Evanston Pauses Renewable Energy Certificate Purchases

The city is reviewing the program's impact and oversight following a reduction in grant funding for the energy certificates.

Updated on Oct. 23, 2026 in Electric Vehicles

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a single wind turbine blade segment on a plinth, representing municipal renewable energy policy review. — Evanston officials have paused municipal renewable energy certificate purchases to conduct a formal review of the program’s oversight and environmental effectiveness. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should your local government prioritize tangible sustainability projects over purchasing renewable energy certificates?

Evanston’s Environment Board is re-evaluating the city’s practice of using grants to purchase renewable energy certificates. The city’s sustainability officer has already authorized a pause in these purchases while officials debate the program's oversight and impact.

Why it matters

The program shift reflects growing local concern over whether certificate purchases effectively increase renewable energy supply or simply serve as greenwashing. This decision directly impacts how municipal grant funds from the city's community choice aggregation program are utilized.

The city’s annual grant budget for renewable energy certificates has been reduced to $150,000 from a previous $500,000. Each certificate represents one megawatt-hour of energy, though the city has no legal mandate to acquire them.

The players

Evanston Environment Board

A local advisory body tasked with evaluating the sustainability practices and environmental policy of the city.

MC Squared

The current administrator for Evanston's community choice aggregation program, which provides the grants used for renewable energy certificates.

The details

Evanston funds these certificate purchases using grants provided by MC Squared, the administrator of the city's community choice aggregation program. Currently, the city’s contract allows the sustainability manager to authorize these purchases without direct City Council approval. Board members are now reviewing this process, citing a lack of legislative oversight and questions regarding the environmental efficacy of the certificates.

2012: Evanston launched its community choice aggregation program.
2021: MC Squared took over administration of the city's program.
January 2026: City Council approved a three-year contract renewal with MC Squared.
October 22, 2026: The Environment Board met to discuss the certificate purchase policy.
November 2026: The Environment Board plans to resume discussions on the issue.

The Home Front

Municipalities across the country are increasingly scrutinizing voluntary environmental programs to ensure public funds yield measurable carbon reductions. This shift aligns with broader efforts to transition from passive certificate purchasing toward more direct oversight of local utility contracts.

Residents should track upcoming Utilities Commission input sessions to see how these changes might influence the city's long-term aggregation contract. Stay updated on future board meetings, as the outcome will dictate how municipal grant funds are allocated in coming budget cycles.

The takeaway

The city is currently re-evaluating whether its renewable energy certificate purchases provide tangible environmental benefits or lack necessary oversight. Residents interested in the program's direction should monitor the Environment Board's next public session scheduled for November 2026.