mechanism to fund the energy efficiency and conservation measures and to ensure recovery of reasonable costs. The utilities can also recover the costs through a reconcilable adjustment mechanism. 

There are additional EE programs for natural gas customers of PGW (Phila. Gas Works), UGI North, and UGI South, as well as UGI Electric. All of these programs' offerings are voluntary but approved by the PUC. UGI Electric is one of four small EDCs that are below the threshold for compliance with Act 129 (EERS) but which were encouraged to adopt voluntary programs for their customers. Additionally, PA has 13 rural electric cooperatives and several smaller municipalities that are not regulated by the Commission. The rural electric cooperatives do offer some electric efficiency programs/incentives.

In 2016, the Commission approved a rate case for UGI Utilities and as part of that settlement approved UGI Utilities plans to implement a natural gas EE&C program for its approximately 390,000 customers. That plan became effective in calendar year 2017.

The most recent budgets for energy efficiency programs and electricity and natural gas savings can be found in the State Spending and Savings Tables.

Last reviewed: November 2024

Energy Efficiency as a Resource List All

Under October 2008 legislation, the PUC must implement programs that encourage conservation and efficiency by every major rate class. Pennsylvania's Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard (AEPS) includes energy efficiency as an eligible resource.

Last reviewed: November 2024

Energy Efficiency Resource Standards List All

Electric: Varying targets have been set for IOUs amounting to yearly statewide incremental savings of 0.8% savings for 2016-2020. EERS includes peak demand targets. Energy efficiency measures may not exceed an established cost-cap.

On June 11, 2015, the Commission adopted additional incremental reductions in consumption for a Phase III of the Act 129 Energy Efficiency and Conservation Program. Phase III began on June 1, 2016, and will end on May 31, 2021. Phase III requires a cumulative average savings of approximately 3.7% (range of 2.6% to 5.0%) from energy efficiency and also includes a DR requirement with average annual savings of 425 MW. (See pages 35 and 57 of the implementation order, Docket #M 2014-2424864, for details on DR and EE, respectively).

Pennsylvania has no natural gas EERS although three natural gas distribution companies have submitted voluntary Energy Efficiency & Conservation (EE&C) plans.

Last reviewed: November 2024

Utility Business Model List All

There is currently no policy in place that rewards successful energy efficiency programs with performance incentives.

Please see the Alternative Ratemaking Final Policy Statement at Docket No. M-2015-2518883. It provides the opportunity for the PUC to consider EDC plan filings that would decouple profits from sales, and allow for alternative methods of cost-recovery including incentives based on program performance. No utilities have adopted revenue decoupling or other alternative ratemaking mechanisms under this rule.

Last reviewed: November 2024

Evaluation, Measurement, & Verification List All
  • Primary cost-effectiveness test(s) used: total resource cost test 

The evaluation of ratepayer-funded energy efficiency programs in Pennsylvania relies on both legislative mandates and regulatory orders. The order follows the legislation. Evaluations are mainly administered by the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission, but there are no specific legal requirements for these evaluations in Pennsylvania. Evaluations are conducted for each of the utilities. The rules for benefit-cost tests are stated in M-2009-2108601. The state uses a Technical Reference Manual to measure and verify applicable energy efficiency measures.

According to the Database of State Efficiency Screening Practices (DSESP), Pennsylvania specifies the total resource cost test (TRC) as its primary test for decision making. A benefit-cost test is required for portfolio level screening.

The non-energy benefit of participant productivity is accounted for in Pennsylvania’s TRC. The primary test also monetizes the value of avoided water, gas, oil, and propane. Although the commission does not favor general percentage-based adders, they believe it is important to quantify the savings associated with water and fossil fuel savings. The commission decided not to include non-electric benefits such as participant asset value, economic well-being, comfort, health and safety, satisfaction in Pennsylvania’s primary test. The commission also decided not to account for societal costs, environmental costs, non-energy impacts, or other non-electric elements such as environmental, public health, economic development and jobs, or energy security in the TRC.

Further information on cost-effectiveness screening practices for Pennsylvania is available in the Database of State Efficiency Screening Practices (DSESP), a resource of the National Efficiency Screening Project (NESP).

Last Updated: November 2024

Guidelines for Low-Income Energy Efficiency Programs List All

Requirements for State and Utility Support of Low-Income Energy Efficiency Programs

In June 2020, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) issued an implementation order for Phase IV of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EE&C) Program, setting five-year cumulative targets of 4.5 million MWh, equivalent to about 0.62% of incremental savings per year through 2026. The order also requires each utility to obtain a minimum of 5.8% of their total consumption reduction target from the low-income sector.

In addition, utilities coordinate Act 129 low-income energy efficiency programs with the Low-Income Usage Reduction Program (LIURP). LIURP is a statewide, utility-sponsored usage-reduction program mandated by the Electric and Gas Choice Competition Act at 66 Pa.C.S.A. 2803 for electric and 2202 for gas, as part of the Universal Service Programs required for those customers who are at or below 150% of the Federal Income Poverty Guidelines. Details are available in each years’ Universal Service Report on the PUC website. 

Cost-Effectiveness Rules for Low-Income Energy Efficiency Programs

In Order M-2015-2468992, the PUC specifies 2016 total resource cost test requirements. Pennsylvania relies on the total resource cost (TRC) test and considers it to be its primary cost-effectiveness test. A benefit-cost test is required for portfolio-level screening. The commission requires that the electric distribution companies provide benefit and cost data for both low-income and estimated non-low-income residential program savings in their annual reports and that TRC Tests be calculated for all low-income programs and all residential programs. However, the Commission does not require a separate PA TRC test calculation for the low-income sector, as separate PA TRC tests are not required for any other customer sector.

Coordination of Ratepayer-Funded Low-Income Programs with WAP Services

The PA Dept. of Community and Economic Development (DCED) has a Weatherization Policy Advisory Council, of which the PUC is a voting member. There is a Coordination Committee, formed in 2012, that is charged with the specific task of coordinating the WAP program with LIURP and the Act 129 Low-Income Programs. There is a 2016 MOU that was put into place between DCED and the PUC to facilitate data sharing between all the agencies’ weatherization programs, but this MOU has not been posted or made publicly available.

Last reviewed: November 2024

Self Direct and Opt-Out Programs List All

There are no self-direct or opt-out provisions in place.

Last reviewed: November 2024

Data AccessList All

Guidelines for Third party access

66 Pa.C.S. § 2807(f)(3) requires those electric distribution companies with smart meter requirements to "...with customer consent, make available direct meter access and electronic access to customer meter data to third parties, including electric generation suppliers and providers of conservation and load management services." The PA Public Utility Commission is currently reviewing, through its Electronic Data Exchange Working Group, standards and functionalities for the provision of such data to third parties.

Requirements for Provision of Energy Use Data

With a September 3, 2015 Final Order in Docket No. M-2009-2092655 the Commission adopted a framework established by the Electronic Data Exchange Working Group and directed electric utilities to establish secure web portals that can be used by entities working for utilities or licensed suppliers to obtain customer meter data.

Last reviewed: November 2024

Transportation
Score: 5.5 out of 13
Transportation Summary List All

The state has a comprehensive set of policies to encourage efficient transportation systems, including some of California's tailpipe standards, a dedicated revenue stream for transit, complete streets legislation, policies for equitable access to transportation and incentives for high efficiency vehicles.

Tailpipe Emission Standards List All

Pennsylvania adopted California’s Low Emission Vehicle Program in 1998 for light-duty vehicles as a backstop measure for the National Low Emission Vehicle Program. The California standards went into effect in 2006 in Pennsylvania, effective for model years 2008 and later, which contributed to a 30% reduction in average new vehicle greenhouse gas emissions from 2002 levels by 2016. Federal greenhouse gas standards for model years 2012 through 2025 were harmonized with California's standards.  Newer California standards along with federal standards originally applied to model year vehicles 2017 through 2025, however these were rolled back by the federal Safer Affordable Fuel Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Act in 2020.

Last Reviewed: November 2024

Transportation System Efficiency List All

Transportation and Land use Integration: The Municipal Planning Code (MPC) does not currently mandate Smart Growth measures. However, some research reports have touted Pennsylvania initiatives as being “smart growth” such as our brownfields reuse program, farmland preservation program, Growing Greener programs, and the cooperative multi-municipal planning practices enabled in the MPC and promoted by our State Planning Board. The MPC also requires the periodic release of a State Land Use and Growth Management Report which typically recommends best practices in planning such as Smart Growth, sustainability, Transit Oriented Design, mixed use/form-based use, and walkability.  
 
PA does not mandate integration of transportation and land use planning, but provides publications and staff technical assistance on the subject. 

VMT Targets: We were unable to find information indicating any VMT and/or GHG targets specific to transportation. However, as part of Executive Order: 2019-01 - Commonwealth Leadership in Addressing Climate Change and Promoting Energy Conservation and Sustainable Governance, the commonwealth set a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 26% by 2025 and 80% by 2050. As part of the greenhouse gas reduction strategy, the commonwealth also set a goal to replace 25% of the state passenger fleet with Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) and Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) by 2025, and evaluate opportunities to reduce vehicle miles traveled. Progress toward meeting this target can be viewed on pages 11-12 of the PA GreenGov Council 2021 Annual Report 

FAST Freight Plans and Goals: Their 2023 freight plan does not have specific targets but does have an objective to ‘Reduce freight movement-related emissions and its impact on local air quality and climate.’

Related performance measures include: EV charging infrastructure to support medium and heavy-duty trucks. Monitor locations within the state. Work with industry to identify target; Monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) related to Pennsylvania’s freight movement, ensuring that our objectives directly make positive impacts to EJ/DAC/ underserved communities 

Last updated: November 2024  

Transit Funding List All

In 2007, the Pennsylvania legislature passed Act 44 that created a Public Transportation Trust Fund which is funded in large part through the Turnpike payments, also sales tax and lottery fund payments

Additionally, in 2013, Act 89 was passed that changed the funding allocations. The legislation can be found here.

Last Reviewed: November 2024

Incentives for High-Efficiency Vehicles List All

The Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant Program offers rebates to assist eligible residents in purchasing new alternative fuel vehicles. Qualified electric vehicles earn a rebate of $3,000 for EVs vehicles, $1,500 for PHEVs and $500 for electric motorcycles. Income-qualified individuals can get an additional $1,000 rebate.  

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) offers rebates for the replacement or repower of Class 4-8 medium- and heavy-duty vehicles with new diesel, electric, or alternative fuel vehicles. 

Last updated: November 2024 

Equitable Access to TransportationList All

Public transit: In addition to offering incentives for walkability, Pennsylvania’s 2024 Qualified Action Plan for Tax Credits offers Low Income Housing Tax Credit incentives for projects that are located near transit facilities. The specific wording for project scoring is noted below. 

Transit-Oriented Design – The Agency may award two (2) points to developments located within one-half mile of a completed or planned public transportation fixed route stop or located in an area with an alternate accessible no-cost transportation option. 

Pennsylvania DEP’s current rebate program for consumer electric vehicle purchases includes an additional $1,000 for applicants that meet low-income household requirements. DEP is exploring options to further enhance the low and middle-income emphasis of the rebate in the next program update. 

Last updated: November 2024 

Appliance Standards
Score: 0 out of 3
Appliance Standards Summary List All

Pennsylvania has not set appliance standards beyond those required by the federal government.

Last Reviewed: June 2019