Chicago shines with renewable energy. One of the largest metropolises in the United States welcomed this new year under the banner of decarbonization.
More than 425 facilities across the city, including City Hall and one of the world’s busiest airports, have taken steps to mitigate the disastrous effects of climate change. Sandra Blakemore, Acting Commissioner for the Department of Assets, Information and Services (AIS), had already declared this in 2022.
The 2022 Chicago Climate Action Plan
The process began in September 2020, when then-Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot initiated a bidding process with a request for proposals from AIS, to reduce Chicago’s carbon footprint and accelerate the transition to clean energy and renewable outlined in the 2022 Chicago Climate Action Plan (CAP).
CAP 2022 details a 62% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 through direct investments and actions by the City of Chicago. By purchasing solar energy pFor city operations, Chicago will reduce its carbon footprint by more than 290,000 metric tons each year, equivalent to the emissions associated with 62,000 passenger vehicles, according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates.
The project was made possible thanks to the agreement with the electricity supplier Constellation, in collaboration with Swift Current Energy, a Massachusetts company. The Double Black Diamond solar farm, owned and developed by Swift Current Energy, will supply approximately 70% of municipal buildings’ total electricity needs, with a goal of powering all buildings within city limits with renewable energy by 2035 , an ambitious goal that would make Chicago the largest U.S. city to achieve that feat.
Key terms of the contract include
The city has signed an energy supply agreement with an initial five-year term with Constellation starting in January 2023. As part of the agreement with Constellation, starting in 2025, the city will partially meet its major energy needs, such as airports , the Harold Washington Library Center, and the Jardine Water Purification Plant, with clean, renewable energy from a new solar generation installation currently under development by Swift Current Energy in Sangamon Counties and Morgan.
The city will also purchase Renewable Energy Credits from other sources for its remaining energy uses, such as small and medium-sized buildings and street lighting. Swift Current Energy owns and operates Double Black Diamond Solar, which at 593 megawatts is one of the largest solar projects in Illinois. The project will also be a source of renewable energy for other large organizations in Illinois.
Some criticisms
However, according to US newspapers, it appears that 30% of emissions are offset through the financing of renewable energy projects across the country, a point that has attracted quite a bit of criticism about the operation.
Angela Tovar, chief sustainability officer for Chicago, explained that the funding allows the city to explore alternative sustainable methods.
