Cities generate 75 percent of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions, but many civic leaders are taking on climate change head on by bringing solar energy into their communities and encouraging residents to make the switch as well.

Big Impacts

Think about a typical school, library, or community center. If you’re picturing a large building with a flat roof, you can already see why local governments are in a great position to adopt solar energy.

At a recent event to recognize Connecticut communities that have embraced green technologies, Woodstock’s Green Energy chair James Stratos had the chance to brag about solar projects that will greatly reduce the city’s dependence on fossil fuels.

“We’ve managed to get solar arrays up on every municipal building,” he said. “As well as all of our schools, at no cost to the town.”

Now all the electricity Woodstock buys comes from renewable sources. Cumulatively, Connecticut cities and towns have reduced energy consumption by 1.7 billion kilowatt hours — the equivalent of removing 160,000 cars from the road.

Meanwhile Tempe, Arizona is using solar installations to both cut down on the city’s carbon footprint and add to its civic space. Recently installed solar power parking canopies at the library will provide not just a renewable energy source, but a place to hold festivals and other events. The library’s roof is also home to about 500 solar panels, which provide more than a third of the building’s electricity needs.

“This is part of the overall portfolio to provide renewable energy, to help clean the environment, to help take care of our environment, to reduce emissions,” said Tempe spokesperson Melissa Quillard. “It’s part of the bigger picture. We have several solar projects that are in place and in the works.”

Setting Goals, Helping Neighbors

Many civic leaders are taking the threat of climate change seriously and have set ambitious environmental goals for their cities. Cities like San Francisco, San Antonio, and Memphis have all installed large solar projects as a way to reduce their carbon footprints.

Studies have shown that one of the best ways to encourage residents to adopt solar energy is by forming partnerships between local government and utility and solar providers. Anacortes, Washington set up a website for residents to learn about solar power and other green technologies, as well as a storefront display where people can get hands on with the technology.

The Bottom Line

Whenever cities or towns make big changes or adopt new technologies, they have to be mindful of cost and use taxpayers’ dollars wisely. Fortunately, solar projects have a good return on investment, making them a great choice for local governments.

Given the amount of power large buildings like schools, libraries, and city halls use, even a modest amount of solar can add up to big savings. For example, nationally there are nearly 4,000 schools with solar installations, which generate around 642,000 megawatt-hours of power per yer. That’s a total of almost $78 million in savings, which averages out to $21,000 per school per year.

There are also many grants available for communities hoping to switch to solar. With up-front costs partially or fully covered, that’s even less time until solar projects are saving you money or generating new revenue.

If you’d like to find out how installing solar panels on your roof can help you drive your electric bill down to zero, contact us today for a free quote.