Renewable Energy

Renewable resources are essential to a sustainable future
Overview
The City of San Francisco has developed a number of innovative policies and programs to move the city toward its goal of 100% renewable energy to become a cleaner, healthier and more secure city.
100% Renewable
Former Mayor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Ed Lee issued a challenge to the City: to have 100% of San Francisco's electricity demand be met with renewable energy. The Department of Environment and the Mayor's Office convened a task force to develop a practicable plan and advise the City on how to best achieve the goal.
Solar Discounts
SF SunShares is an employee solar discount program offered by SF Environment and the Business Council on Climate Change.

Resources

Solutions

Get info about incentives, rebates, services, and take action today!

Directories, Case Studies, Downloads

From where to buy compostable bags to how much money your neighbor saved on their home improvement project

Events

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The sun gives us the power to generate electricity, keep your shower hot, and heat, cool and light your home in a way that is clean, safe, and sustainable. Solar energy – radiant energy from the sun – is one of the cornerstones of the City’s plan to achieve a 100% renewable electricity supply, and reduce our reliance on fossil fuels for heating.

 
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Wind energy is an excellent and abundant renewable resource. The same winds that rustles leaves and turn umbrellas inside out can be harnessed to spin turbines and produce electricity. Learn about the wind resources in and around San Francisco, how wind turbines work, and what role wind energy can play in helping San Francisco achieve its renewable energy goals.

 
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Hydropower is the use of water to power machinery or make electricity. Anyone who has listened to the rushing streams of the Sierra Nevada mountains or stood in the surf of the Pacific Ocean knows the power of moving water.

 
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Geothermal energy is the heat from the Earth. This heat can come from molten rock (“magma”) deep inside the earth, or very hot rock and ground water a few miles below the Earth’s surface, and can be used for direct heating or to produce electricity through a steam turbine.

 
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Biomass and Biofuels are all domestically produced renewable energy sources that can be used as a sustainable feedstock for the production of transportation fuels, heat and power. 

 
San Francisco’s Solar+Storage for Resiliency project aims to expand the solar market by serving as a national model for integrating solar and energy storage into the City's Emergency Response Plans. Read>