City Makes Renewable Energy Purchase

On April 15, 2007, Mayor John F. Street signed a contract with PECO Wind to purchase 8,500 megawatt hours, or abut 4% of the city's energy use, from wind power. While it's not the full 5% purchase the Next Great City report recommended, the City plans to purchase more, reaching 5% by 2010.

By committing to renewable energy, the City of Philadelphia will reduce its heat-trapping gas emissions by approximately 4,250 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent each year, comparable to planting 1.6 million trees or not driving 20 million miles every year. Nationally ranked as the third worst city in the country to live for people with asthma by the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America, this action will have a significant impact on improving air quality in the region.

Green Buildings

On January 24, 2008, Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown re-introduced legislation that would require that "any contract for the construction, extension or major renovation of certain buildings, paid for with public funds, contain a provision requiring the contractor to certify that a certain level in energy and design efficiency will be achieved, in accordance with the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Rating System, or that equivalent standards will be met, requiring LEED certified professionals, and by providing for penalties, all under certain terms and conditions."

The Next Great City coalition will continue to track and respond to this legislation and any other similar efforts.

Solar Plant Coming to South Philadelphia

On April 29, 2008 Mayor Michael Nutter, along with Secretary Kathleen McGinty of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, announced that Exelon Generation Co., a unit of Exelon Corp. in Chicago, has joined forces with Epuron LLC to build, operate and sell energy from a solar power plant in South Philadelphia.

The 1-1.4 megawatt facility will be built on 6 to 8 acres of brownfields and will contain between 6,000 and 8,000 solar panels- enough to power about 200 homes a year.