Doing Our Part With Renewable Energy!
April 13, 2023
ICYMI - April is National Earth Month and SEPTA continues to take steps towards combatting climate change. As a cornerstone of Southeastern Pennsylvania’s regional sustainability - SEPTA is proud to observe Earth Month 2023 by highlighting our environmental initiatives.
Public transportation inherently benefits the environment because it reduces the number of people driving single occupancy vehicles. Buses, subways, and trolleys are almost always better than driving a car, because the more people traveling in a vehicle, the smaller the carbon footprint of each person. By increasing ridership on public transportation – more fuel is conserved, traffic congestion decreases, air pollution decreases, and the region's carbon footprint is reduced. We all have a stake in expanding public transportation use.
By riding SEPTA - you can do your part and help save the earth while here at SEPTA, we will do our part and commit to our ongoing sustainability initiatives.
Did you know 15-20% of SEPTA’s electricity comes from renewable energy sources such as the sun!?
SEPTA formed a partnership with Lightsource BP to generate solar energy through a virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA). The project is divided into two parts, Elk Hill 1 and Elk Hill 2, which feed into the regional electric grid. Elk Hill 2 was first to go online in February 2021, with Elk Hill 1 following late 2022. The final capacity of the solar farm is estimated to be 42MW. Considering SEPTA’s regional rail, trolleys, and subway lines (NHSL/MFL/BSL) run on electricity, this is a significant contributor to SEPTA’s energy needs!
Solar panels top three SEPTA facilities: the Berridge Bus Maintenance shop, the Fern Rock Rail Shop, and the Callowhill Bus Maintenance facility. These solar installations were established as part of a power purchase agreement and installed between 2020 and 2021. The installations amount to 2.3MW of power that directly feed into the facilities they cover. SEPTA will prioritize renewable energy and energy efficiency at all new and retrofitted facilities.
To learn more information this month regarding SEPTA’s Sustainability Program and other initiatives to help our planet, keep it here and remember SEPTA is the CLEANER way to go!
