Green Technology Resources

Programs, funding, and monitoring resources related to PCW's green-space work. For how the solar nodes themselves are built and maintained, see Solar Mesh Nodes.

Solar programs in Philadelphia

• Solarize Greater Philadelphia is a citywide program to help all Philadelphians go solar, run by the Philadelphia Energy Authority (PEA). PEA pre-approves installers and equipment, and negotiates group discounts and consumer protections, to make installing solar as easy and affordable as possible. Homeowners can also go solar with a lease at no upfront cost.
• Solar for All (EPA) offers funding to help low-income communities install solar systems, which could be paired with WiFi infrastructure. Implemented locally by the Philadelphia Green Capital Corp (PGCC).

• Philadelphia Solar Rebate is a one-time City incentive paid after a solar project is installed and has received Permission to Operate from PECO: $0.20/watt residential, $0.10/watt commercial, capped at $100,000. Administered by PEA for the Office of Sustainability.

  Check the program page before pointing anyone at the rebate. As of August 2026 the City lists it as unfunded, with applications processed in order received only if funding is restored.

Urban agriculture

• Grounded in Philly
• Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
• Farm Philly
• Neighborhood Gardens Trust

Environmental monitoring

Programs relevant to the sensor work described on the solar page, such as powering a PurpleAir air monitor from a modified solar node.

• DVRPC — Municipal Management of Extreme Heat maps heat islands, heat index projections, and a Heat Vulnerability Index by census tract across Greater Philadelphia. Useful for identifying heat-prone areas alongside community-led data collection.
• Beat the Heat Toolkit, from the City's Office of Sustainability, lays out in ten steps how a neighborhood can start its own heat-resilience project, including community workshops.
• NOAA Urban Heat Island Mapping Campaigns are community science programs for mapping heat hotspots. Participating communities receive sensors and training at no cost. Rounds are announced annually, so check for an open call.
• Community Progress provides technical assistance for community-driven vacant property and illegal-dumping prevention work.