Implementing City Community-Wide Renewable Energy Goals
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- An increasing number of cities, now over 130 spanning 30 states, have committed to 100% renewable energy goals for their communities. The largest cities with these commitments would account for over 190 terawatt-hours of electricity demand. - Cities are pursuing these goals to meet greenhouse gas reduction targets, save on energy costs, gain fuel price stability, drive local renewable projects, and realize co-benefits like reduced pollution and health benefits. - Key elements of community-wide goals include engaging stakeholders, providing benefits to all community members, developing new renewable projects, large-scale renewable energy procurement, motivating residential action, and creating economic opportunities.
Implementing City Community-Wide Renewable Energy Goals
- 1. IMPLEMENTING CITY COMMUNITY-WIDE RENEWABLE ENERGY GOALS Lori Bird, World Resources Institute Renewable Energy Markets, September 5, 2019
- 2. 100% COMMUNITY-WIDE RENEWABLES COMMITMENTS Source: Based on data from: Sierra Club, NAZCA, BNEF, CDP Local governments with 100% renewables goals: • ~130 cities spanning 30 states • >190 TWh of electricity demand 129 82 50 16 2019 2018 2017 2016 Increasing number of city commitments over last few years
- 3. SUBSTANTIAL CLEAN ENERGY COMMITMENTS BY LEADING CITIES Source: Based on NREL SLED data on electricity consumption (2016) 33.5 24.7 9.5 8.8 7.3 7.2 7.0 6.5 5.9 5.9 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 Los Angeles Chicago San Diego Portland Denver San Francisco Atlanta Kansas City Cleveland San Jose TWh Largest Cities with 100% Community-Wide Clean Energy Commitments, by Electricity Consumption
- 4. AMERICAN CITIES CLIMATE CHALLENGE Supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies,WRI and RMI provide technical assistance to 25 Climate Challengecities on renewables procurement. Also, providing resources and support to 100 cities through cohorts of cities with similar interests.
- 5. WHAT ARE CITIES HOPING TO ACHIEVE? • Meet GHG reduction goals • Save on energy costs • Obtain fuel price stability benefits • Drive local and new renewables projects • Obtain co-benefits: reduced pollution, health benefits, water savings, fuel security • Create jobs and economic benefits of clean energy
- 6. KEY ELEMENTS OF COMMUNITY-WIDE GOALS • Engaging stakeholders • Providing benefits to community members (and articulating benefits) • Developing new community projects • Large scale procurement • Motivating residents to take action • Reaping co-benefits of clean energy • Including all customers – Low income, minority populations, vulnerable pops • Creating new jobs and economic development opportunities
- 7. CITY PROCUREMENT APPROACHES VARY BY MARKET Source: Lean Energy and RMI Authorized in 8 States: • California • Illinois • Massachusetts • New Jersey • New York • Ohio • Rhode island • Virginia Legislation Introduced: • Connecticut • Maryland • New Hampshire • New Mexico • Oregon OR CA NM IL OH VA NY MD NJ CT RINH Community ChoiceAggregation availablein somestates MA Utility Options • 18 states have utility green tariff options • 30 utility offerings • City examples: Minneapolis, Bellevue, Salt Lake City • Negotiated large-scale procurement with utilities Competitive Suppliers or Direct PPAs • Some cities procuring through retail provider in restructured markets • 3 cities entered into direct PPAs – DC, Houston, Philadelphia
- 8. CITY COMMUNITY WIDE RENEWABLES PLANS Salt Lake City Atlanta • Goal: 100% RE community-wide by 2035 • Developed community-wide renewables plan • Large city load of 8 TWh, 9% of utility load • 100% clean energy scenario: – 66% of electricity provided directly from clean energy – 48,000 residential solar installations – 12,500 community solar-powered homes – Financing 30 out-of-state wind farms • Community elements include: – Developing equitable community-solar program – Expanding education programs for residents – Launching renewable energy programs for low- income residents – Workforce training, including collaboration with technical colleges and trades • Goal: 100% RE community-wide by 2030 • Utah passed legislation - Community Renewable Energy Act, allowing communities to opt in (and then customers to opt out) of 100% renewables product offering • Working with its utility, Rocky Mountain Power, and other cities to develop 100% RE program • Developed joint agreement with utility to undertake process • Developed 100% RE feasibility study • Utility entering into contract for RE generation • Similar to CCA model, but utility is serving customers Differentapproaches being used to serve community needs
- 9. • Most cities are staging efforts and addressing renewables for municipal facilities first • However, many cities are developing implementation plans and taking some steps toward achieving community-wide goals • Mayors and city councils are playing a key role in designing and developing implementation plans • Strong focus on stakeholder engagement processes and ensuring that all customers benefit from the transition to clean energy • Cities are focusing on renewable projects that offer co-benefits to low- income or disadvantaged communities; workforce development • New models are emerging to offer renewable products to community through utility and third-party offerings PATH FORWARD
- 10. THANK YOU