Pennsylvania's Electricity Sources: Powering The Keystone State

Pennsylvania's electricity generation mix has traditionally been dominated by fossil fuels, with natural gas accounting for over half of the state's power generation in 2021. However, the state also has a diverse range of other electricity sources, including renewable energy options such as solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal, and biomass. Nuclear power is also a significant contributor to Pennsylvania's electricity production, making up about one-third of the state's electricity generation in recent years. With a growing focus on sustainable energy, Pennsylvania's energy landscape is evolving, and understanding the various sources of electricity in the state is essential for informed decision-making and energy policy formulation.

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Fossil fuels

Today, fossil fuels remain the largest source of electricity generation in Pennsylvania. In 2021, natural gas alone accounted for more than half of the state's power generation. The state has a significant number of gas wells, with nearly 10,000 drilled since the fracking boom began in 2007, and another 18,000 permitted as of late 2016. In addition, Pennsylvania has 49 underground gas storage sites, the most of any state, which help meet regional heating demands during the winter. Over half of Pennsylvania households use natural gas as their primary heating fuel.

Coal, another important fossil fuel in Pennsylvania, has been mined in the state since the late 1700s. Pennsylvania is the third-largest coal-producing state in the nation and has substantial reserves of bituminous coal, which is used for electricity generation and steelmaking. While the coal industry has declined in recent decades, coal-fired power plants still provide 23% of the state's energy.

Pennsylvania is also involved in the extraction and export of fossil fuel resources. In 2019, the state ranked among the highest in the nation for the extraction of fossil fuels for domestic and foreign sales. Additionally, Pennsylvania is a net exporter of energy, sending more electricity outside its borders than any other state. However, there are concerns about the impact of fossil fuel extraction on the environment, public health, and communities in the state.

Renewable energy sources

One of the leading renewable energy sources in Pennsylvania is wind energy. In 2020, wind power accounted for about two-fifths of the state's renewable electricity generation, and it has maintained its position as the largest renewable source for the past four years. The greatest wind resources for commercial power generation are found along the Appalachian Mountain crests, particularly in the southwest and northeast regions, and along the Lake Erie shoreline. Somerset County leads the state in installed wind capacity, followed by Cambria, Wyoming, Schuylkill, and Bradford counties.

Solar energy is another important renewable source in Pennsylvania. The state has seen a remarkable 371% increase in solar power generation since 2014, allowing it to power an additional 80,530 average households annually with clean energy. The Governor's GreenGov initiative, Pennsylvania PULSE (Project to Utilize Light and Solar Energy), aims to generate 50% of the electricity for Commonwealth-owned buildings through seven new solar energy arrays with a total capacity of 191 megawatts. This initiative represents the largest solar commitment by any government in the United States to date.

Hydropower is also utilized in Pennsylvania as a renewable energy source. While it may not be as prominent as wind or solar, it is the largest and least expensive source of renewable electricity in the United States. Large and small-scale hydropower projects are employed, with micro-hydropower being very small-scale electricity production suitable for residential or small commercial operations.

Other renewable energy sources in Pennsylvania include biomass, which uses organic material from plants or animals, and geothermal energy, which taps into high temperatures located miles below the Earth's surface to produce hot water and steam for electricity generation. The state also recognizes byproducts of pulping and wood manufacturing, landfill methane gas, low-impact hydropower, and fuel cells as alternative energy sources that contribute to its renewable energy goals.

Solar power

Pennsylvania has implemented several policies to promote the use of solar power. The state has a renewable portfolio standard, which requires a certain percentage of electricity from each provider to come from solar sources. By 2021, this percentage was mandated to be 0.5%, with a goal of reaching 10% by 2030. The state also practices net metering, which compensates small-scale solar generation and allows homeowners to sell their excess solar power to utility companies at favourable rates.

The growth of solar power in Pennsylvania has been facilitated by initiatives like "Finding Pennsylvania's Solar Future," which aims to gather stakeholder input and develop new policy recommendations. Additionally, the state's Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard (AEPS) provides a framework for solar energy credits (SAECs). However, the influx of out-of-state SAECs has reduced incentives for constructing solar power facilities within Pennsylvania, impacting the development of in-state solar generation.

Despite the challenges, Pennsylvania is making significant strides in solar power generation. The state is currently the 22nd highest-achieving state in the U.S. for solar energy production. Notable projects include the Great Cove I and II solar facilities in central Pennsylvania, which have a capacity of 220 megawatts and provide 70% of the electricity demand for the University of Pennsylvania's academic campus and health system in the Philadelphia area.

Geothermal energy

Pennsylvania's largest source of electricity generation in 2021 was fossil fuels, with natural gas accounting for more than half of the power generated in the state. Nuclear power was the second largest source, representing about a third of the state's electricity production. Other sources include coal, wind, hydroelectric, biomass, gases, solar, and oil.

Pennsylvania has low-temperature geothermal resources that can support building and district heating and cooling, as well as some industrial processes. The most favorable counties for low-temperature geothermal development are Bradford, Mercer, Crawford, Erie, and Warren. The Pittsburgh region also merits further inquiry but needs better data.

In 2024, Project Innerspace initiated a collaborative effort involving researchers at four Pennsylvania universities and multiple practitioners from law, policy, and energy engineering to examine the prospects for geothermal energy in the state. The resulting report, "The Future of Geothermal Energy in Pennsylvania: Leveraging the Commonwealth's Legacy of Energy Leadership," provides an overview of the scientific basis for geothermal energy use in Pennsylvania, as well as the legal and policy contexts in which geothermal energy might operate.

Pennsylvania has no permitting system or regulations governing geothermal energy development, and the Commonwealth's policy environment for geothermal energy has been described as weak. However, there are efforts to promote the use of alternative energy sources in the state, such as the Renewable Energy Program (REP), which provides financial assistance in the form of grants and loans.

Hydropower

In 2004, Pennsylvania established an alternative energy portfolio standard (AEPS), which required alternative energy resources to generate at least 18% of the state's electricity retail sales by 2021 and beyond. Low-impact hydropower is among the alternative energy sources recognized by Pennsylvania as meeting part of its AEPS requirements.

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