December 29th 2024.
Starting from January 1st, all 411 buildings owned by the city of Chicago will be powered by renewable energy, a significant feat that is expected to eliminate 290,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. Angela Tovar, the city's chief sustainability officer, shared that this is equivalent to taking over 67,500 passenger vehicles off the road each year. Tovar expressed her excitement about this milestone, stating that every Chicagoan interacts with a city-owned building in some way, whether it's the cultural center, City Hall, Harold Washington Library, O'Hare and Midway airports, or their local library. She believes that achieving this goal on behalf of city residents is truly exciting.
Chicago is among a small group of cities, including Houston and Burlington, Vermont, who have successfully transitioned their municipal buildings to renewable energy. However, this switch was not as simple as plugging a city building into a solar panel or wind turbine. Tovar explained that electricity generated from a coal- or gas-fired plant is indistinguishable from electricity generated from a renewable source once it's flowing through the power grid. To ensure the city's demand for renewable energy is met, Chicago entered into a five-year power purchase agreement with energy supplier Constellation. This agreement not only guarantees enough renewable power for the city but also helps keep municipal utility bills stable or potentially drive cost savings.
According to company spokeswoman Liz Williamson, this is the largest power purchase agreement Constellation has entered into with a municipality to date. The energy supplier operates in six states and Washington, D.C. Starting in 2025, 70% of the electricity used by municipal buildings will come from Double Black Diamond, a new 4,100-acre solar farm located in downstate Sangamon and Morgan counties. Tovar noted that this project, which is the largest solar project east of the Mississippi River, was made possible in large part by the city's demand for clean energy. Eric Lammers, CEO and co-founder of Swift Current Energy, the constructor and operator of Double Black Diamond, believes that this solar farm will serve as a roadmap for Chicago as they continue to pave the way for clean energy.
The remaining 30% of the city's clean power will come from renewable-energy certificates procured by Constellation on its behalf. These certificates authenticate that a portion of the city's electricity bill went towards funding an accredited solar or wind project somewhere in the country. Some have criticized this approach, claiming that it is a form of "greenwashing" as it doesn't guarantee that renewable energy is generated on the same grid where the certificate receiver is using power. For example, a certificate used in Chicago could be traced back to energy produced at a solar project in Texas or North Carolina. However, Tovar defended this decision, stating that the city wants to keep this 30% open as they explore the possibility of installing rooftop solar panels on their own buildings. This would eventually replace the certificates and have a more direct impact on Chicago's clean energy efforts.
Tovar's team originally wanted to create a solar farm in Cook County, but the high cost of land made it unfeasible. Instead, Constellation and Swift Current Energy have committed to donating $400,000 annually to Chicago nonprofits that promote workforce development in the green economy. Additionally, the construction of Double Black Diamond created around 450 jobs and is expected to bring in $100 million in new tax revenue to Sangamon and Morgan counties. While the city is buying only half of the solar farm's power, the other half will contribute to Illinois' overall clean energy infrastructure. Loyola University Chicago and Cook County have already agreed to purchase some of this energy for their operations.
Tovar emphasized that the city will continue to explore and find opportunities to use their buying power to drive community benefits, similar to the ones seen in this project. She also shared that City Hall has committed to powering all buildings, not just municipal buildings, with renewable energy by 2035. Tovar's ultimate goal is for the whole city to feel the positive impact of Chicago's clean energy transition, and she hopes that this project serves as a model for others to follow.
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