City of Philadelphia - Green Power Purchasing

Philadelphia has committed to purchasing green power to supply 20% of the city's electricity by 2015.* In doing so, the city is exceeding the Pennsylvania Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard, which requires 11.2% renewables and "alternative" energy resources by 2015. Philadelphia also has a goal of producing 57.7 megawatts (MW) of solar power by 2021, of which 3.8 MW is currently on-line. The city's 2012 Greenworks Progress Report indicates that through the end of 2011, 12.2% of the electricity used in Philadelphia was sourced from alternative energy resources. The city is exploring a variety of complementary policies and programs to help achieve this goal, including solar power purchase agreements for public buildings, revised solar zoning and permitting guidelines, and an aggregate electricity purchasing program for local businesses (Philly Buying Power).

*In contrast to renewable energy purchasing goals of many local governments, Philadelphia's initiative targets total electricity use within the city as opposed to only purchases made by the city itself. This distinction is significant because the city itself is already making alternative energy purchases equivalent to 20% of municipal government needs.