The City of Akron announced on April 22 that it has received two significant recognitions for its efforts in clean energy and sustainability. Akron was awarded the SolSmart Silver designation, a national recognition for local governments with solar-ready policies and practices, as well as the 2025 Dynegy & Homefield Energy Leadership Award in Community.
These awards highlight Akron’s ongoing work to advance sustainability initiatives that help residents save money while supporting environmental resilience in the community.
“Akron is proving that sustainability and affordability can go hand in hand,” said Akron Mayor Shammas Malik. “These recognitions reflect the real work happening across our city to lower costs for residents, reduce emissions, and build a more resilient future. Through our Together for Akron vision, we are committed to making investments that deliver measurable results for our community.”
The city recently created its first Office of Sustainability and Resiliency under the Living Together pillar of Together for Akron. Led by Director Casey Shevlin, this office completed Akron’s first Greenhouse Gas Inventory in 15 years and began planning its initial Climate Action Plan. “These awards reflect a citywide commitment to doing this work the right way, thoughtfully, collaboratively, and with a focus on real outcomes,” said Shevlin. “From improving solar readiness to reducing emissions across city operations, we are advancing sustainability to benefit Akron residents for years to come.”
Akron is now one of only three cities in Northeast Ohio—and the first in Summit County—to achieve at least a Silver designation through SolSmart. The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and led by IREC (Interstate Renewable Energy Council) and ICMA (International City/County Management Association). The award recognizes communities removing barriers to solar adoption through improved permitting processes, zoning clarifications, expanded communications resources such as public-facing webpages about going solar, permitting checklists for residential/commercial projects, installation guidance for historic properties, and confirming solar as an accessory use throughout major zoning districts.
The Dynegy & Homefield Energy Leadership Award recognizes recipients annually across categories including energy management and community engagement; this year’s community award went to Akron due partly to its electric aggregation program delivering over 380 million kilowatt-hours of carbon-free electricity in 2023—equivalent to taking more than 78,000 gasoline-powered vehicles off local roads.
Looking ahead, city officials say they plan continued investment into programs supporting both cost savings for residents and broader environmental goals.
