In the face of inadequate federal action on climate change, cities across the United States are taking matters into their own hands to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and decarbonize local energy systems. But city staff face many hurdles when attempting to transition to renewable energy quickly, so they have to come up with innovative ways to succeed. Philadelphia, for example, amended its local legislation in such a way as to allow it to source renewable energy directly from a solar developer rather than from a utility. Other cities have joined hands together to leverage their renewables-buying power across the country and thus negotiate better contracts with project developers. Meanwhile, Salt Lake City has proven that partnering with utilities is also a way to go as collaborating with them has expanded green tariff programs, which allow a city to purchase large-scale renewable energy through its utility. Other cities could also follow the steps of Portland, which developed a community solar program that enabled individuals who don’t own their homes or don’t have money or space to install solar panels to still reap the benefits of clean energy.
These US cities are overcoming barriers to clean energy with creative solutions
More of Today's Solutions
What OB-GYNs want every mother to know about how pregnancy changes you
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM With Mother’s Day just behind us, conversations about everything that mothers give are top of mind. However, the ...
Read MoreWhat Hanoi learned by tearing down its park fences and opening up to everyone
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In many cities, entering a park is a deliberate act. You adjust your route, find a gate, and ...
Read MoreWhat cities can learn from Spokane’s approach to homelessness
The common approach cities take to deal with homelessness is tough enforcement: ticketing people for panhandling or sleeping in doorways or busing them to ...
Read MoreNew nasal spray treatment could help prevent Alzheimer’s
According to the World Health Organization, around 55 million people worldwide suffer from dementia. Although there’s currently no cure, researchers are unabatedly looking for ...
Read More
