Cities of Alameda and Fresno Win Top Awards for Advancing Decarbonization, Solar, and Battery Innovation
LONG BEACH, Calif., June 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Twelve U.S. mayors were recognized today for their local energy and climate protection programs, with each winning a 2026 Mayors’ Climate Protection Award. Alameda Mayor Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft and her city’s Community-wide Decarbonization Program and Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer and his city’s Solar and Battery Storage Portfolio were the top award winners being honored at the opening day of The U.S. Conference of Mayors’ 94th Annual Meeting.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the awards program, celebrating two decades of partnership between the Conference and Walmart in recognizing outstanding mayoral leadership on energy and climate action.
“Alameda is further demonstrating how renewable energy can provide a reliable and non-polluting source of electricity to power our cities, showing how solar clean power can help stabilize — and even reduce — electricity costs for the public and businesses,” said Alameda Mayor Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft. “While mayors everywhere have always been at the forefront of advancing clean energy technologies, Alameda is particularly honored to be recognized on the 20th Anniversary of these awards.”
“In 2020, only 1.7 percent of the electricity used at city facilities came from renewable sources. This year, we will exceed 46 percent. This combined with our energy efficiency projects, puts us on track to surpass our 50 percent renewable energy goal,” said Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer. “This award is not just a recognition of what we’ve built — it is a recognition of who we are. Fresno is a city that believes in innovation. A city that believes in partnership. And a city that believes in building a healthier, more sustainable future for every resident.”
“These awards call attention to the innovation and strong leadership of U.S. mayors, who continue to address our nation’s growing climate challenges and shape an energy future that keeps our communities safe, healthy and more sustainable,” said Tom Cochran, USCM CEO and Executive Director. “These mayors and so many others demonstrate everyday how local action is a difference-maker, and such efforts serve as a powerful reminder that continuing mayoral leadership is critical to securing this future. We thank Walmart for its longstanding partnership and commitment to the nation’s mayors.”
“Walmart is pleased to be part of honoring the nation’s mayors and their innovation and creativity in finding local solutions to some of the pressing issues before us,” said Amy Hill, Group Director for State & Local Government Relations for Walmart. “On this 20thAnniversary, we are proud to honor this special group of mayors — and the others before them — who are doing their part to make our communities stronger and more regenerative.”
Alameda’s Community-wide Decarbonization Program is a comprehensive, community-wide decarbonization program, anchored by the Alameda Municipal Power (AMP), the oldest municipal electric utility in California and west of the Mississippi, which provides 100 percent clean electricity. Key components of the program include: carbon-free electricity since 2020 at rates 45% below neighboring investor owned utilities; AMP rebates for electric appliances (heat pumps, induction cooking, smart thermostats) and transportation (used EVs, e-bikes, chargers); reduced permit fees for electric appliances; building code amendments encouraging electrification during remodels and replacements; an interdepartmental electrification working group; expansion of curbside and public EV charging; community outreach such as an annual Home Electrification Fair; and adoption of an Equitable Building Decarbonization Plan and 2025 Climate Action and Resiliency Plan (CARP).
Fresno’s Solar and Battery Storage Portfolio is a combined 27 megawatt-direct current (MWdc) portfolio of on-site solar energy and battery storage systems at three energy-intensive facilities: the Fresno-Clovis Regional Wastewater Reclamation Facility, the Northeast Surface Water Treatment Facility, and the Southeast Surface Water Treatment Facility. The project at the Regional Wastewater Reclamation Facility is the single largest commercial behind-the-meter solar and battery storage system of its kind in the United States gaining both national and international attention. The systems will generate over 47 million kilowatt-hours of electricity every year and will help to avoid 26,000 tons of CO2 annually. The savings to taxpayers are estimated at more than $120 million by 2045.
SMALL CITY HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Hallandale Mayor Joy Cooper – The Cloud; Issaquah Mayor Mark Mullet – Resilience Hub Network; La Crosse Shaundel Washington-Spivey – Accessory Dwelling Unit Ordinance; Pico Rivera Mayor Gustavo V. Camacho – Climate Action and Adaptation Plan; and Redmond Mayor Angela Birney – Advancing Climate and Housing Goals Through Residential Decarbonization.
LARGE CITY HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson – Austin Climate Implementation Plan; Boston Mayor Michelle Wu – Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance; Fort Wayne Mayor Sharon Tucker – Heat Mapping and Neighborhood Intervention Program; Miami Mayor Eileen Higgins – Building Efficiency 305; and Rochester (MN) Mayor Kim Norton – Thermal Energy Network.
Full descriptions of the 2026 Mayors’ Climate Protection Award winning programs can be found at this link: https://www.usmayors.org/climateprotection/2026awards.
About the United States Conference of Mayors — The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are more than 1,400 such cities in the country today, and each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
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SOURCE U.S. Conference of Mayors
