Integrated Energy Communities: Making a Plan

Transcription

1 Integrated Energy Communities: Making a Plan EVERY COMMUNITY IS DIFFERENT in its goals, needs and resources, so this is a general overview of the planning process. A PLAN GETS THINGS ORGANIZED Regardless of the level of action different green programs or activities it is helpful for any community to undergo a process to develop an overall plan. Not only do you end up using your own energy more efficiently, it makes it much easier to gauge your progress down the road. INTEGRATED ENERGY COMMUNITIES IS A NEW CONCEPT The Energy Center of Wisconsin is excited about its new cross-disciplinary approach to community energy planning that integrates the technical aspects of energy planning with the social and economic concerns facing communities. The idea is to create energy plans that fit into everyday life and help address a broad spectrum of issues, while meeting the ambitious goals we have for dealing with global warming and diminishing energy supplies. 1

2 A Variety of Green Goals: Improving Quality of Life Protecting the Environment Developing New Economic Potential Using Financial Resources Wisely The community s priorities are very important. What are the benefits of taking green action? Municipalities generally have more priorities than money, so actions that accomplish more than one goal represent money well spent. Improving the Quality of Life: Cleaner air and water Reduction of Sprawl Public transportation, bike and pedestrian access Affordable housing Increased density and mixed use Non-toxic buildings, daylighting and other indoor environmental improvements Protecting the Environment Reducing carbon emissions to counter global warming Clean air and water to protect the natural environment Green spaces and habitat protection to protect species diversity Developing New Economic Potential New business development renewable energy and energy efficiency businesses, installation and manufacture Support expansion of existing HVAC and other energy related businesses Job creation such as wind farm technicians, energy auditors, energy efficiency building specialists Using Financial Resources Wisely Municipal Energy Management energy efficient municipal facilities, renewable energy both new and upgraded facilities Municipal Green Purchasing energy-efficient equipment, compact fluorescent lights Municipal government can encourage improvement in private and non-profit energy management through education and participation in programs 2

3 Visions of Sustainability Smart Growth Planning Green Communities Solar Cities Sustainable Communities Reducing the Carbon Footprint Energy Self-reliance Decide on community priorities and the many approaches available will serve as tools rather than mandates and they often overlap. Some have more emphasis on energy than others but energy is related to them all Smart Growth Planning Land use issues, dealing with sprawl, high density and mixed use development Green Communities environmentally oriented issues like recycling, pollution clean-up in air and water, reduced use of toxic lawn and household products Solar Cities focusing on developing the solar resource i.e. Chicago, with solar panels and green roofs Sustainable communities like green communities only incorporating economic and community building issues and environmentally sustainable building practices this is where the Natural Step would fit Reducing the Carbon Footprint concern with global warming and the lack of a national commitment, U.S. Mayor s Climate Protection Agreement, primarily concerned with reducing use of fossil fuels Energy Self-Reliance priority to rely on local energy resources to stabilize costs and availability; to create Net Zero Energy which is getting energy production and use to even out over a given period of time, like a year 3

4 Community Participation Municipal Officials and Departments Businesses Farmers Home Owners, Renters and Landlords Hospitals, Health Facilities and Senior Care Local Offices of State and Federal Agencies Schools and Colleges Utilities Energy production and use impacts everyone. Rising energy costs and the potential of shrinking supplies will affect everything. Energy planning needs to involve the whole community, including representatives from groups who don t normally get involved in green activities. New points of view can produce great new ideas. Municipal offices Not just the Mayor s office and the planning and building officials, but everyone from the Health Department to Solid Waste to Recreational Services Businesses Small local businesses through big box and fast food managers Farmers truck farms to dairy farms 4

5 The Six-Step Plan 1.The Vision 2.The Energy Use Baseline 3.The Resource Baseline 4.The Evaluation of Alternatives 5.The Plan and Timeline 6.The Measure of Success 1. Where we ultimately see ourselves 2. What we need now 3. What resources we have for reaching our goal 4. Possible ways to get there 5. Choosing our strategies and milestones 6. Making sure we stay on track 5

6 Step One: The Vision Burger King, Gardner, MA Photo from NREL Charlottesville, VA Pedestrian Mall Photo from LD Design and Illustration The vision is the long term ideal moving into a sustainable energy future will not happen over night This step relates to the sustainability visions mentioned before New Urbanist smart growth or solar city? These photos illustrate two different approaches that both ultimately reduce the carbon footprint 6

7 Step Two: The Energy Use Baseline Photos from NREL The energy use baseline creates a snapshot of how energy is used throughout the community. This would include electricity, natural gas, and gasoline. This involves some technical number crunching Utility data Auditing of buildings and homes Commuting estimates 7

8 Step Three: The Resource Baseline Redwood Forest, Sonoma County, CA NREL Photo Geothermal hot springs: Colorado Alligator Farm, Mosca, CO NREL Photo There are three categories of resources to assess: Energy resources and efficiency opportunities, including renewable energy, utility facilities, energy efficiency opportunities in all sectors, based on the energy use baseline this is more technical number crunching Assessing programs and plans already in place Local recycling and other green activities, municipal and private, including the Smart Growth Comprehensive Plan and other municipally adopted programs The last category is perhaps the most important Making note of the people in the community who can contribute to the planning and implementing process 8

9 Step Four: The Evaluation of Alternatives Solar Panels on a Federal Building in Maryland NREL Photos Iowa Wind Farm After figuring out resources and priorities, it s time to evaluate the alternatives for reaching the goals. This is where the economic considerations enter in what are the cost effective ways to proceed how to get more bang for the buck in the long run? EXAMPLES: Does solar power more more sense than generating electricity with local biomass? When do individual energy efficiency measures become less cost effective than a district heating system? This is also where state and federal incentives are assessed 9

10 Step Five: The Plan and Timeline Once you see how the various alternatives pencil out, its time to set some priorities and timelines and make the plan. What is the best way to get to net zero energy? How do we chose to invest our limited resources to reach our visionary goals? EXAMPLES: Do we creatively finance energy efficiency improvements for homes or invest in a biomass generation plant, knowing that the former would create a lot more local jobs than the latter, but they would both achieve carbon reduction? How can we work together to create economies of scale for increasing the efficiency of existing homes or buildings? Do we install solar panels on roofs or buy green energy from the utility? 10

11 Step Six: The Measure of Success The plan should include quantifiable milestones that will help measure progress in the future, such as energy reductions that can be confirmed by actual utility use data, or the installation of a certain level of renewable energy systems by a certain date. 11

12 Contact information: Ingrid Kelley, Project Manager Energy Center of Wisconsin 455 Science Drive, Suite 200 Madison, WI (608) x