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USA city Ithaca goes 100% renewable energy

Ithaca Moves to 100% Renewable Energy (VIDEO) http://www.weny.com/News-Local.asp?ARTICLE3864=9163128 Joe Melillo December 29, 2011 Ithaca (WENY) – The city of Ithaca will now be powered completely by renewable energy and moving the community one step closer to its goal of reducing the carbon footprint 20 percent by 2016. Nothing will change for people living in the city. From now on all the electricity used by the city will be from a renewable energy source.
Julia Rose from Ithaca is excited about the change.
“I think its absolutely fabulous I want Ithaca to be on the cutting
edge in every way in this regard.”
Ithaca is leading the way when it comes to renewable energy. Yesterday
the city signed an two year agreement with Integrys Energy Services of
New York to purchase 100 percent of electricity from green energy
sources….. From now on, traffic lights, street lights, public
buildings will all be powered by green energy. Years before the high
cost of renewable energy would have made this impossible, but prices
have since dropped.
“In the past it was very hard for municipalities especially with the
economic situation but now its really possible,” says Belmaker. “Even
if your not committing to 100 percent, 20 percent or 50 percent its
still something.”
Scott Andrew Ithaca Deputy Controller sees the financial benefit for the switch.
“It does cost a little bit more our electric rates are a little bit
more expensive but not appreciatively so but we’re talking about
pennies per kilowatt.”
It fits within the city budget right now, and in the long run will
save the city money.
“We actually budgeted a higher rate than what we anticipated,” says
Andrew. “So it really wont cost the tax payer anything more this year
and probably not the upcoming year either.”
The environmental benefit from switching is compared to not driving
12,000,000 miles in a car or planting more than 14,000 acres of trees.
http://www.weny.com/News-Local.asp?ARTICLE3864=9163128

December 30, 2011 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | renewable, Resources -audiovicual, USA