The Rocky Mountain Institute, World Resources Institute and the city of Minneapolis has formed a new group designed to help municipalities procure more renewables in the next two years.
The new program, called the American Cities Climate Challenge Renewables Accelerator, targets 2.8 gigawatts of renewables being deployed by cities nationwide by 2021. It is part of a greater $70 million initiative spearheaded by Bloomberg Philanthropies to encourage climate action at the municipal level. Organizers say the programs are another attempt to provide local leadership in the wake of federal inaction on climate change.
Bloomberg Philanthropies’ American Cities Climate will provide 25 winning cities with money and other resources to help them reach their climate goals.
The 2.8 gigawatts of renewable capacity it aims to build is more than the existing solar capacity in Nevada, Florida or Texas.
The program comes two years after President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate agreement.
