Philadelphia legislators, school leaders celebrate Solar for Schools grant recipients at Community College of Philadelphia Northeast Regional Center
Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler September 4, 2025 | 10:05 AM
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 4 – A bipartisan celebration and check ceremony last week honored the Community College of Philadelphia’s Northeast Regional Center for securing $176,695 in state Solar for Schools grants.
Solar for Schools is designed to address the school funding crisis, rising utility costs and climate change. The program helps schools cover the costs of installing and maintaining solar panels. Estimates show solar installations can save school districts millions of dollars over the life of one project.
“Solar for Schools is a smart step forward, and I believe we can do even more to advance an all-of-the-above energy approach that unleashes natural gas and renewables to keep power reliable and affordable for schools, families and businesses,” said state Rep. Martina White, R-Philadelphia.
“I am proud to support this investment,” said state Sen. Joseph Picozzi, R-Philadelphia. “It will give schools the ability to redirect those dollars into programs that benefit both the college and students, with the discretion to decide where these funds are needed most.”
White and Picozzi, who both represent the campus, presented the school with a check at the event. The Northeast Regional Center is Community College of Philadelphia’s largest and most independently functional regional center.
The center offers degrees, certification programs, and student and career advising services. The campus has more than 50 classrooms, a bookstore, a learning commons with a computer lab and library, a biology lab, an art studio and a full-service dining area. The center’s recent expansion was constructed with sustainable practices and is LEED certified.
“Community College of Philadelphia’s Northeast Regional Center provides a vital higher education resource to residents of Northeast Philadelphia,” said Executive Director Jeanna Perlman. “The installation of solar panels through the Solar for Schools initiative will help reduce our energy costs and environmental impact, freeing up resources that can be redirected toward student services and support. At its core, this project reflects the values we want to instill in our students: innovation, responsibility and a commitment to building a better future.”
“As the city’s college, Community College of Philadelphia embraces its responsibility to advance the environmental and economic well-being of our community,” said Dr. Alycia Marshall, interim president of CCP. “Through the Pennsylvania Solar for Schools Grant Program, supported by the Department of Community and Economic Development, we are able to strengthen the sustainability of both our historic Main Campus and our state-of-the-art facilities across the city. This initiative, paired with federal resources from the Inflation Reduction Act, ensures that schools like ours can reduce energy costs while investing in a cleaner future. We are deeply grateful for the bipartisan leadership of Representative Elizabeth Fiedler, Representative Martina White, Senator Joe Picozzi and so many others whose commitment to forward-looking policies makes progress like this possible.”
Solar for Schools was sponsored by Fiedler, D-Phila., and was signed into law in 2024 after receiving overwhelming bipartisan support in the House and Senate. In its pilot year, Solar for Schools awarded 73 schools a total of nearly $22.5 million, including five K-12 schools in Philadelphia and two campuses of Community College of Philadelphia (CCP).
“When the House and Senate came together to pass Solar for Schools last year, it gave me so much hope for what is possible,” Fiedler said. “Because of that work, we get to celebrate a win today in Northeast — and really for all of Philadelphia. This is a win that will last for years to come as these solar panels help reduce demand on the grid, save costs for CCP and help make our air cleaner.”
Advocates for Solar for Schools are hopeful that renewed funding in this year’s budget will allow more schools to benefit from the program.
“Solar for Schools is not just an investment in our energy today; it’s an investment in our energy future for generations to come,” said state Rep. Sean Dougherty, D-Phila. “Our infrastructure is only getting older. It is integral to invest in cleaner energy sources so that our students learn in buildings with better air quality and more sustainable energy.”
A full stream of the news conference is available at: https://youtu.be/Jd7bg91I2hE.