MONTPELIER — The city’s quest to shift its energy use toward renewable sources has earned it national recognition as a Climate Action Champion alongside Boston, Seattle and San Francisco.

The White House on Wednesday announced the 16 winners in this first year of a Department of Energy competition highlighting the steps communities are taking to combat climate change.

The announcement noted that Montpelier this year launched Net Zero Montpelier, a major initiative focused on making it the first effectively carbon-neutral capital city in the country by the year 2030, through the use of energy efficiency and renewable sources.

“My hope is that Montpelier will become a model for how cities can address the problem of climate change at the local level,” Mayor John Hollar said in a phone interview Wednesday. “This designation will provide us with additional resources to meet that goal.”

According to a news release from City Hall, Montpelier will have increased opportunities to access Department of Energy funding possibilities as well as technical assistance.

City Manager William Fraser said Montpelier appears to be, by far, the smallest city among the winners. The others include Boston, Minneapolis, Portland, Oregon, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Seattle and the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians in Michigan.

It was the Montpelier Energy Advisory Committee that sought the special designation, with many volunteers helping to get the application in on time.

The state’s two senators offered congratulatory statements Wednesday. Sen. Bernard Sanders said, “Vermont is a national leader in transforming our energy system from fossil fuels to clean, sustainable, renewable energy. It is fitting that our state capital has earned this prestigious recognition from the U.S. Department of Energy.”

Sen. Patrick Leahy said, “Montpelier’s work to address climate change is helping to increase our energy security and to support our local economy and forest industry, while cutting our dependence on foreign oil. Montpelier is a true national model of a climate champion for other communities to learn from, and to follow.”