Report Preview: A Clean Energy Pathway for Western Pennsylvania

Download

Transitioning to clean energy means job growth, shared prosperity, and a safer, cleaner future for Western Pennsylvania. ORVI’s forthcoming decarbonization study, produced by Strategen Consulting, describes an energy transition pathway for the ten-county region of Western Pennsylvania that reduces emissions, cuts costs, and creates jobs more effectively than any fossil fuel-based pathway.

Key Takeaways:

  • A renewables-based decarbonization pathway is the most cost-effective. Transitioning to a clean, renewable energy and maximizing energy efficiency will be much more cost-effective than continuing to rely on oil and gas, especially if expensive, unproven carbon capture is involved.
  • A renewables-based pathway curbs climate-warming emissions. Our clean energy pathway will reduce carbon emissions by 94% by 2035 and at least 97% by 2050.
  • A renewables-based pathway, which includes energy efficiency and grid-integrated distributed resources, will result in more jobs, more bill savings, and a greater economic impact than fossil fuelbased decarbonization.
  • The renewables-based pathway leverages resources from throughout the PJM region to achieve maximum efficiency. About two-thirds of Western Pennsylvania’s energy will be produced locally; the rest will be imported through the PJM market.