Category: River Roots Redevelopment Column
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Kicking Off a New Year
By Selina Pedi-Smith As we step into 2025, we’re reflecting on the progress made last year while laying the groundwork for what’s to come: a regional coalition all working toward the common goal of resilience and equitable community redevelopment. But progress doesn’t happen overnight. It begins with a vision, a plan, and the determination to Read more
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A Year of Firsts
By Selina Pedi-Smith As 2024 draws to a close, we find ourselves reflecting on a year filled with challenges, milestones, and plenty of lessons learned. At Pellere, this year has been a whirlwind of firsts: our first federal grant award, our first agency partnership, the launch of our first ambitious microgrid project, and our first Read more
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The Work of Change: Progress, Possibility, and What Comes Next
Selina Pedi-Smith with Isaias Gomez, Pellere Foundation When you’re deep in the cleanup of a long-neglected house, you learn to see progress in small victories—another wall stripped to the studs, another load of debris hauled away, a little light breaking through where there used to be none. For Isaias Gomez, who’s been hard at work Read more
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Breathing New Life into 403 W 2nd St: Pellere Foundation’s First Blight Remediation Project
By Selina Pedi-Smith The Pellere Foundation is thrilled to announce the beginning of our first blight remediation project at 403 W 2nd St, a once-stunning Victorian home in the heart of Oil City. This property, generously donated by Sadie McLaughlin and her brother Ian McLaughlin, represents both a challenge and an opportunity—a chance to breathe Read more
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Green Hydrogen Storage
Let’s dive into one more energy storage option that could be a great fit for the Oil Region: green hydrogen. Green hydrogen is made through a process called electrolysis, where electricity is used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen can then be stored and used later in fuel cells. When green hydrogen Read more
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Innovative and Eco-Friendly Energy Storage Solutions
As Pennsylvania’s Oil Region and other areas with industrial legacies begin to shift focus to cleaner energy, the role of sustainable energy storage becomes crucial. As we’ve seen over the last two weeks, nickel-zinc batteries have emerged as a safer, recyclable alternative to traditional lithium-ion batteries, showcasing how new technologies can support grid stability, local Read more
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Powering Progress: Cleaner Energy Storage Solutions for a Greener Future
Last week, we heard from Caleb Dawson of Advanced Power & Energy on the cleaner, safer, and more reliable energy storage solution found in nickel-zinc batteries. Here in the Oil Region, we are surrounded by the beauty of both our landscapes and waterways. It’s something that we want to protect—to steward. And this area is Read more
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Advanced Power & Energy: Nickel-Zinc Batteries
Over the last two weeks, we’ve reflected on Pennsylvania’s historical contribution to energy and how our Commonwealth can help lead the next energy revolution with new green energy technologies. We’ve covered the growth in the renewable energy job market, and last week, we looked at what these changes mean for local economies. Today, I want Read more
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Pennsylvania Poised to Become an Energy Leader Again – Part 2
Selina Pedi-Smith with Guest Writer: Colin Russ of RAD Solar Last week, we discussed Pennsylvania’s proud energy history and how renewables are offering new opportunities. Let’s explore further why now is the time to embrace this shift. Recent developments in energy pricing highlight why moving toward renewables isn’t just a choice but a necessity. The Read more
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3D Printed Homes: The Future of Affordable, Sustainable Living?
Imagine watching a house being built—not with hammer and nails, but by a machine that “prints” it, layer by layer, just like your home printer creates an image on a page. It may sound futuristic, but 3D printing is becoming a reality in construction, with a skilled team of professionals working behind the scenes to Read more
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Bright Futures Fall Fest
Pellere Foundation is Hosting a Community Fun Day – Sept. 28th On September 28th, from 4–8 pm, join us for an exciting event in Sandycreek Township, where we’re blending fun, community, and innovation! The Pellere Foundation is hosting a community fun day to showcase our cutting-edge LEAP project, which aims to revolutionize energy use in Read more