Chicago Sets Goal for 100 Percent Clean Energy by 2040

A non-binding resolution is a small step in the direction of clean energy.

1 minute read

April 15, 2019, 12:00 PM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Solar and Wind Energy

Soonthorn Wongsaita / Shutterstock

"The Chicago City Council voted Wednesday to approve a non-binding resolution that sets a goal of transitioning the city to 100 percent clean energy over the next 16 years," reports Alex Ruppenthal.

"The resolution, which passed unanimously, calls for the city’s buildings to be powered exclusively by renewable sources by 2035. It also sets a goal of converting all Chicago Transit Authority buses to electric energy by 2040," adds Ruppenthal.

The resolution is non-binding, meaning the vote was largely a symbolic gesture, explains Ruppenthal. The resolution does, however, put in motion a process to create a plan for transitioning to clean energy. That clean energy plan is due by 2020.

Wednesday, April 10, 2019 in WTTW

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Concrete Brutalism building with slanted walls and light visible through an atrium.

What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities

How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

February 28, 2025 - Justin Hollander

Complete Street

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge

Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.

February 27, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Green electric Volkswagen van against a beach backdrop.

The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan

Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.

March 3, 2025 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

View of mountains with large shrubs in foreground in Altadena, California.

Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire

In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.

6 hours ago - Pasadena NOw

Aerial view of single-family homes with swimming pools in San Diego, California.

San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule

The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.

March 9 - Axios

Close-up of row of electric cars plugged into chargers at outdoor station.

Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives

A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.

March 9 - UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation