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Since January, every city-owned building in Chicago has been powered by clean, renewable energy. And that includes more than city hall.
Policicchio: “We also operate two airports … O’Hare International Airport, one of the largest in the world, as well as Midway. … And then we have a portfolio of hundreds of buildings: fire stations, police stations, community centers.”
Jared Policicchio, the city’s deputy chief sustainability officer, says by transitioning from fossil fuels, Chicago is driving more clean energy onto the grid.
About 70% of the city’s renewable energy comes from a new solar farm in central Illinois, which was built in large part because Chicago committed to buying electricity from the project.
With more than 1 million panels, it’s the largest solar installation east of the Mississippi River.
Policicchio: “So it’s truly immense.”
Right now, Chicago is meeting most of its remaining energy needs by buying energy credits from other renewable electricity providers.
But in the future, the city plans to get most of that energy from small local installations. For example, it recently installed rooftop solar on a public library on the South Side.
So Chicago is demonstrating how big cities can build a cleaner, more climate-friendly future.
Reporting credit: Ethan Freedman / ChavoBart Digital Media
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