Hub ranks high in renewable energy

Boston ranks high among US cities when it comes to using renewable energy, the only East Coast city to make the top 10, according to a new study.

The survey of the 50 largest US cities was conducted by SustainLane Government of San Francisco, an online data base of sustainability information.

One survey goal was to determine what percentage of each city's electricity comes from such renewable energy sources as solar, wind, and geothermal, SustainLane said.

Oakland, Calif., topped the list, with 17 percent of its municipal electricity drawn from renewable energy sources, SustainLane said.

Boston ranked fourth on the list, with 8.6 percent of its electricity coming from renewable energy sources, SustainLane said.

Three California cities tied for second place on the list - Sacramento, San Francisco, and San Jose, which all got 12 percent of their municipal electricity from renewable sources.

Other non-West Coast cities to make the top 10 list included Austin, Texas; Minneapolis; and Chicago.
(Chris Reidy, Globe staff)