Minneapolis City Council unanimously approved the city’s commitment to transition to 100 percent clean, renewable energy by 2030. Minneapolis now represents the largest city in the Midwest and the 65th city in the country to establish a goal of transitioning entirely to clean, renewable energy.
As part of the city’s commitment to move to 100 percent clean energy, the Minneapolis City Coordinator’s Office will prepare a blueprint by the first quarter of 2019 for how Minneapolis will meet its goal, including the policy and technological strategies for achieving 100 percent clean energy.
Minneapolis’ commitment to 100 percent clean, renewable energy builds on the city’s progress toward ensuring energy equity, expanding renewable resources such as solar energy, and advancing environmental justice.
The City Coordinator’s Office blueprint will also include strategies “to ensure that all consumers, especially those who have been left out of the benefits of energy programs in the past, communities of color, low-income communities, renters, and communities that have borne the brunt of past environmental racism, receive equitable benefit from this transition.”
“One effective way to make sure that energy remains affordable and that the transition to clean energy meets the needs of those most marginalized and historically impacted by pollution is persistent and intentional community engagement from a wide range of people,” said Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey. “Resolutions like the one we passed today are more than just a statement of values — they’re a roadmap for shifting our systems to serve everyone in our communities.”
In addition to the city’s commitment, Mayor Frey joined the Sierra Club’s Mayors for 100% Clean Energy initiative, a growing coalition of nearly 200 mayors nationwide who have announced support for a goal of powering their communities with 100 percent renewable energy such as wind and solar.