LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Louisville Metro Council passed a resolution pushing for the city to be fully powered by clean energy in no more than 20 years. 

The resolution calls for Metro Government operations to transition to 100% renewable electricity by 2030 and 100% clean energy by 2035. Louisville would transition to 100% clean energy community wide by 2040. 

The resolution, sponsored by Brandon Coan, D-8, Nicole George, D-21 and Bill Hollander, D-9, passed Thursday by a 14-5 margin. Two Council members abstained from voting due to a conflict of interests, while five others chose not to vote. 

Download PDF Resolution

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer voiced his approval of Council's vote and the need to "take bold action around climate change."

"Louisville Metro Government must lead by example," Fischer said in a statement Thursday evening. "LMG is already taking action by moving forward with plans to conduct an energy audit. The audit and the hiring an energy manager will allow us to not only identify cost savings measures but also determine the feasibility of converting to renewable energy sources and thereby reduce Louisville Metro’s reliance on fossil fuels. The next step is to develop a Request for Proposals for the energy audit."

Fischer said he expects the energy audit proposal request to come out in March.  

David Sinclair, the vice president of Energy Supply and Analysis with LG&E and KU, told WDRB News in October 2019 that LG&E supports a "clean energy future" with wind and solar power, but the transition would come with challenges — and big costs.

"We occasionally make the New Year's resolutions that this is the year I'm going to get in shape, this is the year I'm going to join the gym," Sinclair told a Metro Council committee in October. "So the first two are pretty easy: making a resolution and joining the gym. It's the going every day and what's necessary to actually transform your body (that) becomes the hard part."

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