Farmers and city residents alike stand to benefit from local, homegrown power, says Land & Liberty and Solar States in an Opt-ed

Pennsylvania is at a defining moment for preserving the energy legacy it created. The recent passage of House Bill 504 in the state House represents a rare opportunity to unite urban and rural energy ratepayers over localized generation: by doing so they will strengthen our state’s energy leadership for generations to come, continuing upon our great energy legacy, while offering expanded revenue potential for our vital agricultural legacy. Community energy offers a practical path forward that reinforces Pennsylvania’s energy dominance, provides new opportunities for collocative development of agriculture and energy, while ensuring all Pennsylvanians subscribe to affordable, reliable power-while innovating Keystone energy heritage.

Uniting Urban and Rural Ratepayers

Community energy creates a bridge between the city and the country. For urban residents, it means the freedom to participate in local, cost-saving energy projects regardless of homeownership or roof suitability. For rural Pennsylvanians-especially those in agriculture, it brings diversified revenue streams, economic opportunity, and pioneering coexisting ways to keep land productive, whether through solar grazing, dual-use fields, digesters, or repurposed coal sites. This is an agrarian energy innovation that generates diverse benefits for urban and rural alike.

Urban clean energy advocates and rural leaders alike have a stake in this win(energy)-win(taxes) approach. Pending Community Energy legislation would unlock economic development for rural areas, particularly for struggling farmers, while giving every Pennsylvanian access to more affordable, multiform electricity that benefits PJM ratepayers.

Community energy is about more than just ratepayer savings. By generating power close to home, it enhances grid reliability and supports the Keystone energy mix. This is “patriot power”-keeping energy dollars and decisions in Pennsylvania’s wallets at the same time, benefiting both rural and urban communities. HB 504 ensures that only those who choose to participate bear the costs, protecting non-subscribers and making this a fair solution for all.

Advancing Pennsylvania’s Energy Legacy

Our state’s history as an energy leader is unmatched. Community energy builds on this legacy, giving landowners and farmers new ways to invest in their future and pass down benefits to their next generation of family. It supports the “all-of-the-above and below” energy strategy that has long defined Pennsylvania’s approach. Solar and biofuels don’t replace natural gas, coal, or nuclear; they complement them, to the benefit of our grid and economy.

Community energy transcends partisan lines. It’s about free enterprise, local control, and practical solutions that work for everyone. Conservatives can champion a policy that safeguards ratepayers, economically empowers rural families for generations, and spurs a multitude of job creation, without mandates or subsidies for non-participants. As we’ve seen, “jobs, economic development, land rights, and national security depend on energy diversity,” and community energy is a proven tool to deliver these outcomes to Keystone ratepayers.

Now Is the Time

With the House’s approval, the Senate now has the chance to move Pennsylvania forward. Passing HB 504 will open doors for economic growth in both rural and urban communities, reinforce our energy legacy, and secure a more resilient future for all ratepayers. This is the time for Pennsylvanians across regions and political lines to unite and embrace the benefits of community energy to benefit themselves.

Let’s keep Pennsylvania at the forefront of American energy, working together to ensure every corner of the Commonwealth benefits from our enduring Keystone Energy Legacy.

Submitted by Justin Mason, State Field Director of Land & Liberty Coalition & Micah Gold-Markel Founder of Solar States

Photo: Solar States

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