Quick Summary:
• As of January 1, 2025, all 411 Chicago municipal buildings, including airports, libraries, and City Hall, are powered by renewable energy.
• The city sources 70 percent of its energy from the Double Black Diamond solar farm, the largest solar installation east of the Mississippi.
• The transition is expected to cut Chicago’s carbon emissions by 290,000 metric tons annually, equivalent to taking 62,000 cars off the road.
• Chicago’s remaining energy needs are met through renewable energy credits (RECs), though city officials aim to eliminate reliance on these credits in the future.
• The city secured a $400,000 annual commitment for clean energy job training, benefiting organizations like Chicago Women in Trades.
• Economic benefits include an estimated $100 million in tax revenue for local counties hosting the solar farm and job creation.
• Chicago aims to power all buildings in the city with renewable energy by 2035, which would make it the largest U.S. city to achieve this goal.
Starting January 1, 2025, Chicago reached a major environmental milestone by powering all 411 municipal buildings with renewable energy. This shift, achieved through a power purchase agreement (PPA) with energy supplier Constellation, marks a significant step toward the city’s broader climate goals and sets an example for other cities across the country.
The renewable energy powering Chicago’s municipal operations is primarily sourced from the Double Black Diamond solar farm, the largest solar installation east of the Mississippi River. The move is expected to reduce the city’s carbon emissions by around 290,000 metric tons annually—the equivalent of taking 62,000 vehicles off the road.
Chicago’s municipal real estate portfolio includes major facilities such as O’Hare and Midway airports, City Hall, fire stations, police stations, libraries, and two of the largest water treatment plants in the world. These buildings consume roughly 900,000 megawatt hours of electricity each year.
“Every Chicagoan interacts with a city-owned building, whether the cultural center, City Hall, Harold Washington Library, O’Hare and Midway… To be able to achieve this milestone on behalf of city residents is exciting,” said Angela Tovar, Chicago’s Chief Sustainability Officer, in a statement to the Chicago Tribune.
The PPA with Constellation ensures that 70% of the city’s municipal energy needs are met by renewable power generated at the Double Black Diamond solar farm in central Illinois. The remaining 30% of the energy comes from renewable energy credits (RECs), which fund clean energy projects elsewhere in the U.S.
Developed and operated by Swift Current Energy, the Double Black Diamond solar farm spans 4,100 acres across Sangamon and Morgan counties in Illinois. It can generate 593 megawatts of power, enough to supply electricity to more than 100,000 homes annually.
Chicago has committed to purchasing about half of the solar farm’s total output, covering the majority of the city’s municipal electricity demand. The project is expected to bring significant economic benefits to the surrounding counties, with $100 million in new tax revenue projected over the solar farm’s operational life.
Caroline Mann, Swift Current’s vice president of origination, described the project as a win for both clean energy and local communities, saying the solar farm is “one of the largest additionality projects in the country.”
While Chicago’s clean energy shift is widely praised, some environmental advocates have raised concerns about the inclusion of renewable energy credits in the city’s plan. Critics argue that RECs can be a form of greenwashing, as they do not directly contribute to local renewable energy generation.
City officials acknowledged the concerns but defended the use of RECs as a necessary transitional tool. Deputy Chief Sustainability Officer Jared Policicchio told Grist, “That’s really a feature and not a bug of our plan. Our goal over the next several years is that we reach a point where we’re not buying renewable energy credits.”
Tovar added that the use of RECs gives the city time to explore local solar installation on municipal buildings to further reduce reliance on credits.
In addition to cutting emissions, Chicago’s clean energy transition is creating economic opportunities. The city secured a $400,000 annual commitment from Constellation and Swift Current for clean energy job training programs. These initiatives include partnerships with Chicago Women in Trades, a nonprofit that helps women enter union construction and manufacturing jobs.
The broader economic impact extends beyond Chicago. Swift Current projects that the Double Black Diamond solar farm will generate long-term economic benefits for local communities, including job creation and increased tax revenues.
“There’s opportunities everywhere,” Tovar said, highlighting the potential for Chicago’s clean energy initiative to spur further renewable energy development across Illinois and beyond.
Chicago joins more than 700 other U.S. municipalities that have committed to power purchase agreements to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels. However, the scale and ambition of Chicago’s renewable energy plan stand out.
“Part of Chicago’s goal was what’s called additionality, bringing new resources into the market and onto the grid here,” said Popkin, an energy policy expert. “They were the largest municipal deal to do this.”
By leveraging its bulk-buying power, Chicago has demonstrated how cities can lead by example in advancing clean energy goals.
Alex Dane, senior manager for clean energy innovation at the World Resources Institute, said that many cities set dual renewable energy goals—one for municipal operations and another for community-wide clean energy adoption. While transitioning the entire community to clean energy is more challenging, Dane said that Chicago’s leadership in municipal operations sets an important precedent.
“Cities and other local governments just don’t appreciate their ability to not just support their residents but also shape markets,” Popkin said.
Chicago’s clean energy transition is part of a broader goal to power all buildings in the city—not just municipal ones—with renewable energy by 2035. If achieved, Chicago would become the largest U.S. city to accomplish this feat.
The city’s sustainability leaders recognize that the transition to 100 percent clean energy for all buildings will require additional investments and policy changes. However, they believe that Chicago’s success in municipal buildings shows that large cities can make meaningful progress toward climate goals.
“Chicago is demonstrating directly how cities can lead by example, implement ambitious goals amidst evolving state and federal policy changes, and leverage their purchasing power to support a more equitable renewable energy future,” Dane said.
Chicago’s milestone in powering all municipal buildings with renewable energy represents a significant step toward reducing carbon emissions and addressing climate change. The city’s plan combines environmental sustainability with economic benefits, creating new opportunities for residents and shaping the renewable energy market.
“There’s opportunities everywhere,” Tovar said. “To be able to achieve this milestone on behalf of city residents is exciting.”
To learn more about how Chicago is increasing the efficiency of buildings and transportation, click here.
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