The mayor of Lansing wants to power all city buildings with 100% renewable energy starting with the city’s new fiscal year.
Mayor Andy Schor is including the switch to primarily wind and solar power in the budget he’s introducing this week.
“We will be the first city in the state of Michigan, as far as we can tell, that will be 100% renewable energy,” says Schor. “And I think that’s really important; we have to lead by example.”
A Lansing Board of Water & Light official says roughly 99% of the power would come from solar and wind sources.
It would cost the city more to power its 187 facilities exclusively from renewable sources.
But Schor says that difference would decline over time.
The Lansing city council must still approve the plan.
Switching to renewable energy is part of Lansing’s Climate Action Plan.
Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor also have plans for switching completely to renewable energy sources.