Green Cities
6 Unexpected American Cities Leading the Way in Renewable Energy
April 22, 2025
Today is Earth Day and this year we are focusing on making an impact with Earth Action Day; connecting communities and their lawmakers for an open and honest conversation on how renewable energy can work for them.
When people imagine renewable energy projects, they often picture solar farms in California or offshore wind turbines along the East Coast. This mental image can stem from a perception that clean energy is a politically-charged topic with parties taking opposing viewpoints; however, this couldn’t be further from the truth. In reality, much of the United States’ clean power production happens in the politically-diverse heartland of Middle America, with some of the most exciting renewable energy transitions occurring in unexpected places.
The 2025 Earth Day theme, Our Power, Our Planet, highlights not only the need for expanded renewable energy but also the broad benefits it provides. Beyond reducing emissions, clean energy bolsters local economies through job creation and lower energy bills, while also making communities more resilient to extreme weather events.
The cities listed below are proving that the energy transition is not just for coastal hubs—it’s happening all over America.
Iowa City, IA
Iowa City is exceeding national expectations with its climate action efforts. The city reached its 2030 goal of a 45% emissions reduction an entire decade early in 2020. This is particularly noteworthy in Iowa, a traditionally conservative state without widespread consensus on the benefits of clean power. Much of this success is due to widespread adoption of wind energy.
Iowa City continues to demonstrate leadership in climate action in 2025 with exciting projects that build on our commitments to renewable energy and clean transportation… By accelerating our innovative sustainability programs, investments in renewable energy, and efforts to reduce carbon emissions, we are ensuring that Iowa City is not only resilient today but sustainable for generations to come.
Mayor Bruce Teague, Iowa City, Iowa
Innovative programs like Iowa City’s rental electrification initiative are also breaking new ground. The city is piloting a program that incentivizes home energy upgrades for rental properties in exchange for landlords accepting low-income housing vouchers. The first five properties will receive upgrades this year, making Iowa City the first in the nation to attempt such a program.
Additionally, the city will receive Iowa’s first patrol-rated electric police vehicle in 2025, further demonstrating the role of climate solutions in the future of public safety. Iowa City would have received the vehicle even earlier if the original car hadn’t been hit by a tornado on its way to the city last year!
Denton, TX
Denton stands out as the only city in Texas where all residences and businesses operate on 100% renewable energy. Serving 64,000 customers, the city boasts the highest wind power per capita in the U.S.
Denton’s City Council has also adopted its first Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP), which creates an action plan for the city to reach its goal of net-zero emissions by 2050 while also ensuring resilience to the risks of climate change. Transportation accounts for 66.3% of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions, making clean vehicle investments a crucial next step.
In 2020, Denton achieved its ambitious goal of fulfilling all electricity demand through wind and solar power. These measures not only position the city as a national leader on clean energy but also are projected to save the city over $500 million over a 20 year period.
Salt Lake City and Utah Renewable Communities
Salt Lake City, Utah, has not only improved its own economy and air quality through renewable energy, but has also stepped up to lead cities across the state to a sustainable and healthy future.
“Salt Lake City’s flagship solar project has cut an estimated 100,000 metric tons of climate pollution from the regional electric grid. It’s also saving our taxpayers an estimated $1 million annually. We’ll continue to lead by example in the transition to clean energy,” said Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall. “Salt Lake City sources about 80% of our electricity from this collaborative project. Next year, we plan to launch the Utah Renewable Communities program, a collaboration among 19 Utah communities and the state’s largest electric utility, giving residents and businesses a path toward our goal of net-100% clean electricity by 2030.”
Utah Renewable Communities is an unprecedented coalition of local governments across the state working together toward 100% clean energy. This initiative, the first of its kind in the US, aims to launch a default net-100% renewable electricity option for customers of Rocky Mountain Power, Utah’s major utility provider.
Established through the 2019 Community Renewable Energy Act, this pioneering effort serves as a model for municipal collaboration with a major utility. 19 local governments across Utah have joined the coalition so far, with a combined total population of over 2.8 million energy customers who will benefit from this initiative. These local governments will be adopting the program’s policy framework this fall, with full implementation occurring in Spring of 2026, right in time for next year’s Earth Day!
Nashville, TN
The Tennessee state capitol is rapidly scaling up its clean power generation through a combination of solar initiatives. The city has implemented rooftop solar on local government buildings and collaborated with Tennessee Valley Authority’s Green Invest program for large-scale solar.
Metro Nashville government is required to source all of its energy from renewable sources by 2041. Last year, we saw 15 percent come from renewable sources, and while we have a ways to go, we are chipping away and modeling sustainability. In the last year, we have invested another $10 million to add around four megawatts of capacity, and as we are implementing these improvements, they are simultaneously making us better environmental and fiscal stewards. Multiple efforts have us on pace to pass the 50 percent mark by 2027.
Mayor Freddit O’Connell, Nashville, Tennessee
In addition to efforts to increase renewable energy generation, Nashville also uses geothermal technology to improve energy efficiency for heating and cooling several city facilities.
Mesquite, TX
Mesquite is making waves in the renewable energy sector thanks to attracting a Canadian Solar manufacturing plant which has a production capacity of 5 GW annually — enough to power about 850,000 homes per year!
This $250 million project has generated over 1,500 new jobs in the area, demonstrating the economic benefits of solar energy expansion. By fostering industrial-scale solar manufacturing, Mesquite is positioning itself as a leader in the clean energy economy, and helping other communities across the country access home-grown clean power technology.
Boise, ID
Boise is leading Idaho’s clean energy transition with a goal of achieving 100% clean electricity for all residents and businesses by 2035. With the community spending approximately $250 million annually on energy—an amount expected to more than double in the next two decades—renewable energy offers a fiscally responsible alternative.
Community engagement is strong, with over 75% of residents supporting the city’s goals to improve energy efficiency and power the city with renewable energy. A recent survey showed that citizens’ top priorities for the future of Boise’s energy supply include: affordable and reliable access to energy, addressing climate impacts through renewable energy, and supporting local jobs and the economy through clean power implementation.
Clean Power from Coast to Coast
The cities on this list prove that America’s energy transition is happening in all corners of the country and that every community stands to gain from renewable power sources. By investing in renewables, these communities are creating jobs, lowering energy costs, and increasing resilience to extreme weather events, ultimately safeguarding their futures.
Want to support clean energy in your city? Get involved year-round in local government decision-making by organizing an Earth Action Day roundtable and advocating for sustainability initiatives where you live. They can happen any time, not just on Earth Day! The transition to renewable energy is happening all around us—make sure your community is part of the movement.
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