admin
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson crowed “Promises kept” on social media this week, claiming all city facilities now run on 100% renewable energy. The boast sounds good on a bumper sticker and plays well for donors and activists. But for the average Chicago resident who pays the bills and worries about safety, the claim is more spin than substance unless you understand the math behind modern green accounting.
What Mayor Johnson is actually claiming
The mayor’s statement reflects a real procurement deal the City made. Chicago signed a supply arrangement with a retail supplier and tied much of its municipal electricity to a large Illinois solar project called Double Black Diamond. The City also uses purchased renewable energy certificates (RECs) to match the rest of its municipal demand. In that accounting sense — contracts plus retired RECs — the City can say its municipal operations are “sourced” with 100% renewable energy. That is the City and its supplier’s claim, and on paper it checks out.
What the grid actually looks like
But the power that actually flows through Chicago’s wires comes from the PJM/ComEd grid — a shared pool of electrons. ComEd’s official environmental-disclosure numbers show the system mix is still mostly fossil fuel and nuclear: roughly 44% natural gas, 33% nuclear, 15% coal, with wind, solar and hydro making up only small shares. So while the City can buy renewable output on paper, the electrons in your lights and computers are still coming from a mixed regional grid.
RECs and PPAs explained — why both sides are technically right
How accounting and reality diverge
Here’s the simple technical truth most headlines ignore: renewable energy claims for cities and corporations are commonly built from power purchase agreements (PPAs) and RECs. A REC represents the environmental attributes of one megawatt-hour of renewable generation. If the City retires enough RECs, it can legally claim that amount of electricity was “renewable.” Critics who point to ComEd’s mix are correct about physical generation. Neither side is lying — they’re just talking past each other while most Chicagoans get left out of the conversation.
Bottom line: honest talk, not political theater
Mayor Johnson’s social-media flex may please climate activists, but it also exposes a problem: political theater replacing clear communication and real priorities. Residents want honest reporting on what changes mean for their bills, their neighborhoods, and their safety — not shorthand accounting slogans. If the mayor wants lasting credibility, start by explaining the mechanics to voters, then focus the same energy on reducing crime and fixing city services. Promising the moon with accounting tricks won’t light a safer lamp in a Chicago home.
