Back in 2017, Hurricane Harvey acted as a harbinger for what the city of Houston, and many others, can expect in the future if climate change remains unabated. Now, in an effort to contribute to mitigating this urgent global challenge, Houston has committed to 100 percent renewable energy.
Mayor Sylvester Turner announced that the city has teamed up with NRG Energy to power all municipal operations with clean electricity beginning in July. Through the partnership, most of the city’s energy will be sourced from a utility-scale solar facility, and the seven-year contract is expected to save the city a total of $65 million.
The transition to renewable energy is Houston’s first step to implement the recently-released Houston Climate Action Plan, a science-based, community-driven strategy for Houston to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and lead the global energy transition.
Houston is no stranger to the impacts of climate change. Three years ago, Hurricane Harvey pummeled Houston. The Category 4 hurricane caused widespread devastation and $125 billion in damage. According to Houston’s Office of Sustainability, the Climate Action Plan is a key element of the Hurricane Harvey recovery effort.
