The transition to renewables cuts across the entire urban energy landscape, from buildings, to transport, to industry and power. It means integrating energy supply and demand between different sectors, through smart technologies, rigorous planning and holistic decision-making. This report analyses the role cities can play in the transformation of the energy system.

While the potential for renewables is high, it varies greatly depending on each city’s characteristics. Population density, growth prospects and demand profiles in cold versus hot climates all shape the opportunities to introduce renewables, including the vast growth potential for uses in urban buildings and transport. Accordingly, deployment strategies must be tailored to technology options and enabling policy frameworks for each city. This report presents examples of city experiences, challenges and success stories to highlight viable and carbon effective options for renewable energy deployment. It also underlines the compelling business case for the transition, stressing that the time is ripe for cities to switch to renewable solutions.