Solarize Philly Plans To Help Put Solar Panels On Hundreds More Philly Roofs By 2026

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The Philadelphia Power Authority's Solarize Philly plans to double the amount of solar power that can be installed on Philadelphia rooftops over the next two years.

Energy Authority Solarize Philly celebrated its annual Solar Energy Week with proposals to find more solar contractors to help grow the business.

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"Our goal is to make solar energy accessible, affordable and accessible to everyone," said Tabin Hussain, director of residential and solar energy programs at the Philadelphia Energy Authority.

In the year Since the launch of Solarize Philly in 2017, the initiative has installed solar panels on 2,000 Philadelphia rooftops.

30% of these properties were on rooftops owned by low and middle income families. Hussain believes Solariz Philly's rental model, launched in 2021, has allowed families to save on their energy bills by not owning panels on their roofs.

"We have always found that only high-income people use solar energy," Hussain said. "There are financing options...so you can save money from day one. But that barrier is still there and a lot of low- and middle-income people can't afford it."

In the Solarze lease model, the solar installer owns and maintains the solar panels they install in the building. The installer will also retain the renewable solar certificates associated with the project. Hussain said the building owner or residents pay for solar power instead of electricity, which usually means lower utility bills.

"There are no down payments and no credit checks," she said. “Because it's a fixed payment for 20 or 25 years, people have predictable and affordable electricity prices.

In the new Solarize bid, Philly hopes to double the contract it signed with families earning no more than 80% of the area median income to install solar panels on at least 750 additional rooftops for low- and moderate-income families.

Solarize Philly seeks information on new solar financing models.

"What are we missing? What models can we try to implement here in other cities?"

Overall, Solarrise aims to double the amount of energy it generates by adding 10 megawatts of rooftop power in Philadelphia by the end of 2025 — enough to power 1,200 homes in Pennsylvania, according to the Solar Energy Manufacturers Association.

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"This industry is definitely going to grow," said Cleo Anukam, a student in the training program run by partner Solarize Philly, who now runs Solar States' home solar collector warehouse. Solar Week is Monday. "And in this case, I want to be a part of it 100 percent."

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