Major municipalities around the United States are riding the green wave by adopting smart and bold renewable energy models. From coast to coast, the pioneering cities are nixing air-polluting fossil fuels and replacing them with 100 percent clean, natural resources. Currently, the total number is a lucky 13 cities – we can’t wait to see who’s next to join the lineup!

San Diego, CA: Twelve cities around the U.S. adopted 100 percent renewable energy plans before the Cali beach town, but San Diego is the first to make its promise legally binding. Now, it’s committed to reaching the goal via wind and solar power by 2035. San Diego’s official Climate Action Plan also outlines a master pedestrian and bike strategy as well as designs to consolidate growth in order to cut down on daily commute times.

Burlington, VT: Vermont’s largest city just might be one of the country’s most diverse when it comes to clean energy sources. Burlington employs a mix of biomass, hydroelectric, solar and wind power. Its biomass facility generates approximately 30 percent of the city’s renewable energy, burning woodchips left behind by the region’s once-prominent logging industry. The chips come mostly from within 60 miles of the city, so transportation emissions are cut down, too!

Aspen, CO: After kicking coal to the curb last fall, Aspen became the country’s third city to go all-in on renewable energy. Now it runs solely on wind, solar and landfill gas. Farms in Nebraska and South Dakota generate Aspen’s wind power, while the remaining utilities are a combo of private and city providers. As of February of last year, the city had reduced its operational emissions by 42 percent and community-wide emissions by 7 percent.

Renergy makes it easy for cities and communities to go green by turning their organic waste into clean, renewable energy to power the local grid. Read more about what we do.

Sources:
kpbs.org
ecowatch.com
denverpost.com