Guest Commentators: Steve Luxton, Executive Director, CEO, and Resident Building Scientist, Energy Coordinating Agency @PhillyEnergy
How can we combat energy poverty in our region?
There is a long history of fighting energy poverty in our region. In 1842, the Grandom Foundation launched, distributing firewood and coal to the needy. Today, tens of thousands across the Philadelphia region are able to navigate the termination and reconnection process successfully by accessing federal grants and structuring repayment agreements with their utilities, getting the lights back on with the help of a broad network of energy advocates. Combatting this has been ECA’s work since 1984, through three core means:
1. Direct financial aid. Our 18 Neighborhood Energy Centers across the city work to help people manage their energy bills and apply for individual grant resources such as the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP.) Every year, these centers help thousands who walk in the door with a termination notice to walk out with an agreement that keeps the home warm and the lights on.
2. Demand reduction. If a family is having trouble paying their energy bills, they likely also struggle to afford home repairs, appliance upgrades, and other home improvements- and renters tend to be intimidated about asking their landlords for improvements. Owners or renters, low-income people tend to live in less maintained housing with less efficient appliances and have to pay more to keep their spaces the same temperature. ECA delivers energy efficiency programming to hundreds of households in Philadelphia each year, tightening drafty houses and reducing energy usage. ECA also replaces and repairs thousands of heaters every year thanks to City and State funding, and every replacement installed adheres to high modern efficiency standards. Besides cutting the living expenses of these families directly, demand reduction at scale slows the growth of energy prices, ultimately protecting all consumers.
3. Education. Every year, ECA and our network reach thousands of Philadelphians with educational programming surrounding personal conservation practices and DIY efficiency measures, thanks to PGW and Grandom.
How can the region go further? Some issues are simply of scale- if funding scaled gradually and built up the workforce, perhaps thousands instead of hundreds could access weatherization each year, with thousands more upgrading from 20+ year-old models to modern, 95% efficient system. With more awareness campaigns, every Philadelphian who struggles with their energy bills could be aware of an NEC location near them. And if the LIHEAP program had a wider reach and larger grants, it could close many of the gaps that remain. Some issues are about addressing barriers to access- ECA is proud to partner with the Philadelphia Energy Authority in implementing the Built to Last program, combining weatherization and home repairs.
Our region will be getting the resources to scale. The recently passed infrastructure bill invests $3.5 billion into the Weatherization Assistance Program, and that will cut energy bills for hundreds of thousands of families. Also on the horizon is Pennsylvanian membership in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which will generate millions of dollars for energy use reduction investments across the state. Finally, increased investment in LIHEAP will mean larger grants for more families, and more ability to intervene and prevent energy crises.
Other issues regard blind spots – as noted by WHYY, thousands of buildings in Philadelphia are illegally carved up for multifamily living while zoned as single-family. Renters of single rooms who pay an agreed-on percentage of household energy use to a landlord cannot benefit from any federal programming or utility protections- they have no utility bill in their name. Philadelphia has few legal paths for these buildings to become formally recognized dwellings- and the tenants in these situations are there because they cannot access other accommodation due to financial limitations, prior eviction records, poor credit, or other issues. Until City Hall can open real pathways for the rooming houses of Philadelphia to step out of the shadows and sub-meter utilities, thousands of low-income families will be legally in the dark.
The Chamber supports an advanced, affordable, diversified, low-carbon energy economy. Our Greater Philadelphia Energy Action Team brings together 150+ industry leaders committed to delivering affordable energy solutions that will benefit the current families and businesses living and operating in Greater Philadelphia while attracting new development and growth opportunities.
