The initiative starts with a focus on private commercial properties of 500,000 square feet or larger. Then, starting in 2024, the requirement will be applied to buildings 250,000 square feet or larger, and finally, in 2030, it will be applied to buildings 50,000 square feet or larger.
“San Francisco has always been a national leader when it comes to sustainability, but we know that the reality of climate change requires us to go further,” Mayor Breed said in a written statement.
“Transitioning our large buildings to 100 percent renewable energy is an important step to continuing the progress we have made with CleanPowerSF towards making San Francisco an even more sustainable city,” she said.
The legislation driving the initiative is co-sponsored by city supervisors Vallie Brown and Ahsha Safaí.
“Every generation is defined by how they tackled a seemingly-insurmountable obstacle, and climate degradation is our generational marker,” Safaí said in a written statement.
“Climate change is here and its effects are only intensifying. Our plan to transition large, private buildings to 100 percent renewable energy underscores the urgency of now and showcases the innovative thinking that will be required of all nations to curtail the destructive effects of global-warming.”
“To reach our climate goals, we need to use less energy and we need it to be cleaner,” said Brown, who noted that the legislation phases in the mandated use of renewable energy to ensure an adequate supply is available for purchase.
Almost half of San Francisco’s citywide emissions come from buildings, and half of those emissions come from the commercial sector.
To accelerate San Francisco’s transition to an all-renewables city, Mayor Breed directed the city's Department of the Environment to convene a public-private task force to examine how best to electrify San Francisco’s buildings. The task force is expected to produce a decarbonization roadmap for buildings in early 2020.
“A renewable electricity supply is more than just a checkbox in San Francisco’s climate action strategy, it’s a bridge to even greater emission reductions,” said Department Director Debbie Raphael. “An all-electric city for buildings, residences and transportation is how San Francisco leads the way towards an emissions-free future.”
All of the city’s major electricity providers, Hetch Hetchy Power, CleanPowerSF, and PG&E, currently provide 100 percent renewable electricity products.
Hetch Hetchy is the city’s oldest provider of clean electricity and is the most affordable. CleanPowerSF, the City’s new clean energy program, also offers SuperGreen, a 100 percent renewable electricity at more cost-effective price points than PG&E.
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission manages both CleanPowerSF and Hetch Hetchy Power, which collectively will meet 80 percent of the City’s electricity needs by the end of April.
“More than 360,000 businesses and residents are set to choose CleanPowerSF because they value clean, renewable energy options at an affordable price and with local control,” said SFPUC General Manager Harlan L. Kelly, Jr. “CleanPowerSF plays a critical role in meeting the city’s ambitious climate change goals. We commend Mayor Breed’s continuing leadership on these issues and we look forward to partnering with our fellow City agencies on innovative and sustainable energy policies.”
An ordinance with the terms of the program will be introduced at the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. The new ordinance will compliment similar building programs in the city like its auditing and energy benchmarking program for existing buildings, Better Roofs ordinance, and EV Readiness ordinance.
