Pennsylvania Solar Center’s Matt Mahoney joined ecoWURD on Reality Check with Charles Ellison to discuss the challenge of more solar adoption throughout Pennsylvania. Solar Saving Week was a highlight, with Mahoney emphasizing that the purpose of the week was to make sure that Pennsylvania doesn’t fall back on its solar commitments. “Our solar policies are falling behind,” said Mahoney.

“One of the things that we’re seeing is that much of the clean energy economic activity is being driven to neighboring states because they’re passing legislation to accommodate that transition,” noted Mahoney. “Unfortunately, our goals of solar adoption have flatlined. We need legislators seeing the economic benefits and adopting more progressive policies that get us more toward renewables.”

Mahoney also addressed huge disparities between racial demographic groups in solar adoption, with Black households the least likely to adopt solar among all groups. There’s very little collaboration between the solar energy industry and Black state legislators, for example. “There are some conversations going on about this, but not nearly as many that could be taking place,” Mahoney replied. “The environmental justice conversation has opened up a great opportunity to create more diversity in the sector. We’re working to engage those communities.”