However efficient we make our buildings and vehicles, we will still consume energy. We need to make sure that the energy that we use is produced as efficiently as possible and relies on fossil fuels as little as possible. The City of Boston is:

• Buying at least 11 percent of the electricity that we purchase for municipal operations from renewable sources, making Boston an EPA Green Power Partner



• Installing solar energy and combined heat-and-power units in schools and other municipal facilities



• Investigating opportunities for biomass energy generation and wind power



• Working with local businesses and utilities to increase the opportunities and the resources available for distributed generation



• Exploring the opportunities for wind power in Boston

The Boston Public Schools already have three schools with a total photovoltaic capacity of 6.6 kW; and the Boston Department of Neighborhood Development, as part of a $2,000,000 grant from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative , is committed to providing solar power for 200 units of green affordable housing. To bring new opportunities to the entire community, the City of Boston, named a Solar America City by the U.S. Department of Energy, is establishing Solar Boston, a program to create the technical and financial infrastructure for solar installations-for electricity and heating-in residences, businesses, and institutions throughout Boston. The Boston Energy Alliance, also in the process of formation, will provide support to an even broader array of energy conservation and renewable energy opportunities.