Madison moves up in clean energy rankings, while Milwaukee plans to make strides with climate and equity plan
Laura Schulte
Despite strides forward in the use of clean energy, Milwaukee and Madison still have work to do to make their operations more efficient, according to a national survey.
The evaluation, put together by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, evaluated 100 different cities across the country, based on their population fluctuation and numbers — which are typically indicative of energy use and emissions, said Stefen Samarripas, local policy manager at ACEEE and lead author of the report.
The report evaluates where cities are now and what they could be doing, he said.
Madison had one of the largest jumps in its ranking this year, thanks to new policies and programs put into place by the city. Milwaukee ranked slightly lower. The rankings shouldn't be viewed as a condemnation, Samarripas said, but instead an opportunity to improvement.
"It's an educational tool that collects a lot of information about all the various city policies and programs that are working to advance clean energy and it gives city leadership, city staff an opportunity to learn about what is open to them and the benefits that may go along with pursuing one policy or program over another," he said.
Milwaukee and Madison were the only two Wisconsin cities included in the evaluation, which looked at a host of criteria including city policies and programs, as well as transportation options and equity.
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Milwaukee scored 25 points out of 100, ranking 53rd of the cities evaluated by the scorecard.
The organization recommended the city take additional steps to ensure builders comply with energy codes, establish and track metrics related to energy equity, expand high-quality transit access for low-income residents and increase the deployment of electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
Erick Shambarger, the sustainability director of Milwaukee's Environmental Collaboration Office, said some of the metrics used to gauge the city missed programs and projects already underway, and areas the committee called attention to will be addressed in the upcoming climate and equity plan.
"It hasn't been adopted yet, but we have been working with groups over the past two years on climate and economic equity," he said.
The city has taken great strides to make sure that energy efficiency is a top priority, Shambarger said. Last year, the Milwaukee Public Library Central Branch underwent a $2 million energy efficiency program, which included solar panels, resulting in a dramatic drop in energy use.
"That has gotten us to reduce energy use in that building by 20% from a decade ago," he said.
The city also had grant funding for its Property Assessed Clean Energy Financing program, which helped finance more than $30 million worth of projects, helping commercial buildings in the city cut their energy use.
"It's been very, very successful and it's now been modeled in other communities around the state," he said.
Shambarger said transportation is another issue he hopes to see the city address soon, making sure that more people have access to quality transport from their homes to work and elsewhere, in addition to adding more electric vehicle infrastructure. Those kinds of projects will help Milwaukee — and other cities — play a larger role in the transition away from fossil fuels.
"I think cities themselves by nature of their density have an inherent role in sustainability," he said. "So when people are thinking about where they want to live, I encourage people to live in urban environments because if you can get to more things through biking and walking, that's going to set you up for a more sustainable lifestyle."
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Madison takes a big increase in clean energy rankings
Madison had the largest increase in standing for 2021 out of all cities, bringing in 33.5 points out of 100, putting the city at a ranking of 39 out of the 100, ahead of similar size cities.
The review found room for improvement, suggesting that the city increase the amount of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, publicize energy data, establish and track metrics related to energy equity, advocate for more stringent energy codes and adopt and track a goal for reducing transportation greenhouse gases.
Jessica Price, the sustainability and resilience manager for Madison, said the city's rise in the rankings this year was largely tied to a program that transitioned about three quarters of the electricity for city operations to renewable sources.
"That really puts us well on our way to achieving our 2030 goal of 100% renewable sources," she said.
The city has also started to transition its fleet over to electric and hybrid vehicles, replacing about 60 last year. Madison has the first operational electric fire truck in the U.S., a sign of what's to come.
But there is still room for improvement with the suggestions from ACEEE, Price said. The city is working now to update its sustainability plan, which will include steps toward more climate resilience when it comes to flooding and heat, as well as equity. Part of that work will include ensuring that low-income communities have access to energy efficient technology and have access to housing that is more efficient.
"We know that low to moderate income folks have a higher energy burden typically than others in our community, and we want to be doing everything we can to make sure that we're making both housing and energy more affordable for everyone," she said.
Another change the city hopes to usher in by 2024 is a new fleet of electric buses, which will be set on routes that are more accessible.
"They're going to improve our air quality and reduce the burden on folks that are living and working near bus depots or bus lines," Price said. "It's a really important initiative that's relatively unique for the Midwest."
ACEEE soon will release a self-evaluation tool for other cities, and find areas where improvements can be made.
Laura Schulte can be reached at leschulte@jrn.com and on Twitter at @SchulteLaura.