Prices are rising, war is raging, and the climate is changing. Every step taken to decrease reliance on fossil fuels and increase reliance on renewable resources is critical for addressing current problems and future threats - and for achieving a better energy future. Now is the time to act by saying “See I Go Green!” Together, we can make a difference.

In January 2008, participants in the Cape & Islands Renewable Energy Collaborative (CIRenew) completed CIGoGreen: A Call to Action & Report to the Community (PDF, 6 MB). This regional energy action plan pursues ambitious goals for the year 2020 established through a “Beyond Cape Wind” planning process begun in 2005. It reflects continuing stakeholder dialogues, as well as issues and needs identified in a series of energy/climate meetings held with community leaders and municipal officials during 2007. It also details the 2008 priorities of CIRenew participants in order to accelerate near-term progress toward long-term goals relating to energy independence, economic development, and climate change:

• Generate sufficient renewable energy in the Cape & Islands region to meet 100% of net annual electricity needs by 2020
• Reduce direct use of fossil fuels for heating and transport applications in the Cape & Islands region by 50%, relative to 2006 consumption, by 2020

These goals were established by representatives from businesses, environmental advocacy groups, regional and state agencies, business associations, educational and research institutions, and nonprofits participating in a “Beyond Cape Wind” visioning session organized through CIRenew.

CIGoGreen: A Call to Action & Report to the Community includes

• A Collaborative Plan laying out goals and actions to be pursued by CIRenew participants via working group processes.
• Stakeholder Plans laying out goals and actions to be pursued by residents, visitors, businesses and organizations, students and schools, officials and agencies, and communities.

Quantitative Stakeholder Plans consistent with the 2020 goals detailed above are scheduled to be issued through CIRenew by the end of 2008 based on the Cape & Islands Energy Technology Strategy Project recently funded by the Electric Power Research Institute.