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OVERARCHING VISION FOR ENERGY: <br />Increase renewable energy and building efficiency <br />to reduce city-wide CO2 emissions by 80% and city <br />facility CO2 emissions by 100% by 2040. <br />FOCUS >>> <br />SAV commitment <br />to solar energy <br />earned the <br />SolSmart Silver <br />status in 2019. <br />Current Progress: In 2016, the City Council voted to obtain 25% of <br />all energy for City operations from neighboring solar farms. The City’s <br />commitment to solar energy earned the SolSmart Silver status in 2019. <br />This achievement involved enhancing existing solar initiatives and permitting <br />processes, and simplifying residential and business adoption of solar <br />technology. The City has prioritized energy efficiency by replacing public <br />facility and parking lot lights with LED bulbs and assessing public buildings <br />for further efficiency improvements. Home efficiency audits are promoted <br />through the City website, connecting residents with local utility providers. <br />The 2040 Comprehensive Plan states that St. Anthony consumed <br />65-gigawatt hours of electricity annually as of 2020. The plan’s analysis <br />showed that if all available rooftop solar energy potential was utilized, it <br />could generate 69% of the City’s annual electric usage. <br /> <br />The RII Report <br />Indicates that nearly three-quarters of SAV’s greenhouse gas (GHG) <br />emissions can be traced back to building energy. Examining Figure 6, <br />it becomes apparent that SAV has experienced changes in its energy <br />consumption trends from 2007 to 2021. During this period, there was a <br />decline in electricity consumption but a notable increase in natural gas <br />usage for energy generation. More specifically, natural gas accounts for <br />58% of energy-related emissions in SAV as of 2021, while electricity is <br />responsible for the remaining 42%. <br />Stakeholder Feedback: Stakeholders expressed an interest in improving energy efficiency in their homes <br />and businesses by reducing energy usage and accessing reliable, renewable energy. One popular avenue <br />was subscribing to a renewable energy program through local energy providers, and another was installing <br />solar panels. <br />>>> natural gas accounts for 58% of <br />energy-related emissions in SAV as of 2021 <br />28 << CLIMATE PLAN 2023