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Low Carbon Energy Supply Strategy

In an effort to help slow the rate and extent of climate impacts, the City has committed to the The Net Zero Action Plan, which aims to cut energy demand significantly and replace fossil fuels with renewable energy sources. The Net Zero Action Plan provides a pathway to make Cambridge carbon neutral by 2050, eliminating greenhouse gas emissions citywide.The Low Carbon Energy Supply Strategy is the first step to carbon neutrality for the energy we use.

The City of Cambridge engaged a consultant team led by Ramboll to undertake a Low Carbon Energy Supply Strategy study in support of the City’s commitment to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. The purpose of the study was to determine current and future energy demand, assess the potential for renewable energy generation in Cambridge, develop technical scenarios for renewable energy delivery systems, and evaluate the risks, benefits, and feasibility of each scenario along with discussion of potential implementation pathways.

• LCESS Final Report Executive Summary
• LCESS Final Report Full Report
• LCESS Final Report Appendix 1
• LCESS Final Report Appendix 2
• LCESS Final Report Appendix 3
• LCESS Final Report Appendix 4
• LCESS Final Report Appendix 5
• LCESS Final Report Appendix 6

Be Part of Cambridge's Clean Energy Revolution

Have you ever thought about where your electricity comes from when you turn on the light? How about the fuel needed to keep your house warm all winter long? Energy is essential to keeping the lights on and keeping us comfortable, but energy production can also have negative impacts like greenhouse gas emissions and other forms of pollution.

• Get a no-cost energy assessment through Cambridge Energy Alliance
  Schedule your no-cost energy assessment to find and eliminate wasted energy in your house. The lower your energy needs are, the easier it is to switch over to renewable energy supply options.
• Find your solar potential through Sunny Cambridge
  Learn how much energy your roof could generate and get a quote today. You can reduce or eliminate your home or business electricity bill or hot water needs.
• Electrify your heating and hot water systems through MassCEC Clean Heating and Cooling
  Modern electric air or ground source heat pumps are efficient, reliable, and cost-effective. When you switch from oil or natural gas to electric heat and hot water, you can take advantage of increasing clean electricity over time.
• Switch to 100% green energy through the Cambridge Community Electricity Program
  Cambridge Community Electricity uses the bulk buying power of the entire community to increase the amount of renewable energy in Cambridge's electricity supply. Residents automatically receive 25% more solar power than basic service, and are able to enroll in the 100% Green option to receive 100% renewable electricity generated by projects throughout New England.  
• Send us your feedback
  Share questions and ideas about making Cambridge carbon neutral. Follow us on Twitter: CDDat344 and tag your thoughts with #NetZeroCambMA or call 617/349-LEAF.

Current Energy Use in Cambridge

The majority of the energy used to power our homes currently comes from fossil fuels like natural gas. To decarbonize our energy supply, we need to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy sources like solar and wind.

To achieve a fully renewable energy supply, Cambridge will have to rely on resources both within and outside the City.

Moving Towards Renewable Energy

In order to reach our target we must work with renewable energy on several levels.

To decarbonize is to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide–a primary greenhouse gas–released into the atmosphere as a result of energy supply.

Timeline for the Low Carbon Energy Supply Strategy