A Renewable Revolution: How Six U.S. Cities Are Leading the Charge to Clean Energy

America is in the midst of a remarkable transition in how it generates and distributes electricity. After decades of reliance on fossil fuels, driven by escalating concerns over climate change, energy security, and economic development, a growing number of cities are moving toward cleaner and more sustainable energy systems.

Their experience provides a valuable road map for how other cities can change the energy sources that power their grids.

1. Burlington, VT

First up, Burlington achieved 100% renewable electricity in 2014. Leveraging the region's abundant natural resources, the city prioritized investments in hydropower, biomass, and wind energy. Burlington Electric Department, the city-owned utility, played a pivotal role by strategically purchasing renewable energy contracts and integrating locally generated power into the grid, along with strong community backing of local residents supporting these initiatives.

2. Aspen, CO

Aspen, long known for its pristine natural beauty and progressive ethos, reached its renewable energy milestone in 2015 by leveraging its local hydropower, wind and solar resources. The city operates its own hydroelectric facilities, but also purchases power through contracts with external wind and solar providers. This approach allows Aspen to utilize their own resources while supplementing them with renewable energy sourced from other areas, ensuring the city meets its goal of 100% renewable electricity.

3. Greensburg, KS

In Greensburg, the drive toward renewables was born from tragedy. After a deadly EF5 tornado leveled the town in 2007, the community rebuilt their electric grid by heavily investing in wind power and on-site solar generation. Today, the town generates more electricity than it consumes, exporting the ⅔ surplus power to the rest of the state.

4. Rock Port, MO

Also in the Midwest, Rock Port, Missouri, is unique as the first U.S. town to meet its electricity needs entirely through wind energy. Situated next to the Missouri river, with abundant wind resources, the town capitalized on local wind farm projects to power its grid. Rock Port's reliance on wind was enabled by forward-looking local utilities that recognized the economic and environmental advantages of harnessing a clean, abundant resource.

5. Georgetown, TX

Georgetown, a town of less than 100,000 people north of Austin, is a testament to the economic benefits of renewable energy adoption. While the town initially explored renewables for their cost competitiveness, it soon realized their environmental benefits as well. Georgetown entered into long-term contracts for solar and wind energy, locking in affordable prices while hedging against the volatility of fossil fuel markets, leading it to become fully reliant on renewable energy in 2017.

6. Kodiak, AK

Far off the continental US, Kodiak Island, Alaska, illustrates the power of community-driven solutions in remote areas. Historically dependent on diesel generators, the island transitioned to 100% renewable electricity through a combination of hydropower and wind. The Kodiak Electric Association played a central role, making strategic investments in wind turbines and battery storage to complement its existing hydroelectric facilities, ensuring the continuation of electric supply in spite of Kodiak's challenging climate.

Rethinking the Renewable Landscape

Since these six cities declared themselves to be 100 percent renewable, the landscape of renewable energy production and grid reliance continues to shift. As Mark Z. Jacobson, a Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Stanford University and a leading researcher in renewable energy models, has noted, a growing number of states-some of them unexpected-are reaching or surpassing their electricity demand with wind, water, and solar.

States with abundant wind or solar resources-such as South Dakota, Kansas, or Iowa-often surpass 70% or even 100% of their in-state electricity demand from renewables because it is simply the cheapest, most profitable option.

On the other hand, many states have made direct pledges through legislations and executive orders to produce 100% clean energy within the next two decades, and currently, there are 24 different states, along with the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, that have made this pledge.

What Does a Totally Renewable Energy Model Look Like?

Municipalities across the United States are increasingly pledging to source their electricity entirely from renewable power-a goal once seen as utopian, but now gaining traction thanks to plummeting solar and wind costs. Yet as Leah Kunkel and Hanna Breetz, researchers at Arizona State University's School of Sustainability explain, signing a 100% clean energy pledge is just the first step.

In this process, localities must navigate an intricate web of utility structures, community engagement, and budget constraints to turn bold statements into tangible progress.

One key insight is that many cities adopting these pledges lack direct control over their electricity systems. Most residential and commercial customers are served by investor-owned utilities (IOUs) whose reach extends far beyond a single municipality's borders. "When you don't have your own municipal utility, you can't flip a switch and mandate your grid to go green," Breetz said.

Mutual collaboration has emerged as a critical strategy for some of them to achieve their 100 percent renewable energy goal. In Utah, for example, larger cities like Salt Lake City and Park City led a statewide effort to enable smaller municipalities to join a coordinated push for renewable energy. These partnerships help pool resources, share expertise, and amplify the impact of individual actions.

Federal legislation such as the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act has created new incentives and grant opportunities that red-state municipalities are tapping into as well, to lower energy bills and attract renewable energy industries.

Ultimately, while each town's path to 100% renewable power may look different, the combined pressure of local pledges, supportive policies, and falling technology costs points toward a future in which clean energy commitments can become more than just a promise.If your community wants to start exploring their road to renewables why not contact Evan RAskin at [email protected]to seek his advice and help. Join the Earth Day Global Conversation and be part of the solution!

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