100+ Cities Now Powered by at Least 70% Renewables

A growing list of cities and municipalities is leading a
renewable energy revolution that their national governments either cannot—or will not—address.

More than 100 cities around the world now get at least 70 percent of their electricity from renewable sources such
solar, wind, geothermal and hydropower, according to new research from the non-profit CDP. That’s more than double the 40 cities reporting they were powered by at least 70 percent clean energy in 2015.

The list includes large cities with dense populations such as Auckland, New Zealand; Nairobi, Kenya; Oslo, Norway; Seattle, USA; and Vancouver, Canada.

100+ cities worldwide now source over 70% of their electricity from renewables. Explore which cities are leading the way with our digital map: https://t.co/XPgrigyvqC #CDPcities pic.twitter.com/W3gCfZ7IOW

— CDP (@CDP) February 27, 2018

Impressively, a remarkable 43 cities, including
Burlington, Vermont; Reykjavik, Iceland; and Basel, Switzerland, are running on 100 percent renewables.

Burlington—Vermont’s largest city, with a population of 42,000 people—became the first U.S. city to run entirely on renewable electricity back in 2015. The city gets all of its electricity from wind, solar, biomass and hydropower and even has its own utility and citywide grid.

“We have seen first-hand that renewable energy boosts our local economy and creates a healthier place to work, live and raise a family,” Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger said. “We encourage other cities around the globe to follow our innovative path as we all work toward a more sustainable energy future.”

CDP, formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project, holds energy information on more than 570 of the world’s cities. The research was released ahead of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change conference in Edmonton, Canada on March 5, where city governments and scientific leaders will meet on the role of cities in tackling
climate change.

In the U.S., roughly 58 cities and towns, including major metropolises like
Atlanta and San Diego, are rejecting fossil fuels and have announced plans to run entirely on clean energy.

As Trump Neglects Climate Threats, Cities Move Forward https://t.co/YnPifJBSp0 #ClimateChange @NRDC @UCSUSA @c40cities @ClimateMayors @ClimateReality @algore #climate

— EcoWatch (@EcoWatch) February 20, 2018

And with some 275 cities now reporting the use of hydropower, 189 generating electricity from wind and 184 using solar photovoltaics, CDP expects to see more cities around the globe join this important movement.

The CDP said that much of the drive behind city climate action and reporting comes from the 7,000-plus mayors that signed up to the
Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy and have pledged to act on climate change.

“Cities are responsible for 70 percent of energy-related CO2 emissions and there is immense potential for them to lead on building a sustainable economy,” said Kyra Appleby, director of cities at CDP.

“Reassuringly, our data shows much commitment and ambition. Cities not only want to shift to renewable energy but, most importantly—they can. We urge all cities to disclose to us, work together to meet the goals of the
Paris Agreement and prioritize the development of ambitious renewable energy procurement strategies. The time to act is now.”

You can find CDP’s complete list below and learn more about the project
here.

Akureyri, Iceland
Alba-Iulia, Romania

Alcaldía de Córdoba, Venezuela

Angra dos Reis, Brazil

Aparecida, Brazil

Aracaju, Brazil

Arendal, Norway

Aspen, USA

Assis, Brazil

Asunción, Paraguay

Auckland , New Zealand

Bærum Kommune, Norway

Bangangté, Cameroon

Basel, Switzerland

Belém, Brazil

Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Birigui, Brazil

Bogotá , Colombia

Bolzano, Italy

Braga, Portugal

Brasília, Brazil

Brotas, Brazil

Brusque, Brazil

Burlington, USA

Cabreúva, Brazil

Cajamar, Brazil

Campinas, Brazil

Campos de Goytacazes, Brazil

Canoas, Brazil

Capivari, Brazil

Cascais, Portugal

Caxias do Sul, Brazil

Cerquilho, Brazil

Chorrera, Panama

Curitiba, Brazil

Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania

Estância Climática de São Bento do Sapucaí, Brazil

Estância Hidromineral de Águas de São Pedro, Brazil

Estância Turística de Guaratinguetá, Brazil

Estância Turística de ITU, Brazil

Eugene, USA

Extrema, Brazil

Fafe, Portugal

Fernandópolis, Brazil

Florianópolis, Brazil

Foumban, Cameroon

Gladsaxe Kommune, Denmark

Goiânia, Brazil

Harare, Zimbabwe

Hobart, Australia

Ibagué, Colombia

Inje , South Korea

Jaboatão dos Guararapes, Brazil

Kapiti Coast , New Zealand

Kisumu, Kenya

Lausanne, Switzerland

León de los Aldamas, Mexico

Limeira, Brazil

Ljubljana, Slovenia

Lorena, Brazil

Maceió, Brazil

Mairiporã, Brazil

Medellín, Colombia

Moita, Portugal

Montes Claros, Brazil

Montreal, Canada

Nairobi, Kenya

Nakuru, Kenya

Niterói, Brazil

North Vancouver, Canada

Nova Odessa, Brazil

Nyon, Switzerland

Oristano, Italy

Oslo, Norway

Palmas, Brazil

Porto, Portugal

Prince George, BC, Canada

Quelimane, Mozambique

Quito, Ecuador

Reykjavík, Iceland

Salvador, Brazil

Santiago de Cali, Colombia

Santos, Brazil

São Caetano, Brazil

São Gonçalo, Brazil

São João da Boa Vista, Brazil

São José do Rio Preto, Brazil

São José dos Campos, Brazil

Seattle, USA

Stadt Zürich, Switzerland

Stockholm, Sweden

Tatuí, Brazil

Temuco, Chile

Uberlândia, Brazil

Vancouver, Canada

Vinhedo, Brazil

Vitória, Brazil

Wellington, New Zealand

Winnipeg, Canada