(NewsNation) — Las Vegas is known as Sin City, but it could just as easily be called Solar City thanks to the millions it’s investing in sustainability initiatives.

A recent BBC report highlighted the city’s push to go green, including everything from water conservation and waste management efforts to solar power projects.

By 2030, 50% of Nevada’s electricity is expected to be generated from renewable sources thanks to a 2019 bill passed by the state legislature.

As of 2023, renewable energy resources accounted for nearly 40% of the electricity generated in the state. In Las Vegas, even the glitzy, energy-hungry resorts have crossed the 40% threshold, Marco Velotta, the city’s sustainability officer, told the BBC.

“Las Vegas has come a long way in a short amount of time,” Velotta said. “Sustainability has become a part of the city’s overall story.”

Las Vegas is now second in the US for solar capacity per capita, behind only Honolulu. Major companies like MGM Resorts International have recently announced plans to build their own solar array.

“Sin City could be called Solar City,” Steffen Lehmann, professor of architecture and urbanism at UNLV, told the BBC.

In 2023, Resorts World Hotel announced it was powered entirely by renewable energy sources just two years after opening.

But there’s still room for improvement across the Las Vegas strip, Lehmann pointed out.

“Although Resorts World presents impressive sustainability figures, it stands as an anomaly among the Strip’s hotels, many of which perform poorly in terms of environmental responsibility,” Lehmann said.