By Grace Jacobson / News Director

ST. CLOUD, Minn. — St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis received the 2024 Mayor’s Climate Protection Award last week for his leadership in sustainability.

On Thursday, June 20, Mayor Kleis along with a dozen other mayors across the country were recognized at The United States Conference of Mayors.

The City of St. Cloud won first-place in Small City Awards with St. Cloud’s Citywide Energy Transformation who’s shifted all of the city’s electricity demand from city services to 100% renewable resources.

Some of the strategies used in St. Cloud include solar arrays and electric vehicle charging stations.

St. Cloud’s original goal was 75% renewable energy by 2035, but they vastly exceeded this target by renewably supplying all of the city’s electrical demand by 2020.