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Statewide LG EE Best Practices: Weekly Update
Here
are your wEEkly Updates:
News and Opportunities
Local
Governments Push for Strong Reach Codes
The City of San Mateo and the Town of Portola Valley are both working on adopting reach codes that go beyond the State's CALGreen requirements to help them achieve their climate action goals.
The City of San Mateo and the Town of Portola Valley are both working on adopting reach codes that go beyond the State's CALGreen requirements to help them achieve their climate action goals.
Broad
Coalition Backs Enhancements to Energy-Saving Program
A diverse coalition of 19 groups is supporting a proposal to significantly enhance California's Energy Savings Assistance Program, to provide more energy efficiency opportunities for low-income households - especially underserved residents of multi-family housing.
A diverse coalition of 19 groups is supporting a proposal to significantly enhance California's Energy Savings Assistance Program, to provide more energy efficiency opportunities for low-income households - especially underserved residents of multi-family housing.
OPR
Survey: Streamlined Solar Permitting Ordinance 2016
The Governor's Office of Planning and Research requests information from local jurisdictions on their progress with implementation of AB 2188, the Expedited Solar Permitting Act, Government Code Section 65850.5(g). In addition, CALSEIA and Center for Sustainable Energy are offering technical assistance to help jurisdictions implement streamlined solar permitting processes. Survey closes November 18, 2016.
The Governor's Office of Planning and Research requests information from local jurisdictions on their progress with implementation of AB 2188, the Expedited Solar Permitting Act, Government Code Section 65850.5(g). In addition, CALSEIA and Center for Sustainable Energy are offering technical assistance to help jurisdictions implement streamlined solar permitting processes. Survey closes November 18, 2016.
Energy Globe Award
The Energy Globe Award is presented annually to outstanding and sustainable projects in the area of environment energy (e.g., resource conservation, improvement of air and water quality, energy efficiency, use of renewable energies, and recycling). Awards are presented at the national level and on the international level in 6 categories: Earth, Fire, Water, Air, Youth and Sustainable Projects. Deadline for submissions is November 18, 2016.
The Energy Globe Award is presented annually to outstanding and sustainable projects in the area of environment energy (e.g., resource conservation, improvement of air and water quality, energy efficiency, use of renewable energies, and recycling). Awards are presented at the national level and on the international level in 6 categories: Earth, Fire, Water, Air, Youth and Sustainable Projects. Deadline for submissions is November 18, 2016.
Job Opportunity: Senior Project Manager, SBCCOG
The South Bay Cities Council of Governments is hiring for a senior project manager for their energy efficiency and environmental programs. This senior level position is responsible for the development of strategies, standards, and processes for implementation of programs, activities, and events related to the environment, water, energy, and transportation; engages with partners and program customers; and has knowledge of basic employee performance management standards and practices.
The South Bay Cities Council of Governments is hiring for a senior project manager for their energy efficiency and environmental programs. This senior level position is responsible for the development of strategies, standards, and processes for implementation of programs, activities, and events related to the environment, water, energy, and transportation; engages with partners and program customers; and has knowledge of basic employee performance management standards and practices.
10/25 (webinar) Meeting Climate Change Goals with Energy
Efficiency: Cities and the Clean Power Plan
This webinar will discuss how cities can use energy efficiency to meet climate goals and potentially secure new funding streams to pay for projects and programs. Presenters will provide an overview of opportunities under the Clean Power Plan and drill down into the early credit program benefitting low-income communities, the Clean Energy Incentive Program.
This webinar will discuss how cities can use energy efficiency to meet climate goals and potentially secure new funding streams to pay for projects and programs. Presenters will provide an overview of opportunities under the Clean Power Plan and drill down into the early credit program benefitting low-income communities, the Clean Energy Incentive Program.
10/27 (webinar) LGP + REN EM&V Roadmaps Update
This discussion will be facilitated by Jeremy Battis of Energy Division and will present for public comment proposed changes to the LG sector roadmaps that come out of an engagement exercise with the unified LGP-REN-CCA PCG at its Oct. 11 meeting.
This discussion will be facilitated by Jeremy Battis of Energy Division and will present for public comment proposed changes to the LG sector roadmaps that come out of an engagement exercise with the unified LGP-REN-CCA PCG at its Oct. 11 meeting.
11/15 (Sacramento)
Street Lights: Illuminating Implementation and Equity in Complete Streets
This day-long conference will be a chance for transportation planners and engineers, community, equity, and health advocates, local officials, and Complete Streets practitioners to share ideas, brainstorm solutions, and celebrate the success of the Complete STreets movement nationwide together.
This day-long conference will be a chance for transportation planners and engineers, community, equity, and health advocates, local officials, and Complete Streets practitioners to share ideas, brainstorm solutions, and celebrate the success of the Complete STreets movement nationwide together.
11/16
(Berkeley) ZNE for Local Governments Workshop, BayREN Fall Forum
This six-hour workshop will supplor local governments working to integrate state goals to achieve zero net energy (ZNE) buildings. Learn about case studies on ZNE buildings, new programs and tools to support local government ZNE policy and plan development, as well as new research and emerging trends.
This six-hour workshop will supplor local governments working to integrate state goals to achieve zero net energy (ZNE) buildings. Learn about case studies on ZNE buildings, new programs and tools to support local government ZNE policy and plan development, as well as new research and emerging trends.
Resources and Reports
A Roadmap for Clean Power Plan Compliance: State
Development and Consideration of Energy Efficiency
This paper examines two state that have committed to planning for CPP compliance on an accelerated timetable: Minnesota and Pennsylvania. The paper compares and contrasts efforts in these states in order to identify best practices and lessons learned that can be applied in other states as they juggle the multiple responsibilities of air, energy, and utility regulators to achieve their pollution-reduction goals.
This paper examines two state that have committed to planning for CPP compliance on an accelerated timetable: Minnesota and Pennsylvania. The paper compares and contrasts efforts in these states in order to identify best practices and lessons learned that can be applied in other states as they juggle the multiple responsibilities of air, energy, and utility regulators to achieve their pollution-reduction goals.
Behavior Change Programs: Status and Impact
This report aims to help program administrators choose effective behavior chage programs for their specific purposes. The report focuses on behavior change programs that primarily rely on social-science-based strategies instead of traditional approaches such as incentives, rebates, pricing, or legal and policy strategies.
This report aims to help program administrators choose effective behavior chage programs for their specific purposes. The report focuses on behavior change programs that primarily rely on social-science-based strategies instead of traditional approaches such as incentives, rebates, pricing, or legal and policy strategies.
How Investing in Energy Efficiency Changed the US Power Sector
and Gave Us a Tool to Tackle Climate Change
Energy efficiency has become the nation's third-largest elecrricity resource, lowering harmful pollution, creating US jobs, reducing energy burdens for those most in need, and strengthening community resilience. With increased support it could become the largest and one of the world's core strategies to tackle climate change.
Energy efficiency has become the nation's third-largest elecrricity resource, lowering harmful pollution, creating US jobs, reducing energy burdens for those most in need, and strengthening community resilience. With increased support it could become the largest and one of the world's core strategies to tackle climate change.
ZNE
Building Design and Performance Verification Methodologies
This study develops drat verification methodoligies for ZNE buildings in California to address how gross energy savings at the unit level (ZNE building) are to be verified at the design stage as well as once the building is constructed and under operation.
This study develops drat verification methodoligies for ZNE buildings in California to address how gross energy savings at the unit level (ZNE building) are to be verified at the design stage as well as once the building is constructed and under operation.
Want
to share a news item, an event, or a resource through the wEEkly updates?
Please send a blurb and a link to me at jkim@lgc.org
for consideration.
And that's all for this week! Have a great weekend!
Lighting the Way to Savings
We have all gotten used to having
lights to guide us down the road or down the sidewalk, but do you know how much
electricity it takes to light that path? Many American’s have no idea what it
takes to keep common area lighting going, but your cities and counties do. If
you were to ask them how much it costs they would most likely state…TOO MUCH!
Cities have held back on making the leap
to LED streetlights, since it comes with a pretty hefty price tag. Many city
councils and or county supervisors get hung up on the price tag and vote no,
but there are many more added benefits to making the change than one would
think. When streetlights are upgraded to LED streetlights cities will gain more
than energy savings and energy usage. They will be improving light pollution,
wasted lighting and public safety. Many may doubt that the items listed above
can be improved with just lights, but I am here to prove it to you!
Most of the older streetlights
that you see today were installed in the 1970’s and give off an orange hue. The
hue is caused by the lights containing sodium, which takes a lot of energy to
keep lit. Estimates show that for outdoor
parking and roadway lighting the US spends around $10 Billion dollars’ each
year. That same amount that goes to those outdoor lighting structures would be
able to power around 6 million homes. [i] Besides the conservation of energy look at the dollars and cents that would be
saved. That is a large chunk of money that a city or county could put toward a
large improvement project.
When a city decides to make the
switch to LED streetlights they would be able to use 60% less electricity. One
such success story was featured in SF Bay. The City of San Jose is retrofitting
63,000 of their streetlights by the year 2016. [ii]
It is one of the biggest lighting retrofits in the country. The city is doing a
two part retrofit with the first part consisting of 18,100 lights and comes at
a cost of $10.5 million. The city is working with PG&E on their
streetlights program, which will provide around $900,000 in rebates once all is
said and done. With the incentive taken into consideration the city will cut
the big price tag down to $9.6 million. Not too shabby of a savings in my book.
Besides the money and
energy savings cities can improve light pollution and wasted light as well. Having
LED streetlights allows the lighting to be directed to where you would like the
lighting to go to.[iii] Along
with having directional light LED’s are able to deliver a more even light to
the area being lit. With more even light you do not get the glowing sensation
like you would with the older orange lights.
Now when it comes to improving
public safety street lights help to improve pedestrian safety and traffic
safety. With well thought out plans of street lights pedestrian can become more
visible along the sidewalks as well as in the crosswalks or roadways. When it
comes to traffic safety improved lighting would be a no brainer. With well-lit
roadways and intersections you have improved visibility of vehicles. Most of
your high lit areas would be those that have high traffic, high volume and
dangerous or blind curves.
Though city officials would
receive praise for making such large investments and upgrades they can also
receive national recognition. Just this year President Obama launched the Presidential
Challenge for Advanced Outdoor Lighting. This challenge is to help push
municipalities to make the upgrade to better outdoor lighting. For those cities
and local governments that would like to gain that recognition and complete the
work they will be listed on the white house partners listing as well as gain press
attention.
[i]
“LED Outdoor Lighting: A $6 Billion Annual Savings Opportunity”, Mar. 18, 2015,
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/blog/post/2015/03/led-outdoor-lighting-a-6-billion-annual-savings-opportunity
[ii]
“San Jose Flips Switch on LED Streetlights”, Mar., 18, 2015, http://sfbay.ca/2015/02/11/san-jose-flips-switch-on-led-streetlights/
[iii] “Improving
Efficiency in Municipal Street and Public Space Lighting”, Mar., 26, 2015, http://www.efficiencyvermont.com/Docs/for_my_business/lighting_programs/StreetLightingGuide.pdf
Gustine goes green with energy efficiency
Or, in this case, in the street.
A total of 53 brand new light emitting diode, or LED, street lights have been installed, casting a brighter glow on City streets than the old high-pressure sodium bulbs they replaced. The new lights are also significantly more energy efficient, saving the City much needed cash on its utility bills.
What this means to the average taxpayer is significant savings to City coffers through lower utility bills. The energy efficiency retrofits when complete will save the City about 23,962 kilowatt hours of energy per year. This roughly equates to a savings of about $3,047 a year.
And that’s a big deal in these troubled economic times.
Another big deal is that the entire project isn’t costing the City a dime. The money that makes the project possible comes from an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The program is administered through the U.S. Department of Energy and the California Energy Commission.
Gustine joined with 35 other cities and counties in the region to form the San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Partnership, which is led by the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District with the assistance of the nonprofit San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization. The Partnership administers the more than $4 million in grants and provides technical assistance to local governments.
The City worked with Pacific Gas and Electric Co., which installed the lights through its LED street light retrofit program.
Oakdale goes green with new tech and lighting
A total of 184 brand new street lights with induction-style bulbs have been installed, casting a brighter glow on city streets than the old high-pressure sodium bulbs they replaced. The new lights are also significantly more energy efficient, saving the City much needed cash on its utility bills.
The City also has installed variable frequency drive, or VFD, units at three of its water wells, enabling significant savings by controlling energy to the pumps and thus regulating their speed and consumption of power. A VFD allows for smoother operation, acceleration control and different operating speeds for various operations.
“This project will help us, as a City, lower greenhouse gas emissions, lower our electricity bills, and turn back on some of the street lights that have been dark for years now,” said Anthony Smith, Oakdale Administrative Analyst. “In addition, the new variable frequency drives will allow us to lower energy consumption and better respond to changes in demand in the water system.”
What this means to the average taxpayer is significant savings to City coffers through lower utility bills. The energy efficiency retrofits when complete will save the City about 204,159 kilowatt hours of energy per year. This roughly equates to a savings of about $25,000 a year and a greenhouse gas reduction about the same as taking 29 cars off the road.
And that’s a big deal in these troubled economic times.
The money that makes the majority of the project possible comes from an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The program is administered through the U.S. Department of Energy and the California Energy Commission.
Oakdale joined with 35 other cities and counties in the region to form the San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Partnership, which is led by the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District with the assistance of the nonprofit San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization. The Partnership administers the more than $4 million in grants and provides technical assistance to local governments.
San Joaquin finds savings in energy efficiency
A total of 35 brand new light emitting diode (LED) street lights have been installed, casting a brighter glow than the old high-pressure sodium bulbs they replaced.
Other related projects include programmable thermostats and occupancy sensors; together with the new street lights, the City can expect to reduce their energy consumption by 14,910 kilowatt hours producing an estimated savings of $1,790 per year.
Mayor Amarpreet Dhaliwal says this project is a big deal for the City as it isn’t costing the City a dime and it is leading the way in efforts to reduce energy consumption which is keeping with the goals of the City’s Local Government Partnership, a joint project with PG&E, whose purpose is to educate residents and businesses on energy conservation in order to generate reductions in energy consumption.
The money that makes the project possible comes from an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The program is administered through the U.S. Department of Energy and the California Energy Commission.
San Joaquin joined with 35 other cities and counties in the region to form the San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Partnership, which is led by the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District with the assistance of the nonprofit San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization. The Partnership administers the more than $4 million in grants and provides technical assistance to local governments.
Dos Palos saves money with energy efficiency
The City of Dos Palos is greeting the spring a little greener than usual.A total of 11 brand new light emitting diode, or LED, street lights have been installed, casting a brighter glow on city streets than the old high-pressure sodium bulbs they replaced. City buildings also are scheduled to receive a lighting face-lift. The new lights are significantly more energy efficient, saving the City much needed cash on its utility bills.
What this means to the average taxpayer is significant savings to City coffers through lower utility bills. The energy efficiency retrofits when complete will save the City about 25,275 kilowatt hours of energy per year. This roughly equates to a savings of about $3,030 a year.
And that’s a big deal in these troubled economic times.
Dos Palos joined with 35 other cities and counties in the region to form the San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Partnership, which is led by the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District with the assistance of the nonprofit San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization. The Partnership administers the more than $4 million in grants and provides technical assistance to local governments.
The City worked with Pacific Gas and Electric Co., which installed the lights through its LED street light retrofit program.
Photo: Joshua Orizaga
Alaska's largest city buys big into LED street lights
While not as oppressive as those of Point Barrow on the Arctic Ocean, the long nights require decent man-made lighting to illuminate the often snow-packed and ice-frosted roads. And that makes street lights important.
The project is similar to one by the San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Partnership, which is working with 19 cities and one county and Pacific Gas and Electric Co. to install energy saving LED street lights from Wasco to Selma and San Joaquin to Madera County and Gustine.
The effort by the Municipality of Anchorage, however, is massive with more than 16,000 street lights. The partnership's program is comparatively small with 2,136 lights.
The Anchorage Assembly approved phase one, and 4,000 LED fixtures have been installed, city officials say.
"At an initial investment of $2.2 million and an annual savings of $360,000, these fixtures will pay for themselves in less than seven years," they say.
Here's Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, discussing the projet at a a U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting in June 2010.
Begich, a former Anchorage mayor and long-time staffer, says he made sure to involve the community in the decision to swap the lights. He says the directive was to save money, but "let's make sure the end user appreciates the light." He also encourages other cities to follow with their own projects.
The Valley project, paid for with Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant funds, is nearly complete. The lighting saves cash-strapped Valley communities money and offers gives a whole new perspective on street lighting.
Expect to see more street lights with the distinctive bright LED light. PG&E is complementing the partnership's program with a separate on-bill financing opportunity, and many cities are taking the utility up on the work.
The end result is a smaller energy bill and better solvency in a tough economic time.
Alaska's largest city is making a big deal of the installation, at least on its website. City officials boast: "Anchorage is blazing the trail in streetlight improvement policies, and communities across the state, the country, and around the world are watching closely to follow our lead."
Anchorage often goes all out to boast of its accomplishments. If it doesn't, nobody pays attention. But the message is sound. Energy efficiency works.
Photo: PG&E replacing street lights with LED fixtures in Napa.