The City of Philadelphia’s Office of Sustainability recently released the Energy Poverty Alleviation Strategy, a roadmap for ensuring an equitable and just clean energy transition in Philadelphia.
The Energy Poverty Alleviation Strategy provides a near-term action plan addressing the challenges of energy insecurity and clean energy access in Philadelphia. The strategy prioritizes the energy needs of the city’s historically marginalized, income-constrained, and vulnerable residents, including homeowners and tenants. This equity-based approach will ensure that all Philadelphians, especially those most impacted by and vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, can participate in and benefit from the city’s clean energy transition.
Compared to many other cities in the United States, Philadelphians face some of the highest energy costs relative to income, also known as high energy burden. These burdens disproportionately impact our households of color. Energy-burdened Philadelphians struggle to access and afford energy to meet their basic household needs, from adequate heating and cooling to maintaining safe food and medicine.
The Energy Poverty Alleviation Strategy seeks to address these burdens through stronger utility support and assistance, as well as greater access to energy efficiency and clean energy retrofits, repairs, and upgrades – all of which can lower utility costs and carbon pollution, improve housing quality and public health, and enhance the quality of life.
To develop the strategy, the Office of Sustainability listened to feedback from six energy-burdened communities in Philadelphia and collaborated with government departments, community organizations, and stakeholders. The three-part strategy aims to:
- Support and strengthen Philadelphia’s energy programs and services to address challenges in access, delivery, programmatic gaps, and scaling;
- Implement and advocate for enabling legislation and incentives at the local and state levels; and
- Strengthen and support the city’s community and partner network.
“The Energy Poverty Alleviation Strategy aligns with our plan to make Philadelphia a safer, cleaner, and greener city, with economic opportunity for all,” the mayor said. “Reducing the energy poverty in Philadelphia addresses the challenges of improving quality of life for Philadelphians and reducing the city’s carbon footprint while spurring our clean energy economy.”
“The Energy Poverty Alleviation Strategy will ensure that residents experiencing energy insecurity are included in Philadelphia’s transition to clean energy,” said Elizabeth Lankenau, Interim Director of the Office of Sustainability. “It will guide our work as we explore ways to reduce carbon pollution and achieve our vision of a city where all Philadelphians can access and afford energy that is clean, healthy, and safe.”
Read the Energy Poverty Alleviation Strategy online at: www.phila.gov/documents/energy-poverty-alleviation-strategy/.
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