Saturday, March 21, marks National Renewable Energy Day. It gives us a perfect opportunity to celebrate our region’s deep connection to renewable power.
City Light has a long history of environmental stewardship. In fact, we’ve proudly been carbon neutral for more than two decades. As we look toward the future, let’s explore how renewable energy shapes our daily lives and what we are doing to secure a sustainable energy future.
The national energy landscape
When you look at the big picture, the Seattle area sits in a unique position. Across the United States, only about 22% of electricity comes from renewable sources. Most of the country still relies heavily on non-renewable fossil fuels like coal, petroleum, and natural gas.
Experts project that global energy consumption will rise by a staggering 50% by the middle of the century. As climate change continues to impact our weather and environment, shifting toward clean, renewable power is no longer optional. It is an absolute necessity.
City Light’s renewable foundation
We are fortunate in the Pacific Northwest. Currently, more than 77% of the power City Light delivers to your home is generated from renewable hydroelectricity.
2 This fuel represents a portion of the power purchased from Bonneville Power Administration.
Source: 2024 Washington State Department of Commerce Utility Fuel Mix
Nearly half of this power comes directly from our fully owned and operated Skagit and Boundary hydroelectric projects. We source the remainder of our power from the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) and other renewable sources. We supplement this strong foundation with wind, biogas, and other carbon-free resources.
Most importantly, City Light does not use coal or natural gas in our core resource mix. Sometimes we make market purchases to balance our energy loads, which may occasionally include fossil fuels. However, we offset any emissions from these unspecified purchases through our strict greenhouse gas neutrality policy.
Planning for a sustainable grid
As our region grows, and we are using more electricity to power our vehicles, heat our homes, and run our businesses, we cannot rely on our existing hydroelectric dams alone to meet this demand.
To keep your lights on and maintain our commitment to the environment, we must expand our energy portfolio. Over the next decade, we plan to add substantial new resources to our grid. This aggressive expansion includes a diverse mix of wind, solar, advanced battery storage, and enhanced geothermal energy. Diversifying our power sources ensures we can provide reliable, affordable electricity even as climate conditions change.
Join us in powering tomorrow
As energy demands grow, we remain dedicated to diversifying our resources, maximizing your cost savings, and fighting climate change. We are ready to tackle these challenges head-on, but we need your help.
Are you ready to support local, renewable energy? Visit our Renewable Energy Services page to learn more about our current projects. You can also sign up for the Green Up program today and help us build a cleaner, brighter Pacific Northwest for generations to come.