Chicago Construction News staff writer
Beginning January 1, all 411 city-owned buildings in Chicago will run entirely on renewable energy, marking a major milestone in the city’s sustainability efforts. The transition will eliminate 290,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually—equivalent to removing 62,000 cars from the road, according to Angela Tovar, the city’s Chief Sustainability Officer.
“Every Chicagoan interacts with a city-owned building, whether it’s the Cultural Center, City Hall, Harold Washington Library, O’Hare and Midway airports, or their local library. Achieving this milestone for the benefit of all residents is incredibly exciting,” Tovar said in a statement.
This shift is powered by Illinois’ largest solar farm and is expected to generate a $100 million economic boost for local communities. It also represents the first step in Chicago’s ambitious plan to run all of the city’s buildings on renewable energy by 2035, positioning Chicago to become the largest U.S. city to achieve this goal.
To ensure the city’s energy needs are met, Chicago has entered into a five-year power purchase agreement with Constellation, an energy supplier. The deal guarantees that the local grid will have enough renewable power to serve the city, while potentially stabilizing or reducing municipal utility costs, Tovar explained.
According to Constellation spokeswoman Liz Williamson, this agreement is the largest of its kind the company has made with any municipality.`
A key component of the city’s renewable energy plan is the Double Black Diamond solar farm, which will supply 70% of the city’s electricity starting in 2025. Located in Sangamon and Morgan counties, this 4,100-acre solar farm is the largest such project east of the Mississippi River. It was developed in part due to Chicago’s growing demand for clean energy.
“Double Black Diamond will be a critical piece of the puzzle as we continue to pave the way for a cleaner energy future,” said Eric Lammers, CEO and co-founder of Swift Current Energy, the company behind the solar farm.
The remaining 30% of Chicago’s renewable energy will be sourced from renewable energy certificates secured by Constellation.
