Historically, March 21^st is that day that we celebrate National Renewable Energy Day. It’s an excellent time to highlight Seattle City Light’s commitment to sustainable power. Let’s see how renewable energy is shaping our future.

The national energy landscape

While the world strives toward growing its renewable energy resources, on average 16% of the world’s energy resources are considered renewable. Only 21.8% of the United States electricity currently comes from these types of sources. The majority, roughly 60%, is still derived from non-renewable fossil fuels like coal, petroleum, and natural gas. As climate change intensifies and energy consumption is projected to rise by 50% by 2050, transitioning to renewable resources is crucial.

Understanding energy terminology

It’s important to distinguish between “renewable,” “green,” and “clean” energy:

• Renewable energy is naturally replenished and includes hydropower, wind, and solar.
• Green energy generally refers to renewable sources with minimal carbon emissions. However, some renewable sources may not be considered fully “green” if they have associated emissions.
• Clean energy produces little to no greenhouse gas emissions during production. Hydrogen fuel cells are an example of clean but non-renewable energy.

Seattle City Light’s renewable power

City Light boasts an impressive power mix, with more than 88% of our power generated from renewable hydroelectricity. On average 40-50% comes directly from our owned and operated Skagit and Boundary hydroelectric projects. We source the remaining power from the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) and other renewable sources, supplemented by 5% wind, 4% nuclear, 1% biogas and 2% other resources. Notably, we do not use coal or natural gas in our core resource mix, making the energy flowing to our customers’ homes and businesses a win for the environment.

An important note on market purchases

While we aim for complete renewable energy, market purchases to balance loads and resources may occasionally include fossil fuel-based energy. Any emissions from these unspecified market purchases are offset through our greenhouse gas (GHG) neutrality policy.

You can read more about how we are addressing climate change in our Climate Adaptation Plan.

Future renewable energy plans

Looking ahead, our 2024 Integrated Resource Plan Progress Report outlines the need to add approximately 1,825 megawatts (MW) of new resources in the next ten years. This is much larger compared to the 400 megawatts (MW) that were originally predicted in the 2022 Integrated Resource Plan. Meeting these future energy needs requires adding wind, solar, batteries, and enhanced geothermal to our resource portfolio.

A commitment to a sustainable future

As energy demands grow, we are dedicated to diversifying our resources, maximizing cost savings, and mitigating climate change.

For more information, visit our Renewable Energy Services page.

Are you interested in supporting local, renewable energy? You can contribute to renewable energy efforts across our region through the Green Up program. This voluntary initiative supports wind, solar, and other renewable energy projects in the Pacific Northwest. When you join Green Up, we use your donations you provide to purchase regional renewable energy credits (RECs). Visit our website to learn more about Green Up.