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WHEREAS, solar and wind energy, and the batteries to store their power when the wind drops or the sun goes down, are the fastest growing sources of energy in the world; and,
WHEREAS, solar and wind energy are now the cheapest ways to produce power on planet earth, providing clean energy to billions of people; and,
WHEREAS, America is the birthplace of solar energy, having seen the invention of the solar cell in 1954 at Bell Labs, and the birthplace as well of utility-scale wind, with the 1940s wind turbine on Grandpa’s Knob, Vermont; and,
WHEREAS, the solar and wind industries employ more than 400,000 Americans, with some of the most rapid employment growth in the country; and,
WHEREAS, solar and wind are proving to be key components of a reliable grid, especially in times of high demand and other stress on utilities; and,
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby declare that, September 21, 2025 shall be known as Sun Day in the City of Pittsburgh, and encourages its constituents on that day to engage in actions designed to highlight the fact that sun and wind are no longer “alternative energy” but instead an obvious commonsense choice in the City of Pittsburgh; and,
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council asks that its local utility providers address the clogged “interconnection queue” that in so many cases slows utility-scale projects; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that it is the will of the City Council of Pittsburgh that all prudent actions be taken to speed the approval process for, and otherwise encourage, residential solar and wind projects.