Energy

The City of Palo Alto encourages residents and businesses to consider electrification, a shift from fossil fuels to electricity for space and water heating, transportation and cooking. Our City of Palo Alto Utilities Department sources electricity from renewable and hydroelectric resources, but its natural gas is a fossil fuel that will always produce greenhouse gas emissions. In Palo Alto, an all-electric lifestyle is cleaner and healthier than using fossil fuels and can be more affordable too.

Carbon Neutral Energy

For electricity, carbon neutral means that we match electricity demand with carbon free supply on an annual basis. For natural gas, carbon neutral means that we buy carbon offsets to balance emissions from natural gas use in Palo Alto.

Since 2013, Palo Alto has provided 100% carbon neutral electricity, and since July 1, 2017, we also provide 100% carbon neutral natural gas.

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