Several communities throughout the United States are working toward reducing their carbon footprint and using renewable sources of energy. Some cities have made significant strides in increasing their use of renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power, and have set ambitious goals for becoming more sustainable in the future. Only a few, however, are completely running on alternative energy sources. As the benefits of renewable energy become more widely recognized, more and more cities are likely to follow suit in the years to come.
Burlington, Vermont became the first city in the United States to use 100% renewable energy for its electricity needs in 2014. The city accomplished this by utilizing a mix of different renewable energy sources, including wind, solar, hydro, and biomass.
One of the key steps in Burlington's transition to renewable energy was the development of a local hydropower plant. The Winooski One Hydroelectric Project was completed in 2015 and provides enough energy to power roughly 4,000 homes in the city. The project was developed in collaboration with a local utility company, which agreed to purchase the electricity generated by the plant at a fixed rate.
In addition to hydropower, Burlington has also invested heavily in wind and solar energy. The city has installed wind turbines in a nearby mountain range, which generate enough energy to power roughly 2,000 homes. Burlington has also developed a number of solar energy projects, including a 500-kilowatt solar array on the city's former landfill site.
To supplement these renewable energy sources, Burlington has also developed a biomass plant that uses wood chips and other organic materials to generate energy. The plant provides heat to a number of city buildings and also generates electricity that is sold back to the grid.
Overall, Burlington's transition to renewable energy has been driven by a combination of public and private investment, as well as a commitment to sustainability and reducing the city's carbon footprint. The city has set a goal of becoming a “net zero energy” city by 2030, meaning that it will produce as much energy as it consumes, and is continuing to explore new and innovative ways to achieve this goal.
In 2007, Greensburg, Kansas was hit by a devastating tornado, which caused significant damage to the town. After the disaster, the residents of Greensburg decided to rebuild the town in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way. As a result, the city made the decision to switch to alternative energy sources.
The city is now powered by a combination of wind, solar, and biogas sources. The city's wind farm, which consists of 10 turbines, generates enough energy to power the entire city. The wind farm was built with the help of federal and state grants and private investment.
Greensburg's solar array consists of 650 solar panels, which generate around 150 kilowatts of power. The solar panels are located on the roof of the city's public works building and on the grounds of the city's hospital. The biogas plant, which is owned by a local dairy farm, produces biogas from cow manure and food waste, which is then used to generate electricity.
The city's switch to renewable energy has had a positive impact on the local economy. The wind farm has created jobs in the area, and the city's commitment to sustainability has attracted new businesses and residents. The switch to renewable energy has also had a positive impact on the environment, reducing the city's carbon footprint and helping to mitigate the effects of climate change.
In August 2015, Aspen became the third city in the country to run entirely on alternative energy sources. The community now only uses renewable energy as their electricity source.
Aspen has a history of effectively using their natural resources, which may help explain why they have been leaders in the alternative energy field. As far back as 1885 Aspen was the first area west of the Mississippi to employ hydroelectric power. In recent years Aspen put together the Canary Initiative, which was a plan to achieve 100 percent use of renewable energy in 2015.
Part of accomplishing this goal included working a wholesale energy provider for the city's energy needs and using power from several wind farms. These wind farms are located in South Dakota and Nebraska. The city also depends on energy from a hydropower facility. The switch to renewable energy sources not only helps to reduce the city's environmental impact, but also supports the development of a more sustainable energy system for the future.
There are several cities throughout the United States that are not entirely running on alternative energy, but are making great strides in that direction. Two California cities, Santa Monica and San Francisco, have set goals to move to 100 percent renewable energy. San Francisco already sends the majority of the city's waste to composting and recycling facilities. Austin, Texas has set a target of being at 55 percent by 2025. Austin may reach that goal several years ahead of schedule due to the reasonable costs of using wind and solar power. This particular city has also implemented Austin's Green Choice Program. This program allows residents to pay larger parts of their electricity bills in exchange for obtaining energy from green sources. Portland, Oregon is also considered one of the greenest cities in the country. Over 50 percent of Portland's energy is coming from renewable sources.
Using alternative energy is a major step in reducing global emissions and limiting pollution. It's also important to diversify our energy sources so we're not relying on fossil fuels and coal. Alternative energy is becoming more cost effective due to new technologies. Wind and solar power are now competitive with traditional sources of power. The increasingly lower costs of using renewable energy should offer a double incentive to cities and communities across the country to make the switch. Educating the public regarding greener types of energy is a necessary part of the process. People need to understand that even if the wind doesn't blow or the sun isn't shining that they'll be able to turn on the lights in their homes.
Several policies and incentives have helped cities make the transition to alternative energy sources. These include:
Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS): These policies require utilities to generate a certain percentage of their electricity from renewable sources such as wind and solar power. 29 states and the District of Columbia have these policies in place.
Net Metering: This policy allows homeowners, businesses, and municipalities to generate their own electricity using solar panels or wind turbines and feed the excess electricity back into the grid for credit on their utility bills.
Feed-in Tariffs: These policies offer long-term contracts to renewable energy producers at a fixed rate for the electricity they produce. This provides a predictable return on investment for renewable energy developers and encourages the deployment of renewable energy systems.
Property-Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Programs: These programs allow property owners to finance renewable energy and energy efficiency improvements to their properties through a special assessment on their property taxes.
Green Building Standards: Cities can encourage the adoption of green building standards, such as LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), which promote the use of energy-efficient building materials, designs, and technologies.
Tax Credits: Federal, state, and local tax credits are available for individuals and businesses that install renewable energy systems.
Public Education: Education campaigns that inform the public about the benefits of renewable energy, including reduced energy costs, improved air quality, and job creation, can encourage the adoption of alternative energy sources.
These policies and incentives have helped cities across the United States make the transition to alternative energy sources and reduce their carbon footprint.
With Burlington, Greensburg, and Aspen leading the way, they have become models of what can be accomplished throughout the United States. Each of these cities are in different parts of the country and made the jump to renewable energy for a variety of reasons. With many other communities following their lead it's likely that several more cities will soon run entirely on alternative energy sources.
