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As the nation’s largest exporter of electricity, Pennsylvania has a critical role to play in the transition to a zero-carbon economy. Decarbonizing power generation is the first and biggest step toward that future, but cutting emissions alone isn’t enough. We must manage the transition in a way that meets the need for clean electricity and creates wealth to be reinvested in further innovation, while at the same time protecting and supporting communities vulnerable to the shocks of a changing energy market and a changing climate. From passage of the 2008 Climate Change Act to Pennsylvania’s anticipated entry into the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) carbon market, PEC has been a respected voice in the discussion and an effective advocate for policies that move Pennsylvania’s grid closer to decarbonization. 
 
Pennsylvania is also the nation’s second-largest producer of natural gas. Gas remains an important piece of the energy puzzle, heating homes and businesses, and replacing coal-fired power generation with a cleaner burning alternative. However, the clean-energy potential of gas is compromised by the release of methane during production and distribution. In fact, when it comes to trapping heat in the atmosphere, methane is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide in the near term. Since the shale gas boom began, PEC has helped to advance better rules and tighter emission controls at the state level, while working with industry leaders to voluntarily improve their practices.