Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the Department of Assets, Information and Services (AIS) has announced that by 2025, all city-owned buildings and facilities in the city will be fully operated with clean, renewable energy. At the moment, Chicago is one of the largest cities in the United States to reduce the city’s carbon footprint at such a scale, and has already began the process of transitioning its transportation busses and cars to all-electric vehicles by 2035. The agreement demonstrates the city's plans to "drive high-impact climate action, build the clean energy workforce of the future, and equitably distribute meaningful benefits to foster the local clean energy economy for all.”

The announcement comes after the finalization of a multi-million dollar partnership with Constellation Energy and Swift Current Energy. The 3-year plan includes: an energy supply agreement with an initial five-year term with Constellation beginning in January 2023; the City will partially source its large energy uses such as the airports, Harold Washington Library Center and Jardine Water Purification Plant with clean, renewable energy from a new solar generation installation currently being developed by Swift Current Energy; construction of the solar project is expected to start before the end of 2022 generating hundreds of job opportunities; and the City will procure Renewable Energy Credits from other sources for its remaining power uses, such as small and medium-sized buildings and streetlights.

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