Pennsylvania’s Energy Heritage: A Legacy of Innovation and Production 

Pennsylvania’s legacy as an energy leader runs deep. As the site of the first commercial oil well in the United States, the state has consistently pioneered energy development. Today, Pennsylvania ranks second only to Texas in natural gas production and third in coal production after West Virginia and Wyoming. The state produces more electricity than any state except Texas and Florida, and leads the nation in electricity exports. However, to maintain its leadership position, and capture the economic benefits of the clean energy transition, Pennsylvania must overcome significant infrastructure siting challenges. 

As Governor Josh Shapiro recently noted, “Pennsylvania has long been a national energy leader, from Ben Franklin to today, but right now, we’re letting other states outcompete us and we’re losing out on jobs, new investment, and innovation – that has to change.” 

The Current Paradigm: A System Not Built for Renewable Growth 

Despite Pennsylvania’s energy production leadership in natural gas, coal and electricity, the state significantly lags in renewable energy development. According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), renewable energy accounts for just 4% of Pennsylvania’s in-state electricity generation, despite strong solar and wind potential across the state. 

The bottleneck isn’t due to a lack of resources or potential — it’s largely the result of a regulatory framework that is failing to meet the moment. Pennsylvania lacks a state-level option for siting and permitting clean energy projects and has no clear set of siting standards. The resulting  patchwork of authorities, creates too many veto points at the local level, leading to unpredictability and uncertainty for developers in the permitting process. 

Local resistance and restrictive regulations are already creating significant barriers for renewable energy deployment in PA. For example, Fayette County, an otherwise attractive area for solar development, recently introduced an ordinance requiring solar farms to be at least 500 feet away from the perimeter of property lines. If passed, this setback regulation would effectively limit development possibilities for all towns in the county. 

As Senator John Kane, co-sponsor of the RESET Board legislation, put it: “Too often, red tape makes it harder to get large-scale reliable energy projects built in Pennsylvania than in our neighboring states—we are one of only a handful of states that do not have a central siting authority to facilitate development of large-scale projects. It’s time to build big things again in Pennsylvania.” 

The RESET Board: A Path Forward 

Recognizing both the challenge and opportunity, Governor Shapiro has introduced the “Lightning Plan,” with the RESET (Reliable, Efficient, Sustainable Energy Transmission) Board as a centerpiece of this comprehensive energy strategy. The RESET Board offers several promising features: 

• Optional pathway for developers: The process maintains a role for local permit approval and siting while offering an alternative state-level route 

• One-stop-shop approach: The board would streamline administrative processes that currently span multiple agencies 

• Expedited approvals: Clear, reasonable permitting timelines would replace the current uncertain process 

Representative Mandy Steele, co-sponsor of the RESET Board legislation, emphasizes the economic implications of making it easier to site projects: “Without a central siting authority, Pennsylvania is losing out on eligible investments. This legislation creates a new pathway to speed up eligible projects while recognizing the need for community engagement and other prerequisites for project success.” 

The Broader Vision: The Lightning Plan 

The RESET Board is just one component of Governor Shapiro’s comprehensive “Lightning Plan,” which also includes: 

• A cap-and-invest program (PACER) 

• A modernized energy standard (PRESS) 

• A community energy sharing proposal 

• Rebates to reduce household energy costs 

Independent analysis by Synapse Energy Economics indicates that the Lightning Plan will drive workforce development, lower electricity bills, and significantly reduce energy emissions while maintaining reliable electricity for all Pennsylvanians. 

Looking Forward: Solving Pennsylvania’s Siting Challenges 

Clean energy infrastructure projects represent an opportunity for Pennsylvania to continue its energy dominance while stepping into the clean energy future. The RESET Board directly addresses the state’s most pressing siting barriers by creating a standardized process that cuts through fragmented local regulations while still respecting community input. Through its establishment of clear setback requirements, streamlined permitting timelines, and centralized authority to coordinate between developers and localities, the Board eliminates the regulatory uncertainty that has deterred clean energy investment. 

While the devil will be in the details, Pennsylvania’s RESET is exactly the type of state-level action we need to scale deployment of clean energy.  To help keep states on track, Clean Tomorrow’s Siting Solutions Project is developing policies to help states overcome siting challenges. Our monthly newsletter, The State of Siting, summarizes national trends in siting legislation and highlights bills of particular consequence. In the coming weeks we will release an Insight Report categorizing all the siting policy frameworks in use today, including state examples, citations to statute, and policy considerations. And we’re just getting started. More resources are coming soon.