Santa Fe City Officials Set Sights on Renewable Energy by 2025

by | Aug 22, 2017

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The city of Santa Fe has approved a feasibility study to help decide whether the municipality can power all of its facilities with renewable energy by 2025.

According to santafenewmexican.com, roughly a quarter of the city’s energy use comes from renewable sources, primarily solar. Installations at municipal structures — including the Genoveva Chavez Community Center, the Buckman Direct Diversion Project, the Community Convention Center and wastewater treatment plant — collectively use 4.8 megawatts of renewable power. The remainder of city facilities’ draw power from the Public Service Company of New Mexico.

In the wake of the US withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, numerous American cities, states, and businesses say they’re going to adhere to the ambitious climate agreement anyway. A national coalition led by Michael Bloomberg and California Governor Jerry Brown called America’s Pledge launched last week.

Similarly, the Sierra Club launched “Mayors for 100% Clean Energy,” an initiative calling on all mayors — regardless of political party, from big cities and small towns — to support a vision of 100% clean and renewable energy in their cities, towns, communities and across the country. One hundred forty-two mayors across the US have committed to the pledge so far.

“Transitioning to 100% renewable energy is a practical decision we’re making for our environment, our economy, and for what our constituents want in Abita Springs. Politics has nothing to do with it for me. Clean energy just makes good economic sense,” stated Abita Springs, Louisiana Mayor Greg Lemons. “By establishing a 100% renewable energy goal, we have an opportunity to use solar power that we can control in our community, for our community. Clean energy is a way that we can save money for Abita Springs both today and in the future.”

In August, Orlando became the 40th city to commit to 100% renewable energy. The Orlando City Commission unanimously approved a resolution establishing a goal to move Orlando to 100 percent clean and renewable energy by 2050. Orlando is now the largest city in Florida to make such a commitment and joins a growing movement of more than three dozen cities nationwide that have committed to a 100 percent clean energy future.

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