Responsible & Reliable Clean Energy Supply
<< Return to Focus Areas < Return to Solutions
Collaborate and Innovate Utility-Scale Solutions with Utility Provider (2.D.2.)
Status Indicators: 
Complete | 
In Progress| 
Not Yet Started
The City of Bozeman will seek to formalize the existing long-term partnership with NorthWestern Energy with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The MOU will provide a framework to build programs and policies that will address the City’s clean energy goals.
About the Data
The electricity Bozeman purchases from NorthWestern Energy contributes 27% of Bozeman's total community emissions. This is based on the carbon dioxide produced per Megawatt hour multiplied by the total Megawatt hours of electricity used by the Bozeman community each year. Similar to measuring the efficiency of a vehicle with miles per gallon (MPG), monitoring emissions intensity, alongside total utility emissions, represents an important variable in monitoring progress towards emissions goals.
The purple bars in the graph show the total annual emissions generated by NorthWestern Energy for their entire service area. The yellow trend line tracks NorthWestern Energy's CO2e emissions intensity. The data for 2021 and 2022 represent Bozeman's near-term targets that are needed to help achieve a 26% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2025 and carbon neutrality by 2050.
- MMT CO2e = Million Metric Tons of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent
- MT CO2e / Net MWh = Metric Tons Carbon Dioxide Equivalent per Net Megawatt hour
- Data source: NorthWestern Energy's annual EEI - ESG/Sustainability Report for Montana generation-owned and long-term contracts, excluding market purchases
- The Sustainability Division engaged with NorthWestern Energy and other stakeholders to influence electric supply planning, develop a renewable rate option, energy efficiency programs, Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) deployment, local planning, and data access.
- The City of Bozeman, Missoula County, and the City of Missoula have been working with NorthWestern Energy for the past several years to develop the Green Power Program that will offer NorthWestern Energy customers the opportunity to subscribe to renewable energy produced in Montana. On November 28, 2023 the Bozeman City Commission authorized the City Manager to sign the Green Power Program Term Sheet. While non-binding, the Term Sheet negotiated with NorthWestern Energy serves as the framework for how the program will work going forward.
- The City will continue to build partnerships and increase engagement in support of a clean energy transition.
- The Sustainability Division will continue to work with Missoula partners and NorthWestern Energy to advance the Green Power Program.
