With the Philadelphia Internship program, this summer, I was a Residential Programs Intern with the Philadelphia Energy Authority, an independent municipal agency created by Philadelphia City Council. My role was focused on assisting the Solarize Philly program, the largest city-wide solarization campaign which aims to help all Philadelphians go solar. I was involved throughout the entire solarization process from reaching out to communities encouraging them to go solar, to helping people through the process to getting solar panels, and finally coordinating with solar installers to ensure that future installations would go even smoother.
The variety of day-to-day tasks coupled with the important work that PEA was doing made me excited to go into the office every single day. (Working in City Hall was also a pretty big draw, I cannot lie!). For the summer after my Sophomore year, working with PEA was the perfect internship. It allowed me to learn in a patient but productive setting, surrounded by energy professionals who were always checking in on me and asking how they could make my time with PEA even more enriching.
What I will take away most from my internship with PEA is the love it has imparted on me for Philly. Neighborhood and community outreach through PEA allowed me to explore Philadelphia beyond my usual paths. Traveling far into West Philadelphia, up into North Philly, and then back down a bit South, I became a Septa expert while organizing and attending outreach events. Walking around neighborhoods, speaking with community members, and hearing about their excitement (or hesitation) about solarizing their homes provided insight into the challenges that we will face transitioning to a green energy economy. More importantly, though, it reminded me of the passion, vibrancy, and resilience that can only be found in Philadelphia. I am so thankful to have had this opportunity to connect with Philly in a meaningful and impactful way.