Urban Transformation
2020 State and Local Ballot Measures Advancing the Energy Transition
State and local governments across the United States are making significant progress toward sustainable energy through legislation, local policy adoption, and the creation of new revenue streams to develop programs and implement projects. One way these innovative efforts are decided is at the ballot box: in many states and cities,…
Even a Recession Can’t Stop the Energy Transition
2020 has been quite the year: Virginia became the first southern state to commit to 100 percent zero-carbon electricity. Houston, Dallas, and Kansas City announced carbon-neutrality goals. Several utilities announced plans to go coal-free. Fifteen states plus the District of Columbia committed to 100 percent zero-emissions medium- and heavy-duty vehicles…
Chicago Pursues Ambitious and Innovative Procurement to Meet Renewable Energy Goals
Last week, the City of Chicago took a major step toward realizing its commitment to power city operations entirely with renewable energy by 2025. The City released a request for proposals (RFP) intended to facilitate the purchase of almost 1 terawatt-hour (TWh) of renewable electricity annually. In the absence…
Solarize Campaigns: Helping Communities of Color Access Rooftop Solar
There is a new urgency across the United States to address structural and systemic racial inequities in criminal justice, wealth and housing, employment, health care, and education. These disparities are also pervasive in energy. One common measure of this is “energy burden,” or the share…
3 Ways Cities Can Build Back Better through Green Recovery
As we approach the fourth month of the pandemic, cities across the United States continue to be hit hard. I recently spoke with mayors who are being asked to simultaneously manage unprecedented public health challenges, a rise of social unrest, increased unemployment, and a looming housing crisis, on top of…