City-integrated renewable energy for urban sustainability
Daniel M. Kammen1,2,3* and Deborah A. Sunter1,3
To prepare for an urban influxof 2.5 billion people by 2050, it is critical to create cities that are lowcarbon, resilient, and livable. Cities not only contribute to global climate change by emitting the
majority of anthropogenic greenhouse gases but also are particularly vulnerable to the effects
of climate change and extreme weather.We explore options for establishing sustainable energy
systems by reducing energy consumption, particularly in the buildings and transportation sectors,
and providing robust, decentralized, and renewable energy sources.Through technical
advancements in power density, city-integrated renewable energy will be better suited to satisfy
the high-energy demands of growing urban areas. Several economic, technical, behavioral, and
political challenges need to be overcome for innovation to improve urban sustainability.
