May 31, 2017
Sustainable Business & Enterprise Roundtable (SBER) Member-clients are formulating and pursuing aggressive renewable energy goals and almost all have substantial presence in multiple large U.S. cities. Consequently, Member-clients have requested a quick survey of what the most advanced large U.S. cities are doing to meet their climate change goals, especially as they consider potential partnerships with the cities they operate in to advance a shared commitment to accelerating the necessary move to a low carbon economy.
Since this concerns public information, Sustainability Roundtable Inc. wanted to share this ranking of large U.S. cities leading on the low carbon economy on our blog. This post, therefore, explores ten large U.S. cities leading through their relatively bold commitments to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and advance renewable energy. This movement is, of course, much broader than the listed cities.
For example, twenty-nine U.S. cities and counting have committed to transition their power source to 100% renewable energy. An interactive map created by the Sierra Club reveals that seven of those cities have already hit their renewable energy targets– Aspen, CO, Burlington, VT, Columbia, MD, Greensburg, KS, Kodiak Island, AK, Rockport, MO and Santa Monica, CA. The map also features 22 other cities committed to 100% renewables, including San Diego and San Francisco, CA, along with 39 cities currently working towards 100% renewables, including Chicago, IL, Denver, CO, Oakland, CA, and Philadelphia, PA.
For the convenience of Member-clients and others, we provide the following informal ranking of cities’ efforts in specifically pursuing renewable energy to reduce their GHG emissions, highlighting selected progress. Five of those listed are part of the Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance (Boston, DC, New York City, Portland and San Francisco).
#10. Philadelphia, PA: Financing solar in Philadelphia has been challenging over the years, but the City has made significant strides in making it easier, faster and cheaper to install – and has been recognized as a SolSmart Gold designee – which helps the city reach its 80% GHG reduction goal by 2050.
Philadelphia’s Office of Sustainability is responsible for driving Greenworks Philadelphia, the City’s comprehensive sustainability plan which was first launched in 2009. Philadelphia’s 2016 Greenworks Plan outlines a goal to reduce GHG emissions 80% by 2050, below a 2006 baseline and the City is currently establishing new local government energy and climate targets. As part of the eight visions of Greenworks, the third vision focuses on clean energy that all Philadelphians can afford.
Beginning in 2009, the City of Philadelphia purchased 20% of its total annual energy through national wind RECs. In 2014 the City shifted its purchasing strategy from national to state RECs, focusing City dollars on supporting local projects. While local RECs are more expensive, the Energy Office is committed to using Philadelphia’s buying power on the REC market to spur the growth of renewable energy close to home. The increase in renewable generation in Philadelphia has come not through solar alone, but also through projects like the PWD’s biogas cogeneration plant at its Northeast Water Pollution Control Plant.
According to Greenworks Philadelphia, the state’s alternative energy portfolio standard and initial investment in solar through the PA Sunshine Program helped create a market for solar renewable energy credits (SRECs). The end of the Sunshine Program and the lack of sufficient expansion of the portfolio standard (and the ability of utilities to meet requirements by purchasing solar energy outside of Pennsylvania) have made financing solar projects in Philadelphia challenging in the past years.
#9. Chicago, IL: The City of Chicago has the same GHG reduction goal as Philadelphia but recently announced to power municipal operations with 100% renewable energy by 2025 which is currently being met through a combination of Renewable Energy Credits (RECs), utility-supplied renewable energy, and on-site generation.
The City launched the Chicago Climate Action Plan (CCAP) in 2008 to create a roadmap of five strategies – including clean and renewable energy sources as number two– to reduce GHG emissions and adapt to climate change. The Plan outlines how Chicago will achieve its mid-term goal of 25% reduction by 2020 and its ultimate goal of 80% reduction below 1990 GHG levels by the year 2050. Chicago also has goals to improve citywide energy efficiency by 5%; improve overall energy efficiency in municipal buildings by 10%; and create an additional 20 MW of renewable energy consistent with the Illinois Renewable Portfolio Standard, including installing 10 MW of renewable energy on City properties.
#8. Boston, MA: Pulling ahead of Chicago, the City of Boston exceeded its 25% GHG emissions reduction goal by 2020 seven years early, achieving it through renewable energy programs and installations, paired with energy building ordinances which helped the City achieve a #1 ranking in energy efficiency.
Boston’s initial climate goals were formally adopted in 2007 with Executive Order 3-3890. In 2014, Mayor Walsh released the Greenovate Boston Climate Action Plan Update to reveal the City’s progress towards GHG emissions reduction and outline its strategies. The City announced it had reduced municipal GHG emissions by approximately 27%, meeting its 2020 goal of 25% reduction seven years early and on track to meet its long-term goal of 50% reduction by 2050. The Climate Action Plan outlines 2020 targets that include 15% energy use from co-generation and 10 MW of additional commercial solar. Boston plans to expand on-site renewable energy, district energy, and combined heat and power, along with promoting renewable energy purchasing, including buildings that have linked off-site renewable projects.
#7. Oakland, CA: Oakland may be the “other” city in the Bay Area but it is a national and global leader in greater sustainability. Oakland is on track to reduce GHG emissions 36% by 2020 through residential and government solar programs including community choice aggregation as the City plans to add 62 million kWh of new renewable energy used to meet local needs, annually.
The Sustainable Oakland program is an evolution of the Sustainable Community Development Initiative, established by Oakland’s City Council in 1997, and supports Oakland’s progress in becoming a more sustainable city. The Oakland Energy and Climate Action Plan (ECAP) was adopted by the City Council on December 4, 2012 and outlines a ten-year plan including more than 150 actions that will enable Oakland to achieve a 36% reduction in GHG emissions by 2020 and 83% by 2050, below 2005 levels. The plan consists of a 32% decrease in electricity consumption through renewable generation, conservation and energy efficiency. It also includes a goal to add an annual 62 million kWh of new renewable energy used to meet local needs. Specifically, Action BE‐45 outlined in Oakland’s ECAP states: explore opportunities to install alternative energy technologies (e.g. via solar power purchase agreements) or purchase grid-based renewable energy for City facilities.
#6. District of Columbia (DC): DC has been reducing its emissions through one of the largest 20-year off-site wind PPAs of its kind ever entered into by an American city which serves 35% of the government’s total electricity needs.
The District’s first Climate Action Plan, Climate of Opportunity, provides an outline for District agencies to cut emissions. DC is committed to reducing GHG emissions 50% below 2006 levels by 2032 and 80% by 2050. The Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE) has been working on updating the Climate Action Plan to align it with the goals and initiatives of Sustainable DC, moveDC and Clean Energy DC. Sustainable DC’s 2032 targets include reducing energy use by 50% relative to 2012 and increasing renewable energy to represent 50% of all energy used in the District.
DC extended its Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) target from 20% by 2020 to 50% by 2032 which includes a separate solar-specific target of 5% by 2032. In 2015, electricity sales in the District totaled 11.3 billion kWh with an RPS requirement of 12%. Since DC has limited renewable capacity, almost all of the RPS compliance targets were met by generation outside of the District through the purchase of RECs.
19 states outside of DC have approved capacity that can count toward DC’s RPS, as they are all part of or adjacent to the PJM region. Because some of these states may have their own renewable portfolio standards, the eligible generating capacity may not necessarily be fully available to meet the District’s RPS requirement. About half of the approved capacity is in Illinois, Indiana, and Pennsylvania. The 22 MW of solar capacity in DC represented only 0.3% of total eligible capacity as of July 2016.
#5. Denver, CO: Currently exploring pathways to get to 100% renewable energy, Denver had 45 MW of solar installed by 2016 and has outlined strategies to double renewable energy produced in government operations by 2020 while partnering with Xcel Energy on solar and wind projects.
Denver’s long-term climate reduction goal highlighted in the City’s 2015 Climate Action Plan is to reduce GHG emissions 80% by 2050 from a 2005 baseline. Denver’s Office of Sustainability has formally adopted separate community-wide goals and government operations goals as part of Denver’s 2020 Sustainability Goals. Community-wide goals include reducing Denver’s CO2 emissions to below 1990 levels and holding total energy usage below 2012 levels while cutting fossil fuels by 50% by 2020. Denver’s government operations goals include reducing city GHG emissions to <345,000 mtCO2e and a 20% energy consumption reduction as city operations double renewable energy produced by 2020. Denver is currently exploring pathways to get to 100% renewable energy.
#4. Portland, OR: Portland ranks fourth on our list since the city achieved its goal of purchasing or generating 100% renewable energy for City operations in 2016, which was successfully met through solar, micro-hydro turbines, a cogeneration system and RECs.
Portland was the first city in the U.S. to create a local action plan for cutting carbon in 1993. Portland’s 2015 Climate Change Action Plan concludes the City and County established a goal of reducing local carbon emissions 80% from 1990 levels by 2050, with an interim goal of 40% by 2030. In 2015, Portland City Council adopted the Sustainable City Government 2030 Environmental Performance Objectives, directing City operations to purchase or generate clean power for 100% of electricity needs which was achieved a year later.
#3. San Francisco, CA: San Francisco set an ambitious goal to meet 100% of its electricity demand with renewable power community-wide by 2030 and is on track to achieve that goal through its first-in-the-nation mandate of solar and living roofs on residential and commercial buildings.
The San Francisco Department of Environment released the 2013 San Francisco Climate Action Strategy Update, under Mayor Edwin Lee. San Francisco’s GHG emissions reduction goals are to reduce emissions by 25% below 1990 levels by 2017; 40% by 2025; and 80% by 2050. The 2017 target came two years ahead of schedule, set in 2008, and puts the city on track toward its ultimate goal of an 80% reduction by 2050. San Francisco is committed to meeting 100% of its electricity demand with renewable power community-wide by 2030.
#2. New York, NY: By far the largest city on our list, New York City, installed 74 MW of solar in 2016 and has created strong partnerships citywide to implement the City’s comprehensive plans for large-scale solar integration, grid independence and battery storage.
In 2015, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a Request for Information (RFI) to identify new renewable energy generation capacity, with a goal of powering 100% of City government operations from renewable sources. Under One New York: The Plan for a Strong and Just City (OneNYC) and One City: Built to Last, Mayor de Blasio has committed to a 10-year roadmap of policies regarding dramatic reductions in GHG emissions, from City government operations and citywide. The City has pledged to reduce overall GHG emissions 80% by 2050 and emissions from City government operations 35% by 2025.
#1. San Diego, CA: The top ranking city on our list is the largest U.S. city to adopt a 100% renewable electricity goal community-wide by 2035. San Diego is also the city who leads the country in solar PV installations with a commitment to reducing its GHG carbon footprint in half by 2035.
In a statement from San Diego Mayo, Kevin L. Faulconer, San Diego is the largest U.S. city to adopt a 100% renewable electricity goal community-wide by 2035. San Diego’s Climate Action Plan has received national and international attention and support demonstrating the benefits of nonpartisan climate leadership. Unanimously approved by a bipartisan City Council, San Diego’s Climate Action Plan aims to reduce the City’s carbon footprint in half by 2035. Additionally, targets include a 15% reduction in GHG emissions by 2020 and 40% by 2030, below a 2010 baseline. The City announced that by 2015, climate pollution had been reduced by 17% below the baseline year of 2010 — surpassing the plan’s targeted 15% reduction goal by 2020. The Climate Action Plan is based on five bold strategies which detail energy & water efficient buildings; clean & renewable energy; bicycle, walking, transit & land use; zero waste; and climate resilience.
Brittany Doherty, Program Director joined SR Inc at the start of 2015. Brittany has two years of experience managing and writing Sustainability Reports for the Town of Dartmouth in accordance with the comprehensive, credible, and widely used standard, the Global Report Initiative (GRI). Brittany graduated with a B.S in Organizational Behavior Management & Sustainability from the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, while actively developing a variety of sustainability initiatives for the university. Brittany served as the President of Net Impact at her university for three years, was a member of the Fair Labor Association Student Committee for two years, and also launched a pilot-teaching-program to integrate Sustainability into the global network of Junior Achievement. While Brittany was attending graduate school, earning a certificate in Environmental Policy, she worked as an Analyst for the Town of Dartmouth, assisting in the advancement of the Town’s economic, environmental and social policies. Outside of her work at SR Inc, Brittany has volunteered on the Sustainable Belmont Committee and assisted in the Town’s GHG Inventory project, as part of the Climate Action Plan. She also served as a valuable member of the Belmont Solar Campaign (BSC).
