- Target: 100% renewable energy in electricity, heating/cooling, and transportation sectors community wide by 2031
- Status: In progress
- RES: To be planned.
- Implementation: Rochester is a small city located near the southeast corner of the state of Minnesota in the midwestern United States. In 2015, the city's Mayor released a proclamation declaring the city's commitment to transitioning to 100% renewable energy in the electricity, heating/cooling, and transportation sectors by 2031. The reasons behind the goal were climate protection, environmental preservation, and political expedience and mobilisation. Several actions were suggested: prioritizing energy efficiency, electrifying the heating/cooling and transportation sectors, maximizing citizen participation and development of new business models, educating the community, and adopting an integrated approach to energy, economic, and infrastructure policy. Although not legally binding and not accompanied with a strategic action plan, it is hoped that the City of Rochester's proclamation would create sufficient political momentum to set the City on the right path. In 2018, the Rochester Public Utilities Board finally commits to the creation of an implementation plan for Rochester to achieve its 100% renewable energy target.
- Population: 115,733 (2017)
- Area: 55.48 sq mi (143.70 km2)
- Link: https://www.rochestermn.gov/Home/ShowDocument?id=9421