Our Team
Our team currently consists of Meenal Raval & Marion Biddle.
Meenal Raval has been actively promoting climate solutions since the 2015 Philadelphia Mayoral election and the discussions around an energy hub in Southport. In 2016, Meenal stepped up to help form the Northwest Philly Solar Co-op to encourage residential solar installations & to build a clean energy advocacy group. In 2017, Meenal invited friends to the initial gathering of Sierra Club’s Ready for 100 campaign in Montgomery County. To this day, she remains a catalyst for the Montco’s Ready for 100 team plus the Philly’s Ready for 100 team and leads to Solarize Southeast PA.
Marion Biddle is passionate about solar energy — Analyzing data, helping people decide to move forward with projects to install solar, and strategizing how to increase the amount of solar on the electricity grid. For 29 years, Marion worked for the City of Philadelphia starting as a Recycling Specialist and ending as the Director of IT for the Streets Department. During that time Marion gained skills in strategic planning, project management, implementing new technologies, data analysis, supervising staff, working with engineers and field workers to ensure successful projects. Marion left the city in November of 2016 to follow her passion for solar energy, initially stepping up to join the board of the NW Philly Solar Co-op, and today, Solarize Southeast PA.
History
Our 2021 focus is to build up momentum for Solarize Montco and Solarize Greater West Chester.
In the past, there have been other efforts to ramp up clean energy in Southeastern Pennsylvania, notably:
- 2016 – 2018 // Northwest Philly Solar Co-op – This group organized 2 buying groups, the first in 2017 and the second in 2018.
- 2016 // Solarize Center City – They had a kickoff event on October 5, 2016, led by Judy Wicks and Solar States. Read about it here. And since then, at least 3 outreach events.
- 2015 – 2016 // Solarize Greater Media – Organized by Transition Town Media and Solar States, about 50 households signed up in early 2016. Recruitment for this buying club ended in May 2016. More about this effort is found here. Also, see Installing Solar? Hookups not automatic, a January 2017 news article about their journey.
- 2014-2016 // Solarize NW Philly – Organized by Clean Air Council and the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadephia, in partnership with solar contractors Exact Solar and Solar States, this resulted in about 15 homes in the Northwest getting solarized. Recruitment ended January 2015, with most of the installations done in 2016.
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page last updated June 17, 2021
Solarize Southeast PA 