City of Cambridge Participatory Budgeting

Soak Up the Solar Power

Committee: Environment

Total Cost: $250,000

Potential Location: Russell Youth Center

Short Description:

Free, clean, renewable energy! Let’s add solar panels to the Russell Youth Center to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save money on energy.

Long Description:

Reducing our greenhouse gas emissions to minimize climate change is a critical challenge that we must accelerate our efforts to meet. Harnessing solar energy will help. Solar energy releases zero greenhouse gases, does not pollute the environment, and is a safe, free, domestic, and unlimited energy source.

In order to counter the risks of climate change, the City of Cambridge has committed to the Net Zero Action Plan to make Cambridge carbon neutral by 2050. Replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy is a key strategy. In support of this plan, the City has added solar panels to several buildings, including the City Hall Annex, Cambridge Rindge & Latin High  School, Martin Luther King, Jr. School, and the Sullivan Water Treatment Facility. Adding solar panels to the Russell Youth Center will build upon these efforts, adding to the City’s renewable energy capacity.

(https://cambridgeseven.com/work/west-cambridge-youth-center)

https://www.zapotecenergy.com/projects/details/dr.-martin-luther-king-jr.-school