(Prof Shankar Chatterjee)
Presently, many countries around the world are giving importance to renewable energy. According to the United Nations, “Renewable energy is energy derived from natural sources that are replenished at a higher rate than consumed. Sunlight and wind, for example, are such sources that are constantly being replenished. Renewable energy sources are plentiful and all around us. On the other hand, fossil fuels – coal, oil, and gas – are non-renewable resources that take hundreds of millions of years to form. Fossil fuels, when burned to produce energy, cause harmful greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide” (un.org/en/climatechange).
It is noteworthy to mention that renewable energy transitions have occurred in unexpected places in the USA. The six cities listed below prove that the energy transition has already been initiated and implemented with hype and hoopla, a significant milestone. This article is based on EARTHDAY.ORG (earthday.org/6-unexpected-american-cities, written by Evan Raskin).
1) Iowa City, IA: Iowa City is exceeding national expectations with its climate action efforts. The city reached its 2030 goal of a 45 percent emissions reduction an entire decade early in 2020. This is noteworthy in Iowa, a traditionally conservative state without widespread consensus on the benefits of clean power. Much of this success is due to the widespread adoption of wind energy.
2) Denton, TX: Denton is the only city in Texas where all residences and businesses operate on 100 percent renewable energy. Serving 64,000 customers, the city boasts the highest wind power per capita in the U.S. Denton’s City Council has also adopted its first Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP), which creates an action plan for the city to reach its goal of net-zero emissions by 2050 while also ensuring resilience to the risks of climate change. Transportation accounts for 66.3 percent of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions, making clean vehicle investments.
3) Salt Lake City, Utah: Salt Lake City, Utah, has not only improved its own economy and air quality through renewable energy, but has also stepped up to lead cities across the State to a sustainable and healthy future. According to Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, “Salt Lake City’s flagship solar project has cut an estimated 100,000 metric tons of climate pollution from the regional electric grid. It’s also saving our taxpayers an estimated $1 million annually. We’ll continue to lead by example in the transition to clean energy. Salt Lake City sources about 80 percent of its electricity from this collaborative project.”
4) Nashville, TN: The Tennessee State Capitol is rapidly scaling up its clean power generation through a combination of solar initiatives. The city has implemented rooftop solar on local government buildings and collaborated with the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Green Invest program for large-scale solar. In addition to efforts to increase renewable energy generation, Nashville also uses geothermal technology to improve energy efficiency for heating and cooling several city facilities.
5) Mesquite, TX: Mesquite is making waves in the renewable energy sector thanks to attracting a Canadian Solar manufacturing plant with a production capacity of five GW annually — enough to power about 850,000 homes annually! This $250 million project has generated over 1,500 new jobs in the area, demonstrating the economic benefits of solar energy expansion. By fostering industrial-scale solar manufacturing, Mesquite is positioning itself as a leader in the clean energy economy and helping other communities across the country access home-grown clean power technology.
6) Boise, ID: Boise is leading Idaho’s clean energy transition to achieve 100 percent clean electricity for all residents and businesses by 2035. With the community spending approximately $250 million annually on energy, expected to double in the next two decades, renewable energy offers a fiscally responsible alternative. Community engagement is strong, with over 75 percent of residents supporting the city’s goals to improve energy efficiency and power the city with renewable energy. A recent survey showed that citizens’ top priorities for the future of Boise’s energy supply include: affordable and reliable access to energy, addressing climate impacts through renewable energy, and supporting local jobs and the economy through clean power implementation.
These cities are examples of renewable energy sources that the world can follow. By investing in renewables, Governments in other countries can create jobs, lower energy costs, and increase resilience to extreme weather events, ultimately safeguarding their futures.
(Author is a former Professor & Head (CPME), NIRD & PR, Hyderabad, India)
