SUBJECT: Consent Agenda
Title
Energy Action Plan 2.0 Completion Report
Body
DEPARTMENT: Public Works, Sustainability
PRESENTER/PREPARER: Tyler Kesler, Sustainability Manager
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Review Energy Action Plan 2.0 Completion Report and Support Implementation
End
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND OF SUBJECT MATTER:
The Town of Erie first applied to participate in Partners in Energy in 2017. With the input of a broad community stakeholder group, the Town adopted its first Energy Action Plan in 2018. The 2018 Plan established strategies for three key focus areas, which included new construction building codes, existing business recognition and outreach campaigns, and municipal leadership with benchmarking and energy audits. From April 2018 through September 2019, Erie received support from Partners in Energy to implement the strategies outlined in the Energy Action Plan and by the end of 2020, Erie achieved or vastly exceeded the goals established in the 2018 Energy Action Plan. The impact of the Action Plan achievements resulted in offsetting 1.5 GWh of electricity and saving $137,000 community-wide.
As evidenced from the first Energy Action Plan success, the Town has demonstrated emerging leadership in energy efficiency and renewable energy adoption. Given this progress, myriad energy programs, projects, and burgeoning opportunities, Erie continues to identify and implement energy efficiency and renewable energy values across multiple departments. To formalize and better understand the landscape and relationship of energy opportunities in the future, and to identify a subset of opportunities that could benefit from additional implementation support, the Town reapplied to participate in another round of the Partners in Energy planning in March 2021 and was awarded another grant for technical support to develop the Energy Action Plan 2.0.
In the Town’s reapplication to Partners in Energy, some of the most pressing issues that surfaced during the staff and stakeholder meetings included energy affordability, the nexus between energy and water, expansion of the Green Business & HOA Certification Program, and clean transportation. The final objectives chosen as the focus on this Energy Action Plan 2.0 simultaneously help achieve goals in the Sustainability Plan as well as take advantage of the technical support available through the Partners in Energy program. The two goals included in the Energy Action Plan 2.0 are:
1. Creating and disseminating a Renewable Energy Campaign
2. Support the Green Business & HOA Certification Program with energy efficiency and renewable energy options
The mission of Energy Action Plan 2.0 is to inspire renewed coordination across departments and organizations, and to continue making progress toward Town energy goals by supporting, over the next two years, the strategies identified in this plan. The impact and results of this Plan implementation will be measured by:
1. Doubling participation in energy programs, compared to a three-year average (2018-2020), over the course of 18 months.
2. Offset approximately 1.7% of community-wide electricity use and approximately 1.8% of Erie’s Xcel Energy natural gas use in 2018 and generate approximately 10% of total community electricity use in 2018 through renewable energy.
The Energy Action Plan 2.0 Executive Summary and Plan summarizes and provides extensive detail regarding each step of the 18-month implementation. Comments from stakeholders on final edits have been recorded and provided for reference as well. Updates will be provided twice per year until completion.
Board Priority(s) Addressed:
ü Attractive Community Amenities
ü Engaged and Diverse Community
ü Prosperous Economy
ü Small Town Feel
ü Safe and Healthy Community
ü Effective Governance
ü Environmentally Sustainable
ü Fiscally Responsible
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Executive Summary
2. Plan
3. Final Review Comments