Andy Schor, mayor of Lansing, Mich., has announced a proposal for the city to power all of its government buildings using energy from 100% renewable sources.
Beginning July 1, the Lansing Board of Water & Light (BWL) would provide renewable energy credits (RECs) to match the annual electric usage from all 187 city facilities. The plan is being included in Schor’s budget proposal to Lansing City Council today.
“I am thrilled to announce that the city, in partnership with BWL, is taking the necessary first steps in addressing climate change by purchasing renewable energy for all city-owned buildings,” says Schor.
The RECs will be purchased through BWL’s Greenwise Power Program. The program, open to both residential and commercial customers, allows anyone in BWL’s electric service territory to purchase electricity from a renewable energy source. Customers can purchase 250 kWh blocks of energy for $3.25, or 1.3 cents per kWh, which is added to their electric bill. Customers subscribing to a number of blocks equal to or exceeding their annual usage are considered to be powered with 100% renewable energy.
In addition to moving toward renewable energy for city buildings, Lansing has also started to work on a Climate Action Plan. The first phase will look at energy use at all city facilities to establish a baseline and set goals for reductions and other opportunities for future increases in energy efficiency.
“We look forward to exploring the findings and implementing the recommendations of our Climate Action Plan,” adds Schor. “The second phase of the project will follow the same process but focus on the entire City of Lansing, including energy use, climate resilience and transportation.”
I would hope the city is able to negotiate a better price for their RECs than $13. If not, Clear Energy Brokerage & Consulting would be happy to locate similar quality and quantity RECs for a significant discount to that price.