Pennsylvania’s long-delayed attempt to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) has ended with the latest state budget, and policymakers in Harrisburg are quickly shifting to new discussions on Pennsylvanias energy future. Republicans, who opposed RGGI for years, anticipate increased investment in natural gas power, while Democrats are searching for alternative climate measures that may draw bipartisan support.
One major Democratic priority is the Solar for Schools program, which received a combined $50 million across the last two budgets to help schools install rooftop solar panels. Demand has been strong, with nearly $90 million in applications last year. The budget also directs hundreds of millions in federal infrastructure incentives toward clean energy projects, though their future remains uncertain at the national level.
House Democrats are advancing additional proposals, including reallocating unused hydrogen tax credits, reducing fees for small modular nuclear reactors, and requiring large new warehouses to be built solar-ready. Republican leaders, however, remain cautious about subsidizing clean energy and prefer market-driven energy development.
RGGI had been considered the state’s most comprehensive emissions-reduction option, and no current proposal matches its scale. Still, rooftop solar, faster deployment of renewable projects, and incentives for low-emissions manufacturing could play growing roles as electricity demand rises and energy prices continue increasing.
About the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC
For 140 years, the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC has served as the region’s catalyst for economic prosperity. The organization combines business, community, and economic development services to enhance the region’s vitality and livability. The Chamber is a five-star accredited chamber through the U.S. Chamber of Commerce—a distinction held by fewer than 1 percent of chambers nationwide. CREDC is the Certified Economic Development Organization for Cumberland, Dauphin and Perry counties
The Capital Region Economic Development Corporation (CREDC) is the economic development arm of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber and the Certified Economic Development Organization (CEDO) approved by the Commonwealth’s Department of Community and Economic Development to perform economic development activities using Pennsylvania’s funding programs in Cumberland, Dauphin, and Perry counties.
