Solar

Did you know? In 2018, Pennsylvania has over 354 megawatts of solar power generation installed at nearly 19,000 homes, farms, and businesses, and nearly 5,000 people employed in the solar energy field. Across the Commonwealth the sun is generating power for homeowners, businesses, schools and institutions.

Sun energy, or solar, can be converted into heat (thermal) and electricity. Solar thermal energy can be used for hot water and space heating or to heat fluids to high temperatures to operate turbines that generate electricity. Photovoltaic (PV) cells convert sunlight directly into electricity. For solar basics, types of technologies and applications, and where solar is installed go to the Energy Information Administration website Solar Basics.

Energy 101: Solar PV

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Ready to weigh your solar options? Below are some guides to get started:

The PA PUC Renewables website has facts about solar including basics and benefits of solar, financing of solar, what’s involved with installing solar and who to contact for help.

The Solarize Guidebook offers neighborhoods a plan for making group purchases of rooftop solar through a coordinated program.

PA DEP is very committed to renewable technologies like solar. The U.S. Department of Energy is providing funding for a statewide planning effort to increase Pennsylvania's solar energy production to at least 10 percent of in-state electricity sales by 2030. For more information go to: PA's Solar Future.

For more information about Solar, visit our Energy Data page.