In July, the City of Philadelphia released its “Alleviating Energy Poverty in Philadelphia” plan. Billed as “a strategy for improving quality of like for all Philadelphians and advancing a greener city with economic opportunity for all,” the 29 page document outlines several initiatives being undertaken by the city to create a more equitable energy ecosystem in the city.
According to the report, a significant driver of Philadelphia’s greenhouse emissions comes from the city’s buildings, including houses and other commercial buildings. The Philadelphia Office of Sustainibility will be responsible for creating and implementing the city’s green energy transition, which will incorporate solutions to Philadelphia’s energy challenges, notably high every costs relative to residents’ income, aging housing stock, insufficient resources to invest in building repairs and energy upgrades, historical disinvestment, and overall poverty.
The city touts three approaches designed to alleviate energy poverty:
- Support Philadelphia’s exitisng energy ecosystem to address barriers and challenges in access, delivery, programmatic gaps, and scaling.
- Implement and advocate for enabling legislation and incetnetices at the local and state level
- Strengthen and support the partner network
- For some Philadelphians, winter energy costs are three to four times as high as summer energy costs; this is likely due to the expense of natural gas and a lack of weatherization techniques that make homes less energy efficient. A quarter of low-income homes in the city are spending more than 19% of their income on energy, according to the report, and the median energy burden for Black households is 53% higher than non-Hispanic white households.
The report also provides information on programs and services designed to reduce Philadelphians’ energy burdens. However, many of the programs are underutilized because of a general lack of awareness. The city hopes to increase awareness by doing the following:
- Increase participation in programs that protect energy affordability and security such as utility bill assistance
- Reduce energy burden and emissions by increasing weatherization of resident dwellings
- Reduce energy costs and emissions by increasing the adoption of high-efficiency, clean energy technologies such as heat pumps
- Increase energy independence and resilience by increasing access to distributed solar technologies such as rooftop solar, focusing on income-constrained households, including both homeowners and tenants.
- The city offers a wide variety of Energy Programs (this information came verbatim from the report)
PGW Customer Responsibilty Program (CRP): Payment assistance and debt forgiveness for
low-income households.
PECO CAP Percentrage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP): Payment assistance and debt forgiveness for
low-income households.
PECO LIURP: Free energy audits and energy-saving measures to qualifying households.
PGW Home Comfort: Free energy audits and energy-saving measures to qualifying households.
Customer Assistance and Referral Evaluation Services (CARES): Social service and referral programs.
PGW Affordable EnergySense: Rebates for energy-saving measures.
PGW Low-Income Smart: Free installation of EnergyStar thermostats for income-eligible homes.
PGW Thermostat Program: Free installation of EnergyStar thermostats for income-eligible homes.
PECO Free Energy Checkup: Energy assessment and installation of low-cost energy-saving measures. Additional benefits for electric heat customers
PECO Energy Assessment (PLUS): Energy assessment and installation of low-cost energy-saving measures. Additional benefits for electric heat customers
Weatherization Assistance Program: Free weatherization upgrades for qualifying homes.
Basic System Repair Program: Provides emergency repairs related to health and safety including plumbing, electric,
roofs, minor structural.
Built to Last: “One-stop shop” for home repairs addressing health and safety, accessibility, and energy efficiency
Heater Hotline: Urgency-based heater repairs for income-qualified homeowners
USEF Grant: Grant offered to households facing utility shut-offs (grants matched through utility hardship funds)
Homeowners Energy Efficiency Loan Program (HEELP): Fixed rate loan of 1% for 10 years. $1,000 to $10,000 for energy
efficiency repairs. Household must be at or below 80% of area median income.
Rental Improvement Fund: Forgivable low-interest loans for small landlords of affordable units to make building repairs.
Solarize Philly: A citywide group buying program to help all Philadelphians go solar at their homes or businesses
Neighborhood Energy Centers (NECs): Local hubs providing assistance with bill payment and enrollment in available
energy programs and services
Landlord Gateway Program: Centralized resources to help bothcurrent and prospective landlordsnavigate the City’s processes,requirements, and guidance througha single location.
Low-Income Home Evergy Assistance Program (LIHEAP): Household-level grant to help pay for heating
costs (up to $1,000 per year)
Crisis Grants: Household-level grant to assist with heating costs for homes with broken heaters or facing a shut-off (up to $800 per year).
Whole Home Repairs: State funding allocated to existing home repair programs, including BTL and BSRP.
Note: funding for Fiscal Year 2023 WHR Program was not approved
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