In fall 2024, Reading, Pennsylvania, will begin solar installations projected to save the city $300,000 annually on energy bills, marking the culmination of a long journey supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Clean Energy to Communities (C2C) program. In 2019, Reading committed to transitioning the entire community to 100% clean, renewable energy by 2050. Over the past year, the city pursued its first Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) to install solar panels on municipal buildings—a funding model that allows public agencies to implement energy-saving projects without upfront costs, as long as energy savings cover the contract’s expenses.

To navigate this, Reading joined a C2C peer-learning cohort in January 2024, collaborating with 14 other participants to explore energy efficiency and decarbonization strategies for municipal buildings.

The planned 1.78-MW rooftop and parking-lot solar installations, starting later this year, will power City Hall and the Public Works Department—two of the city’s largest energy consumers—bringing Reading closer to its 100% renewable energy target. In addition to substantial financial savings, Ayers-Fisher looks forward to the added benefit of solar canopies in parking lots: less snow to clear from cars during winter.

“Reading has historically been disinvested in. We are the fourth-largest city in the commonwealth, and some of our needs are so large and so great, they’re just overwhelming,” Reading Sustainability Manager Bethany Ayers-Fisher said. “We’re looking at moving forward and taking advantage of funding opportunities to invest in ourselves.”

Reading Mayor Eddie Morán shared his excitement for the project, stating, “A major turning point in our city’s transition to a sustainable future is this innovative solar installation. It will not only result in significant cost savings but also get us closer to our objective of using entirely clean, renewable energy to power Reading. This program demonstrates our dedication to protecting the environment and ensuring our community’s health for future generations.”

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