Local Governments Bullish on Renewables

Cities across the US stepped up in a big way in 2020: battling on the frontlines against COVID-19 and its fallout, beginning to address calls for racial justice, and making good on their commitments to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions responsible for climate change.

While there’s certainly more to do on all fronts, we have growing data and good news to share on cities and climate change. A great example? The Renewables Accelerator—a collaboration between Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and World Resources Institute (WRI) and a partner in the Bloomberg Philanthropies American Cities Climate Challenge—recently updated its interactive Transactions Tracker to reveal a record year for new generation capacity procured by US local governments. The year 2020 saw 143 municipal transactions totaling over 3,600 megawatts (MW) that will produce enough electricity to power more than 800,000 households annually. Put simply, cities are acquiring more clean energy than ever before.

The banner year for municipal renewables procurement also highlights the critical role that cities play in combatting climate change and how efforts such as the Climate Challenge can provide tools, resources, and technical assistance to help cities advance ambitious climate goals. Local governments are ushering in a new era of efficient, healthy buildings, providing more options for walking, biking, mass transit, and electric vehicles, and moving the needle for the clean energy transition.