City of Austin - Green Power Purchasing

Summary

As of July 2021, The City of Austin was ranked sixth on the EPA Green Power Partnership Top 30 Local Government list. 

Austin is the largest city in the U.S. to have all city-owned buildings and facilities powered by renewable energy resources. Austin has used renewable energy to power 100% of municipal operations since 2011.

On April 10, 2014, Austin City Council passed Resolution 20140410-024, which establishes a new long-term goal of reaching net zero community-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, or earlier if feasible.  Office of Sustainability Climate Program staff started planning efforts to develop energy, transportation, waste, and industrial sector-based action plans to meet this goal, which includes collaboration with public experts, City departments, and public input plan.

Austin Energy, the seventh largest municipal utility in the country, supplied 38% renewable energy to meet customer needs. The utility purchased power from six utility-scale solar farms and eight wind farms across Texas, while securing utility-scale renewable resource generation capacity of more than 2,100 MW, from wind, solar, and biomass.