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Burlington VTBurlington, Vermont, a city of 42,000 people, is now powered by 100 percent renewable energy sources – most of the time, at least. The city set itself this target around a decade ago, and recently completed the transition to renewables when the Burlington Electric Department bought a 7.4-megawatt hydroelectric system on the Winooski River near the city’s border. The hydro scheme joined the city’s existing wind-powered systems and a biomass facility, which processes leftover woodchips from the local logging industry. The only time Burlington may have to draw on nonrenewable sources from now on is if there is not enough wind.1
Burlington VTVermont as a state has committed itself to 90 percent renewable power sources by 2050, and that includes electricity, heating, and transportation. Burlington made the commitment to a 100 percent renewable energy target when the city crunched the numbers and realized it was financially feasible and that residents would not pay more for the renewably sourced energy. “The transition in thought from 2004 to 2008 was ‘We want to do this’ to ‘This actually makes economic sense for us to do this,’” the manager of power resources for Burlington Electric, Ken Nolan, told the Associated Press.2
Burlington-VT Renewable EnergyBurlington, Vermont, a city of 42,000 people, is now powered by 100 percent renewable energy sources – most of the time, at least. The city set itself this target around a decade ago, and recently completed the transition to renewables when the Burlington Electric Department bought a 7.4-megawatt hydroelectric system on the Winooski River near the city's border. The hydro scheme joined the city's existing wind-powered systems and a biomass facility, which processes leftover woodchips from the local logging industry. The only time Burlington may have to draw on nonrenewable sources from now on is if there is not enough wind.3
