Across the U.S., many cities, counties, and states are taking advantage of affordable renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind energy. Over the past nine years, the price of installing solar energy projects has decreased by 70 percent, while the average cost of constructing a wind energy project has fallen by more than 67 percent per kilowatt hour since 1983. This rapid decline in cost has empowered Americans to embrace affordable, clean, and renewable energy. Meanwhile, several jurisdictions are setting ambitious clean energy goals aimed at reducing their carbon footprint in the face of a changing climate. Across the nation, more than 150 cities, 10 counties, and 7 states have adopted goals and policies to reach 100 percent clean energy.
As the renewable energy economy continues to expand, projects bring jobs and tax revenue with them—stimulating local economies in ways which may have been previously unattainable, especially in rural communities.
