Tag: — North America

Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

  • Target: 100% renewable electricity for city operations by 2022, community wide by 2030
  • Status: In progress
  • RES: Wind and solar power
  • Implementation: In April 2018, Minneapolis became the largest city in the United State's Midwest to commit to 100% clean and renewable electricity, focusing on a shift from fossil fuels to wind and solar power. The resolution was supported by the Sierra Club and national youth activist organization iMatter. It set out ambitious goals that complemented the city’s Climate Action Plan, which aimed to reduce carbon emissions in the coming decades. The city's high solar capacity provided a good basis for the state’s community solar program which generate around 44MW. Residential customers of the utility company Xcel's program achieved savings through the community solar subscription, and a third of the power produced went to public-sector entities such as schools. Xcel Energy, which has its headquarters in Minneapolis, operates several solar power plants in the state and across the country. Along with environmental sustainability, the city's clean energy policy included strategies that ensured that all consumers, communities of color, low-income communities, renters, equally benefit from the energy transition.
  • Population: 429,954 city, 3,690,261 metro (2020)
  • Area: 57.49 sq mi (148.89 km2)
  • Link: Blueprint for Powering Minneapolis Municipal Operations with 100% Renewable Electricity by 2022 (pdf)
  • © Kevin Sorensen

Moab, Utah, USA

Moab, Utah, USA

  • Target: 100% renewable electricity supply by 2032
  • Status: In progress
  • RES: Solar energy
  • Implementation: Moab is a town surrounded by National Parks in the US western state of Utah. In February 2017, the City Council voted on a resolution to commit to reaching a 100% renewable electricity supply in the community by 2032. The decision was made based on community's concern for the environment and for the local economy. To demonstrate its leadership, the City voted on the resolution as it was completing an expanded 63 kW solar array on the City Hall building. The resolution also commits the city's municipal operations to be powered by 100% renewable sources in 2027, five years earlier than the entire community, with an interim goal of achieving 50% renewable power by 2024. The resolution also contains greenhouse gas reduction targets of 80% below 2018 levels by 2040, and 50% below 2018 levels by 2032. To help the city stay on track and communicate progress, the resolution calls for updating the greenhouse gas inventories every three years and publishing progress on the 100% renewable power goals every other year.
  • Population: 5,253 (2017)
  • Area: 4.1 sq mi (10.7 km2)
  • Link: https://moabcity.org/478/Sustainability
Moab, Utah, USA

Norman, Oklahoma, USA

Norman, Oklahoma, USA

  • Target: 100% renewable energy by 2050
  • Status: In progress
  • RES: Solar power
  • Implementation: Largely rural, the city of Norman is home to the University of Oklahoma, the state’s largest university. Since 2018, Norman had worked towards replacing its oil and gas dependency with natural wind and solar resources. The move towards 100% clean energy began when a franchise agreement between the city and its utility provider, Oklahoma Gas & Electric (OG&E) had expired which prompted activists to urge the city to transition to cleaner energy options. Fracking in the state had resulted in methane pollution, earthquakes, and water contamination. This also provide a strong impetus for increasing Oklahoma’s renewable energy generation and consumption. After a year long campaign, the volunteer-led team persuaded the city to commit to 100% clean, renewable energy across all sectors, including heat and transportation, by 2050. The resolution was voted unanimously in 2018 and made Norman the first city in Oklahoma to adopt such a goal.

    The Council acknowledged the environmental benefits, job opportunities, and economic advantages of renewable energy. There was strong cross-community support from environmental, commercial, educational, and faith groups. With its two utilities, OG&E (the primary utility) and OEC (a rural electric co-op), the city began determining its best options for moving to clean energy. The University of Oklahoma began using 100% renewable energy through the purchase of renewable energy credits. The city explored a solar program for its public schools and looked at updating its legislation to make the adoption of solar energy easier. A 2017 pilot program incentivized energy-efficient home building. The city included further plans to promote electric vehicles and greener building practices.
  • Population: 124,880 (2019)
  • Area: 189.4 sq mi (490.6 km2)
  • Link: https://www.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2019/03/norman-becomes-first-oklahoma-city-commit-100-percent-clean-renewable-energy
Norman, Oklahoma, USA

Orlando, Florida, USA

Orlando, Florida, USA

  • Target: 100% renewable electricity in city operations by 2030, community-wide by 2050
  • Status: In progress
  • RES: Solar PV
  • Implementation: In August 2017, Orlando’s City Council unanimously passed the resolution to transition to 100% clean energy target. It was led by Mayor Buddy Dyer, and supported by local organizations, including the League of Women Voters, IDEAS for Us, the NAACP, and Sierra Club. The coalition worked to secure a commitment to replace the city utility’s two remaining coal generation units with renewable sources. Solar farms were developed by the city with more planned for the future. In Orlando, the farms benefited from an average of 300 days of sunshine a year. One solar farm today powers Orlando’s city hall and police station.

    To address the upfront costs of solar infrastructure and concerns about availability, Orlando worked closely with its municipal utility, the Orlando Utilities Commission, to decarbonize its energy mix, expand the availability of solar energy, and create programs that reduce the upfront costs for consumers. The Community Solar program allowed residents and businesses to choose the source of their energy, with up to 100% coming from renewable sources, and Collective Solar, a cooperative model enabled homeowners to opt-in to rooftop solar at reduced costs. The PACE program was implemented, providing $500 million in clean energy financing to residents and businesses. The city worked to ensure a sustainable, clean energy economy by requiring that all new buildings be certified LEED Silver at minimum. Every new building must also be solar-ready or have the capacity to add on solar. Other steps taken included reducing the costs of solar, streamlining the new building permit process, implementing contractor training, and clearly defining solar-energy equipment in its energy code. Economic barriers to clean energy adoption is addressed through programs which subsidize the retrofitting homes of lower-income residents.
  • Population: 307,573 (2020)
  • Area: 119.08 sq mi (308.41 km2)
  • Link: https://www.orlando.gov/Initiatives/2018-Community-Action-Plan
Orlando, Florida, USA

Oxford County, Ontario, Canada

Oxford County, Ontario, Canada

  • Target: 100% renewable energy by 2050
  • Status: In progress
  • RES: Microgrid, solar thermal facility, electric vehicle charging stations, and a farm biogas project.
  • Implementation: Oxford County comprises 2 towns, 5 townships, and 1 city. It is located along highly accessible transportation routes and has a long tradition in farming. On June 24, 2015, the Council set the 100% renewable energy target, with the commitment for community-wide use of renewable energy for electricity, heating/cooling, and transportation. It adopted the The Future Oxford Community Sustainability Plan. The County has taken the opportunity to learn from other cities around the world (such as those in Germany) that have achieved 100% RE, to see how innovations in renewable energy could be adapted to Oxford’s context. The research formed the basis for Oxford County’s 100% Renewable Energy Action Plan, which would catalyze environmental change in Oxford, create opportunities for renewable energy investment in the county, and become a living laboratory for education, research, and development of cutting-edge renewable energy solutions for local governments. It also outlines a framework detailing how community, business, government, academic, national and international partners can work together to achieve specific targets, milestones and actions.
  • Population: 110,862 (2016)
  • Area: 2,036.61 km2 (786.34 sq mi)
  • Link: Oxford County Environmental and Energy Plans
Oxford County, Ontario, Canada

Park City, Utah, USA

Park City, Utah, USA

  • Target: 100% renewable electricity for city operations by 2022, and for the whole community by 2032.
  • Status: In progress
  • RES: Solar energy
  • Implementation: Park City is a small town located in the Rocky Mountains of Utah, and is renowned for its ski resorts and Sundance Film Festival. In October 2016, its Mayor signed on to the Climate Reality Project's 100% renewable electricity campaign, which commits the city to achieving a 100% renewable electricity supply for the community by 2032. The pledge was driven by concerns about the impact on the community of a warming climate and a desire to show that mountain communities can lead the way on transitioning to renewables.
  • Population: 8,378 (2017)
  • Area: 17.567 sq mi (45.50 km2)
  • Link: Park City Renewable Energy
Park City, Utah, USA

Rochester, Minnesota, USA

Rochester, Minnesota, USA

  • Target: 100% renewable energy in electricity, heating/cooling, and transportation sectors community wide by 2031
  • Status: In progress
  • RES: To be planned.
  • Implementation: Rochester is a small city located near the southeast corner of the state of Minnesota in the midwestern United States. In 2015, the city's Mayor released a proclamation declaring the city's commitment to transitioning to 100% renewable energy in the electricity, heating/cooling, and transportation sectors by 2031. The reasons behind the goal were climate protection, environmental preservation, and political expedience and mobilisation. Several actions were suggested: prioritizing energy efficiency, electrifying the heating/cooling and transportation sectors, maximizing citizen participation and development of new business models, educating the community, and adopting an integrated approach to energy, economic, and infrastructure policy. Although not legally binding and not accompanied with a strategic action plan, it is hoped that the City of Rochester's proclamation would create sufficient political momentum to set the City on the right path. In 2018, the Rochester Public Utilities Board finally commits to the creation of an implementation plan for Rochester to achieve its 100% renewable energy target.
  • Population: 115,733 (2017)
  • Area: 55.48 sq mi (143.70 km2)
  • Link: https://www.rochestermn.gov/Home/ShowDocument?id=9421
Rochester, Minnesota, USA

Rockport, Missouri, USA

Rock Port, Missouri, USA

  • Target: 100% renewable energy
  • Status: Achieved
  • RES: Wind energy
  • Implementation: Rock Port Missouri announced itself as the first 100% wind powered community in the United States. Four wind turbines supplies all of its electricity. The turbines are located on agricultural lands within the city boundaries of Rock Port (Atchison County). The city consumes around 13 million kilowatt hours of electricity each year, although the four turbines have the capacity to generate 16 million kilowatt hours each year. Excess wind generated electricity not used by Rock Port homes and businesses is fed into the grid, which is purchased by the Missouri Joint Municipal Utilities for use in other areas.

    University of Missouri Extension specialists say that there are excellent opportunities for sustainable wind power in northwest Missouri. There are currently 24 wind turbines in Atchison County, 24 in Nodaway County and 27 in Gentry County. The specialists say the wind farms will bring in more than $1.1 million annually in county real estate taxes. The wind power is also benefiting landowners, who can make between $3,000 to $5,000 leasing part of their property for wind turbines. The payback on a per-acre basis is quite good when compared to a lot of other crops, resulting in savings for the community, and savings for the rural electric companies. It is projected to provide electricity service over at least 20 years. The wind turbines have also attracted visitors , adding tourism revenue.

    A map published by the U.S. Department of Energy indicates that northwest Missouri has the state's highest concentration of wind resources and contains a number of locations potentially suitable for utility-scale wind development.
  • Population: 1,227 (2016)
  • Area: 2.77 sq mi (7.17 km2)
  • Link: http://www.rockportwind.com
Rock Port, Missouri, USA

Saanich, British Columbia, Canada

Saanich, British Columbia, Canada

  • Target:Comprehensive 100 percent renewable energy target in electricity, heating and cooling, transportation by 2050
  • Status: In progress
  • RES: Solar hot water and photovoltaic installations
  • Implementation: On October 2, 2017, the District of Saanich, British Columbia adopted a 100% renewable energy target for its entire community. It is assessing the feasibility of having all Municipal Buildings become 100% RE by 2025. Efforts began in 2010 when the municipality approved the Saanich Climate Action Plan, with the commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 33% in the community and 50% in municipal operations by 2020, based on 2007 levels. In 2016, Saanich began developing an RE strategy for each municipal building. The RE retrofit in municipal buildings would provide beneficial examples to the community and the Region.

    Saanich joins Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia and Oxford County, Ontario (three major cities in British Columbia) in committing to 100% renewable energy, all of which have adopted the target for their electricity, heating and cooling, and transportation sectors. Located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, the municipality is home to 115,000 residents. In addition to phasing out fossil fuels by the year 2050, Saanich will also pursue an 80% greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal.

    The City's Energy Plan initiative is called 100% Renewable Saanich. Its Terms of Reference can be read here. The plan for the renewable energy transition will  baseline existing energy use, explore different scenarios, engage the community, and suggest monitoring and reporting options.
    Video: Saanich TAP project

  • Population: 114,148 (2016)
  • Area: 103.78 km2 (40.07 sq mi)
  • Link: Saanich Climate Plan
Saanich, British Columbia, Canada

Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

  • Target: 100% of the community’s electricity supply will come from renewables by 2032.
  • Status: In progress
  • RES: Solar
  • Implementation: In July 2016 the officials of Salt Lake City (SLC), capital city of the US state of Utah, announced the 100% target on renewable energy. According to a Joint Resolution, published by the Mayor Biskupski and furthermore adopted by the City Council, 100% of the community’s electricity supply will come from renewables by the year 2032 and 80% of the community’s Greenhouse gas emissions – compared to the year 2009 – are supposed to cut off by 2040. The city's ‘Climate Positive SLC’ would show the progress, the goals and possibilities of how to enforce and achieve the conversion to 100% renewables. Four main pathways to achieve the target include: Clean Electricity Supply, Reducing Energy Waste (working with property owners and managers to explore new opportunities to save more energy), Active Transportation and Clean Vehicles (reduce prices for transit passes for its residents, new e-bike charging stations), and Community Partnership (process of sharing climate solutions).
  • Population: 200,544 (2017)
  • Area: 110.4 sq mi (285.9 km2)
  • Link: https://www.slc.gov/sustainability/climate-positive/
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA