What happens in Las Vegas shouldn’t always stay there. For example: In 2016, all of the city’s government facilities became powered entirely by renewable energy. The 10-year project culminated when a large solar array, called Boulder Solar 1, went online in December, allowing the city to buy enough carbon-free electricity to power all of its 140 buildings, streetlights, and other facilities. The power comes from a mix of solar panels and hydroelectric turbines, including those at the Hoover Dam. The cost savings are expected to be roughly $5 million USD a year, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.
Power to the people:
The city’s many casinos, including Wynn, MGM, and the Sands — are now ratcheting up efforts to install acres of solar panels on their rooftops.
The first major US city to switch its entire energy footprint to renewable sources was Burlington, Vermont, which began to power all of its homes and businesses with hydroelectric, wind, solar, and wood-chip incineration in 2014.
In 2015, Aspen, Colorado, achieved 100 percent renewable energy production by relying on a blend of hydro, wind, and landfill gas energy.