How To Power A City is a singular film. It is the first clean energy documentary that puts communities at the center and showcases local solutions in the US and Puerto Rico, while also highlighting women and people of color leading renewable energy projects.
Audiences will travel through solar and wind power projects from the urban sprawls of New York City, Atlantic City, Las Vegas, and Detroit/Highland Park to rural towns in mountainous Vermont and communities throughout Puerto Rico. Viewers will see, firsthand, the nuts and bolts of rooftop solar, wind farms, and power plants, as well as the organization that goes into realizing these innovative projects. An inclusive range of renewable energy projects illustrates how entire utilities, large cities, and community groups are realizing energy transformation in their respective realms. The diverse array of projects include solar-powered streetlights and emergency solar systems for hurricane resilience, to the most innovative utility in the U.S., and what would have been America's first offshore wind farm. The film dives deeper and transcends the mechanical level by exploring what it means to “power a city” through themes of leadership, innovation, public participation, and trust.
How To Power A City follows a solutions approach. Through its unique narrative, viewers see both the positive impact and limitations of each solution. Audiences can consider the various approaches and come to their own conclusions, leading to robust conversations in educational settings and at events with panels or speakers. These snapshots from the front lines of the clean energy revolution are a solid foundation to consider what might be next for America's energy future.