(Washington, DC) - The Government of the District of Columbia plans to enter into a three-year electricity contract that will increase its procurement of energy from renewable sources to 50 percent from 10 percent.  The contract was negotiated with Washington Gas Energy Services by the Office of Property Management (OPM), the agency responsible for managing District facilities, and the District Department of the Environment (DDOE), responsible for the natural environment and the energy office for the District.

“This five-fold increase in renewable energy purchase will put the District in the national forefront of governments contracting for renewable energy,” said Robin-Eve Jasper, Director of OPM. “This will reduce the District’s carbon footprint and further encourage the development of sustainable sources.”

“This contract is an important milestone to creating a sustainable city,” said George Hawkins, Director of DDOE. “We already know that the urban homes and businesses are more energy efficient than suburban subdivisions and office parks. Replacing dirty and frequently foreign sources of energy with renewables adds to this performance and helps improve the quality of our air.” 

Renewable energy sources include wind, geothermal, solar and hydroelectric. By negotiating this long-term agreement, the District anticipates saving about $44 million compared to the current published rates.