Bucks County is joining forces with Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties in a green initiative, writes Emily Neil for WHYY.
The counties formed the Sustainable Energy Partnership of Southeastern Pennsylvania (SEPSA), which aims to purchase renewable energy for their public operations collectively.
Under a five-year contract with WGL Energy, this collaboration targets the provision of clean energy to cover their combined annual electricity needs, which total over 89 million kilowatt hours.
SEPSA uses the joint purchasing power of these counties to obtain energy at lower wholesale prices and increase their renewable energy usage.
The initiative could lead to new solar and wind projects, such as an existing solar field in Adams County that supplies around 30 percent of Philadelphia’s municipal renewable energy.
Efforts include exploring a hydroelectric dam in Norristown, aimed at accelerating Montgomery County’s progress toward net-zero emissions.
Montgomery County Commissioner Neil Makhija stressed the significance of local measures in the global fight against climate change, noting the critical role of inter-county cooperation in advancing renewable energy initiatives and supporting local job creation in the sector.
Read more about the role of SEPSA and its environmental initiatives in WHYY.
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