With goals to reduce 25% of overall energy consumption and to increase the
portion of city-wide electricity generated by renewable energy sources to 100%
by 2050, the City of Orlando continues exploring opportunities to encourage
more implementation of low-cost, renewable energy generation solutions.
Given Orlando’s climate and geographic location, there are tremendous
economic opportunities and benefits for the city to become a leader in solar
energy generation and consumption, as well as to position itself as a hub for
clean technology industries and green jobs. In addition to economic benefits and
job creation, Orlando’s transition to more energy-efficient and clean, renewable
energy resources will also help minimize direct and indirect environmental
impacts, such as the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It will also
help Orlando progress towards its goal of reducing GHG emissions by 90% from
2007 levels by 2040.
In May 2017, Mayor Dyer joined the Sierra Club’s Mayors for 100% Clean Energy
Initiative and expressed his support for transitioning the City of Orlando to
100% clean and renewable energy by 2050 citywide. In addition, Mayor Dyer
also signed the Under 2 MOU, a United Nations COP 21 commitment, to reduce
GHG emissions toward net-zero by 2050 and implement strategies to mitigate
a two-degree Celsius rise in global temperature from pre-industrial levels. This
commitment aligns with Orlando’s commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement
for Cities (to reduce GHG emissions 80% by 2050), as well as the city’s already
aggressive GHG emissions reduction goal and strategies for 2040.