This week in clean energy news, two major cities declared their commitment to become entirely powered by renewable energy in the future. On a state level, Maryland introduced a new energy storage tax credit and California set a national record for solar power production. New developments were also announced that could reduce the amount of harmful greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Finally, we would like to recognize member company WrightGrid for their amazing work around the world!

What news did you been reading last week? Share with us @GreentownLabs!

CleanTechnia– Chicago Set To Become First Major US City To Be Powered 100% By Renewable Electricity

• Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced the city’s desire to become entirely powered by renewable sources by 2025. Chicago is the first major US city to establish such a commitment. While other cities have announced similar goals, Chicago is far and away the largest. If successful, the measure could show the world that even the globe’s largest hubs can go green. 

  “By moving boldly to repower its public buildings with renewable energy like wind and solar, Chicago is leading by example at a time when local leadership is more important than ever.”

CNBC– Portland commits to 100 percent renewable energy by 2050

• Another major US city, Portland also declared their intention to be entirely powered by renewable energy. The Mayor announced this week that 2050 is the desired target to achieve the goal. The decision could have national implications due to the major corporations that are headquartered in the city. Portland joins a number of other US cities joining the clean energy movement. 

“And while it is absolutely ambitious, it is a goal that we share with Nike, Hewlett Packard, Microsoft, Google, GM, Coca Cola, Johnson & Johnson, and Walmart. We have a responsibility to lead this effort in Oregon.”

Greentech Media– Maryland Passes First-of-a-Kind Tax Credit for Residential and Commercial Storage

• The state of Maryland is becoming a pioneer for energy storage implementation through legislation. The measure being passed provides a 30 percent tax credit for the cost of installing storage systems. The credit can be applied to commercial and residential projects. While similar storage policies have failed to gain traction on a federal level, Maryland is proving progress can be made on the state level. 

“This is a way to create an economic signal for using storage to provide grid reliability and resiliency, reduce peak capacity needs, and help integrate more renewable resources”

ABC News– California’s solar energy set power supply record in March

• On March 11, California achieved its goal of powering half the state with renewable sources for over three hours. 40 percent of the electricity generated came from large scale solar facilities, marking the highest output ever recorded in the United States. The achievement is a step in the right direction for a state that aims to produce half of its electricity from renewables by 2030.

Mashable– The Kentucky coal mining museum switches to solar power

• The small town of Benham, Kentucky is home to the Kentucky Coal Mining Museum. While the museum celebrates the history of coal mining, it appears solar energy will be its future. The museum announced that they will install panels and become entirely powered by solar. Estimates indicate that the decision could save the museum roughly $10,000 a year.

“The decision to go solar is packed with symbolism, but mostly it just made financial sense, the museum’s owners said.”

The Washington Post– The quest to capture and store carbon – and slow climate change — just reached a new milestone

• A new technology developed in Illinois could be the key to eliminating greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. The solution combines corn-based fuels with the burial of carbon dioxide deep in the ground. Developers predict the breakthrough could divert 5 million tons of CO2 from the atmosphere over five years. 

“This is the first large scale project in the world on biofuels, and it takes us down the road towards negative emissions, which is the exciting part.”

Boston Business Journal- Somerville startup WrightGrid deploys WiFi, phone-charging stations to Congo

• For years, internet giants like Google and Facebook have been trying to find effective ways to connect people to the web who do not have access to electricity. One of our member companies, WrightGrid could be the answer. WrightGrid is deploying their Wifi and phone-charging stations in the Democratic Republic of Congo, giving thousands access to power and connectivity. Their product is the end-mile connection point that could create a more connected world.