All of Chicago’s City Buildings Now Use 100% Clean Power!

Chicago has transitioned all of its municipal buildings to renewable energy. As of January 1, over 400 buildings, including major sites like fire stations, airports, and water treatment plants, are powered entirely by clean energy. This shift is expected to reduce the city’s carbon emissions by roughly 290,000 metric tons each year, which equates to removing 62,000 cars from the road.

The transition comes at a time when local governments are playing a larger role in climate initiatives. With uncertainties around federal climate policies, cities and states are stepping up to meet ambitious environmental goals. Chicago is part of a growing trend of municipalities leveraging their purchasing power to foster renewable energy development.

Angela Tovar, Chicago’s chief sustainability officer, highlighted the dual benefits of this effort, saying it not only addresses climate change but also creates economic opportunities for the community. This initiative traces back to 2017 when the city committed to powering its operations with carbon-free energy. A critical step toward that goal occurred in 2022 when Mayor Lori Lightfoot secured a deal with energy provider Constellation to source power from Swift Current Energy’s new solar farm.

The Double Black Diamond Solar project, a 3,800-acre installation in central Illinois, began operations as part of this agreement. With a capacity of 593 megawatts, it is the largest solar project east of the Mississippi and can supply energy to over 100,000 homes. Chicago’s commitment accounts for half of the farm’s output, covering 70 percent of the city’s municipal energy needs. The remaining 30 percent will be supplemented with renewable energy credits until more local clean energy sources are developed.

Efforts like these are not unique to Chicago. More than 700 cities across the U.S. have entered similar agreements since 2015. While Houston holds the largest renewable energy contract, no city has contributed as much new clean power to the grid as Chicago, according to Matthew Popkin of the Rocky Mountain Institute.

The economic impact extends beyond the city. Sangamon and Morgan counties, home to the solar project, are projected to receive $100 million in new tax revenue over the project’s lifespan. Additionally, Chicago secured a $400,000 annual investment from Constellation and Swift Current to fund clean energy workforce training programs, supporting organizations like Chicago Women in Trades.

Popkin noted that Chicago’s approach exemplifies how cities can influence markets and foster equitable growth through sustainability initiatives. “Chicago is demonstrating directly how cities can lead by example, implement ambitious goals amidst evolving state and federal policy changes, and leverage their purchasing power to Support a more equitable renewable energy future,” he said.

Looking ahead, Chicago aims to power all buildings citywide with renewable energy by 2035, a goal that, if achieved, would make it the largest U.S. city to reach such a milestone. As Alex Dane from the World Resources Institute pointed out, decarbonizing municipal operations is often the first step toward broader community-wide renewable energy goals.

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