Philadelphia Energy Authority (PEA) joins Philadelphia Green Capital Corp. (PGCC) to announce that the Philadelphia Energy Campaign has achieved its initial goal of deploying more than $1 billion in new clean energy investments.

The Philadelphia Energy Campaign brings together private investments as well as federal, state, city and utility funds to complete major energy-saving programs and projects. Many of the campaign’s initiatives otherwise lack necessary technical or financial assistance to move forward or to ever get started. PEA and PGCC provide technical support and program implementation services for municipal governments, school districts, affordable housing developers, small business, and commercial and industrial sectors.

Accomplishments over the past year include:

• Flipping the switch on Adams Solar, a 70-megawatt solar array financed through a power purchase agreement with Energix Renewables – locking in long-term, low-cost clean power for 25 percent of the city’s electricity needs.


• Advancing the Philly Streetlight Improvement Project, made possible through the City’s first Sustainability Bond, so far resulting in the conversion of more than 100,000 streetlights to LEDs – saving $8 million in annual electricity costs.


• Managing the City’s solar group buying program and clean energy financing tools. Solarize Greater Philadelphia connects property owners to vetted installers and provides important consumer protections to increase access to solar through ownership and lease models. Across the city, more than 3,900 Philadelphia property owners have installed solar through the program since its launch, adding more than 22 megawatts (MW) of clean power to the grid.


• Scaling Built to Last, a program coordinating multiple city and utility services to provide comprehensive home repairs and energy affordability measures. In total, 250 homeowners have had their homes restored through the program. An additional 350 projects are underway. 

“Built to Last construction gained momentum in 2024, continually improving collaboration with community partners and service providers. The program clearly demonstrates housing preservation and electrification goals can be achieved in tandem,” said PEA Vice President of Programs Alon Abramson. “Moving forward, our goal is to grow the program to serve 1,000 homes a year. Built to Last addresses home repairs holistically and with staying power, creating a path forward for homeowners to retain generational wealth.” 

PEA collaborates closely with PGCC, connecting communities to capital markets to make solar, energy efficiency, and electrification more accessible and affordable. PGCC secures financing to support Built to Last, Solarize Greater Philadelphia, and other PEA initiatives.

“As a green bank, we work to crowd in capital and deliver clean energy solutions where they’re needed most,” said Maryrose Myrtetus, Executive Director of PGCC. “Even in this complex and shifting landscape, we are focused on scaling impact and lowering energy costs for low-income communities across Pennsylvania.”

Commercial Property-Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) combines PEA’s program administration services with private financing to catalyze clean energy investments. C-PACE provides long-term financing for owners to borrow up to 100 percent of project costs for major upgrades to their commercial, industrial or multifamily properties, paid on their property tax bill. C-PACE projects outpace energy code, using between 20- and 45-percent less energy than a code-built building. Noteworthy projects that closed or came into service in 2024 include:

• 5th and Spring Garden – a new 329-unit multifamily property with ~14,000 SF of retail, making it the largest C-PACE financed project in Pennsylvania
• The Battery – a 173-unit apartment building within a converted 500,000-square foot former PECO power plant
• Rhoads Industries’ Building 57 – a state-of-the-art industrial fabrication plant assembling advanced equipment for the U.S. Navy’s submarine program
• 1440 N. Front Street – a 114-unit multifamily building with ground-level retail

“5th and Spring Garden could not have been financed without C-PACE,” said Tim Downey, Founder and CEO of Southern Land Company, the property’s owner. “Energy efficiency is central to the design and functionality of this project. It truly matters to us that C-PACE financing is available to support our objective of designing and building better for the long-term.” 

PEA’s novel workforce development programs provide training and wrap-around services for participants to gain career-building qualifications in the emerging clean energy economy. Programs such as the Green Retrofit Immersive Training (GRIT), Bright Solar Futures high school (BSF), and Bright Solar Futures Opportunity Youth (BSF OppY) establish career pipelines for jobs in home weatherization, energy efficiency, and renewable energy.

“I want to be able to provide good, reliable, lasting homes for low-income families and families in general,” said Amanda Rodriguez, a GRIT alumni. “This program gave me the opportunity to accomplish all of my goals.”

PEA and PGCC are preparing for the next phase of the Philadelphia Energy Campaign. On-going programs and planned initiatives will continue laying the groundwork for Philadelphia to attract economic development, advance equitable access to affordable energy, and connect marginalized populations to the benefits of the growing clean energy economy.