Category: City, Town, Village

Abita Springs, Louisiana, USA

Town Hall, Abita Springs, Louisiana, USA

  • Target: 100% renewable electricity by 2030
  • Status: In progress
  • RES: Solar power
  • Implementation: In 2017, then Mayor Greg Lemon led the fight for clean energy in Abita Springs by bringing the small town into the Sierra Club’s Ready for 100 campaign. It was the first Louisiana town to commit to 100 percent renewable energy. The 100 campaign involves communities from all over the United States that have pledged to run entirely on renewable energy by 2050. Abita Springs planned to have every municipal building, every business, and every home powered by renewables in just 12 years. As participant in the Sierra Club, the town was provided with a network of knowledge, a framework for Abita Spring’s pledge, and publicity of their committed strategy. Ultimately, the clean 100% strategy was a response to avoiding the negative environmental impact caused by fracking in neighbouring communities, while embracing the ample sun which the town receives which made solar power good business sense.

    Through grants from the Sierra Club’s Mayors for 100 Percent Clean Energy initiative, work began on insulating buildings, installing LED lights, and replacing high current, high-voltage appliances. Over a hundred solar panels were placed on the town hall, producing 60 percent of the building’s electricity during peak hours and saving around $200 a month. To achieve the ambitious goal by 2030, the town sought to procure renewable electricity based on wind and solar from the regional utilities. Meanwhile, it focused on residential, business, and community solar and held public events to educate town leaders, civic organizations, business owners, and residents in order to introduce them to local solar installation companies. They also met with the planning and zoning commission, and the historic commission, to help homeowners more easily seek permits for solar panels.
  • Population:  2,365 (2010)
  • Area:  4.60 sq mi (11.91 km2)
  • Link: Source: https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2018/05/this-70-year-old-republican-mayor-wants-to-prove-that-his-small-southern-town-can-go-green/
Town Hall, Abita Springs, Louisiana, USA
  • © Town of Abita Springs

Alheim, Germany

Alheimerturm, Hessen, Germany

  • Target: 100% renewable electric supply by 2030, 100% renewable heating supply by 2050.
  • Status: In progress
  • RES: Solar photovoltaics, solar thermal, biogas technology and hydropower.
  • Implementation: Alheim is a small town located in northern Hesse, Germany. Back in 1994, its municipal council enforced environmental impact guidelines which mandated that  all construction projects must be subjected to an environmental impact assessment. Ten years later, the town extended these guidelines to include a long-term target to power Alheim entirely from renewable energy sources. The intermediate goals included raising the current share of 75% of electricity supply to 100% until 2030. Similarly, while only 15% of heat is covered by renewable energy today, the aim is to achieve 100% renewable heating by 2050. Today, out of 12.2 Mio kWh produced from renewable energy, solar photovoltaic produces 6.9 Mio kWh, solar thermal energy 1.1 Mio kWh, biogas technology 4,1 Mio kWh and hydro 4.294 kWh. Alheim has profited greatly from the policy framework advancing renewable energy as it has boosted the local economy and created jobs in the region. Heat generated in biogas plants have been used for heating in industrial buildings, thus strengthening the local industry. Meanwhile, solar panels do not only produce energy but also provide shelter for organically farmed chicken on the fields. Alheim’s streets are illuminated with energy-efficient LED lighting and strict ecological guidelines for construction and renovations have been in place since 1994. Indeed, the advancement of renewable energy is part of a broader strategy to promote a lifestyle that is compatible with social and ecological ideals. Ever since Alheim joined energy transition revolution, children have been taught about renewable energy in the local schools and kindergardens.  Alheim council’s website features “Climate Protection To Go”  including tips on energy-efficient driving and cooking. One of the decisive factors for Alheim’s policy on renewable energy has been the political leadership of Mayor Georg Lüdtke who came into office in 1996 and has been committed to the idea ever since. Currently, Alheim is deepening its cooperation with the neighboring regions Bebra and Rotenburg, acting as a role model and strengthening the alliance for the transformation towards decentralized energy supply.
  • Population: 4,951 (2017)
  • Area: 63.83 km2 (24.64 sq mi)
  • Link: Projekt Energieautarke Siedlung
Alheimerturm, Hessen, Germany

Ambler Borough, Pennsylvania, USA

Ambler, Pennsylvania, USA

  • Target: 100% clean, renewable electricity community-wide by 2035 and 100% renewable energy for heating and transportation by 2050
  • Status: In progress
  • RES: Solar PV
  • Implementation: In 2019, Ambler Borough Council passed a Ready for 100% Renewable Energy Resolution, with the intention of transitioning all borough-owned property away from fossil fuels and towards sustainable energy sources by the year 2050. Ambler’s Planning Commission was tasked to develop a Strategic Transition to Renewable Energy Plan, which also complemented 100% plans by surrounding municipalities. The  Plan was approved in 2020 and included interim milestones, financial impacts, equity metrics, potential financing mechanisms, and the percentage of renewable energy that is locally produced.  Locally produced and distributed energy was prioritized whenever feasible for the many advantages it provides to the community. Measures recommended include improving pedestrian and cycle infrastructure, procuring locally sourced solar panels on borough- owned buildings, coordinating with large vacant property owners along with State and Federal agencies on converting unused properties for use as solar farms, installing solar panels on elevated structures in parking lots and achieving SolSmart designation which would provide no-cost technical assistance for solar installations.

    Other measures include purchasing and budgeting new electric vehicles, installing EV chargers to meet the demand by residents, visitors, and borough fleet, encouraging the use of LED lighting in homes, businesses, and public property, providing energy assessments to help residents increase their efficiency and reduce energy costs, weatherizing existing borough-owned facilities, and coordinating code standards with specific benchmarks to increase overall energy efficiency.
  • Population:  6,807 (2020)
  • Area:  0.85 sq mi (2.21 km2)
  • Link: Ambler Borough Strategic Plan: Transition to 100% Renewable Energy from 2020 to 2050
Ambler, Pennsylvania, USA
  • © BGROPHOTO

Apex, North Carolina, USA

Apex, North Carolina, USA

  • Target: 100% renewable energy by 2050 for town operations
  • Status: In progress
  • RES: Solar PV
  • Implementation: The town of Apex in North Carolina is committed to achieving 100% Clean Energy by 2050 with the strategic aim of creating a healthy and engaged community, a vibrant economy, all based on ecologically sustainable development.Efforts began in 2017, with two solar photovoltaic (PV) pilot projects to establish design, construction and energy management skills, with $500,000 budgeted for PV systems on town buildings. Changes to policy making were made making it faster, easier and more affordable for Apex homes and businesses to install solar. All outdoor lighting were transitioned to energy efficient LED (light-emitting diode) fixtures, which provided immediate cost savings to the town and its citizens. By 2019, Apex was designated as a Gold-Level SolSmart Community. Its Council passed the 100% Clean Energy resolution. Besides transitioning from fossil fuel-based energy to renewable energy, Apex would also transition the municipal vehicle fleet to plug-in hybrid vehicles or all electric vehicles by 2050. By 2021, the town had installed solar PV on 9 town buildings, with more installations planned. A Greenhouse Gas Inventory was created by the Apex Sustainability Team to track operational fossil fuel-based emissions and set the 100% energy targets. The Apex Finance Committee met with locals to discuss any changes to the Town's solar rate structure and to solar metering.

    An assessment was made by Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center (NCCETC) and CST Fleet Services  to create a Vehicle Replacement and Infrastructure Support Plan for the following 10 years. The town replaced several old council trucks with all electric vehicles  and electric changing stations installed at locations around town. The town began expanding municipal recycling and paper reduction efforts to set a 100% Zero Waste Goal for town operations. It began working with partners to analyze municipal waste usage, identify waste reduction strategies, and implement zero waste practices in the workplace. To achieve greener buildings, the town carried out energy assessments on all town buildings to plan for optimal efficiency retrofits.

  • Population:  58,780 (2020)
  • Area:  56 km2
  • Link: Apex Solar
Apex, North Carolina, USA
  • © Seth Ilys

Aspen, Colorado, USA

Aspen, Colorado, USA

  • Target: 100% renewable energy
  • Status: Achieved
  • RES: Hydropower, windpower, and land-fill gas energy.
  • Implementation: The City of Aspen is located in the Rocky Mountains in the state of Colorado. As one of the most famous skiing resorts in the USA, Aspen welcomes many tourists every year. In particular, the city's winter population grows from approximately 7,000 to 50,000 people. This means that Aspen has to deal with a significantly higher energy consumption in winter compared to the rest of the year. In 1885, Aspen was already one of the first American municipalities to use hydroelectric power, and by 2014, hydroplants were covering 86% of the energy demand. The boost in hydropower has been largely due to the Canary Initiative, which was established in 2005, which identified Aspen and other mountain communities as “canaries in the coal mine” with respect to their sensitivity to the effects of climate change. The initiative laid out a Climate Action Plan, which would reduce GHG emissions by converting its energy supply to one based on RE. In cooperation with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory the city developed a strategy how to achieve this. Investments in renewable energy have enabled the utility to progressively replace fossil fuels. Finally, in August of 2015, the City of Aspen municipally owned electric utility achieved 100% renewable energy, by signing of a contract with the Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska, a wholesale electric energy provider. Since then, the energy mix in the electricity sector is assembled by 46% hydro, 53% wind and 1% landfill gas energy. The new wind contract, which provides 95% of the new renewable energy, allows the city to only buy what it needs to keep it close to 100% renewable energies. The advantage of this arrangement is that it affords crucial supply management flexibility for dealing with inconsistencies in energy production from Aspen’s other resources, such as the fluctuations in hydro power. It also allows the city to avoid being forced to buy energy they do not need.
  • Population: 6,871 (2016)
  • Area: 3.88 sq mi (10.05 km2)
  • Link: https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy15osti/62490.pdf
Aspen, Colorado, USA

Athens, Georgia, USA

Athens, Georgia, USA

  • Target: 100% renewable electricity community-wide by 2035, and 100% renewable energy for heating and transportation by 2050
  • Status: In progress
  • RES: Renewable energy sources to be determined
  • Implementation: In 2019, the Athens-Clarke County (ACC) Commission voted to adopt a community wide goal of 100% clean and renewable electricity by 2035. It joins Atlanta, Augusta, and Clarkston in the transition away from pollutive energy sources that contribute to climate change. ACC aims to source 100% renewable energy sources for city-owned properties by 2035, and by 2050 it will generate 60% of its renewable energy locally. The broader community will obtain 100% of its electricity needs from clean and renewable sources by 2035. All other energy needs (transportation, etc.) will be met by 100% clean and renewable energy sources by 2050. The energy resolution aims for a just and equitable energy future. Analysis had shown that many households in the county spend an above average percentage of their monthly income on electricity. The organisation "100% Athens" is leading efforts to fund clean and renewable energy. The energy resolution kicked off an 18 month long process that sought input from stakeholders in and around ACC including regional utilities like Georgia Power and Walton EMC. 100% Athens has begun working in partnership with the County and helped incorporate more solar and efficiency in Georgia Power’s Integrated Resource Planning Process. By collaborating with the local community and receiving feedback, the Sustainability Office of ACC is building a map that will guide the County towards the most effective renewable policies and technologies that are best-suited for the community’s needs.
  • Population:  127,315 (2020)
  • Area:  306 km2
  • Link: Clean and Renewable Energy Campaign
Athens, Georgia, USA
  • © Richard Chambers

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

  • Target: 100% renewable electricity by 2035
  • Status: In progress
  • RES: Energy efficiency measures, and onsite and community solar
  • Implementation: The City Council of Atlanta in Georgia approved a green energy plan in 2019 geared towards the achieving 100% renewable electricity by 2035. The goal is to entirely replace coal, natural gas and nuclear energy as the primary energy sources of electricity with renewable sources. This will be achieved in an incremental manner. The city will begin by using less energy, achieved through energy efficiency measures such as insulating old homes and installing energy-efficient lights and better cooling and heating systems. It is estimated that this may achieve a reduction in consumption as much as 30%. The energy plan will require more solar panel installations on homes, commercial buildings and at utility scale solar farms. Investments will be needed in battery storage for solar energy as well as renewable-energy credits from outside the state to offset coal and gas power still coming from the local grid. The plan will more crucially require the support of of key players such as the state utility and the state’s conservative Legislature. Leading figures are however building political coalition for green energy by focusing on jobs, which the energy plan estimates will result in 8,000 new positions, as well as generate economic development for the entire state. The plan would help low-income families, where solar panels would provide lower costs and price stability. (Source: theworld.org/stories/2019-04-15/how-atlanta-plans-get-100-green-energy-2035)
  • Population:  498,715 (2020)
  • Area:  350 km2
  • Link: www.100atl.com
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
  • © Paul Brennan

Augusta, Georgia, USA

Old Richmond County Courthouse, Augusta, Georgia, USA

  • Target: 100% renewable electricity by 2050
  • Status: In progress
  • RES: Solar power and energy efficiency improvements
  • Implementation: Augusta, GA is committed to achieving 100% renewable electricity by 2050. The clean energy movement was founded on anti-pollution advocacy which began in the 1970s, when several neighbourhoods in  Augusta did not receive public services, like water, streetlights, or an adequate sewage system. Locals began working with Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, and rallied to approach the county commissioner with the zero waste idea. With the support of Augusta University, Paine College, board or education, and the city engineering department, the resolution was passed.

    In 2018, the Augusta City Commission approved a resolution to set a goal of 100% renewable energy by 2050. The city hopes to reach 80% renewable energy by 2030. Augusta’s timeline was put on hold due to the pandemic. However, the city is still working on an implementation plan. So far, the city has added solar panels to the construction of a new school, along with the most efficient windows. Upgrades are helping the city to realize cost-savings from the clean energy transition. With Georgia Power, the local utility is helping with education programs and provides scholarships for students. The programs teach topics on recycling and clean energy. The utility also funds the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, which provides efficiency upgrades for the most affected communities. This is done via loans that are matched by Blue Ridge through fundraising activities.Source: ilsr.org
  • Population:  197,888 (2019)
  • Area:  306.5 sq mi (793 km2)
  • Link: Resolution in Support of a Goal of 100% Clean Energy by 2050
Old Richmond County Courthouse, Augusta, Georgia, USA

Bamberg, Germany

Bamberg, Germany

  • Target: Energy self-sufficient by exclusively relying on renewable energies, by 2035.
  • Status: In progress
  • RES: Solar and wind-powered systems, block heating stations, woodchip heating systems, and electric vehicle charging stations.
  • Implementation: The city of Bamberg's strategy to produce energy independently is embedded in its climate change strategy and is integrated into the sustainable development of Bamberg. It has already financed a combination of solar and wind-powered systems, block heating stations as well as woodchip heating systems. In 2009, the Fraunhofer Institute analyzed the resource potential of the city and different scenarios were investigated to optimize the process of RE development. It laid the groundwork for finding the best energy models for the area. The plan would serve 210,000 people for both for electricity and heat.As a member of ”climate alliance”, the city cooperates with surrounding municipalities. The idea is that both the city and its region would benefit from the energy transition: the city has a reliable supply of renewable energy and the surrounding rural areas is the energy producer, generating income, allowing the development of new business models, and well distributed profits among municipalities. In fact, the city of Bamberg would not have been able to achieve its RE goal if it wasn’t for the rural support, considering the limited urban space. The city involved the industry and engineering sectors in the planning process, as well as the participation of the local community, with processes being guided by the city government. In 2011, the Climate and Energy Agency Bamberg was established to serve as the office of the Climate Alliance Bamberg. In 2012, the city along with 31 municipalities formed the ,,Regionalwerke Bamberg GmbH’’ to combine strategic efforts. Energy consultancy and analysis tools for electricity and heat applications of private households were introduced and more than half of the towns in the area have set up electric vehicle charging stations.
  • Population: 77,179 (2017)
  • Area: 54.62 km2 (21.09 sq mi)
  • Link: Bamberg is switching to renewable energy
Bamberg, Germany

Bamiyan, Afghanistan

Bamiyan, Afghanistan

  • Target: To supply power to remote communities.
  • Status: In progress - The Bamiyan Renewable Energy Program (BREP) developed a large-scale, solar photovoltaic (PV) mini-grid, and by 2017 began generating 1 MW of electricity to more than 3,500 businesses, homes and government offices.
  • RES: Solar PV with battery storage and diesel backup.  BREP uses a prepaid, pay-as-you-go model to collect revenue, with each house being equipped with a digital meter.
  • Implementation: The mini-grid was funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and built by a joint venture of two New Zealand companies, Sustainable Energy Services International (SESI) and NetCon. After construction, project developers transferred the system to Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS), Afghanistan’s national utility that now owns and operates the system. SESI and NetCon helped DABS operate the system for the first year after installation.
  • Population: 100,000
  • Area: 35 km²
  • Link: After the Taliban: taking solar energy to remote parts of Afghanistan

 

Bamiyan, Afghanistan