Statewide LG EE Best Practices: Weekly Update

Here are your wEEkly updates:

1. CURRENTS Summer Edition: the Summer 2016 edition of our energy and sustainability CURRENTS newsletter is live! Get community engagement and environmental justice best practices, building technology case studies, learn about favorite energy code resources, an innovative new approach to drive residential energy savings, and more.

2. EE Coordinating Committee Update, 7/13 Meeting: The California EE Coordinating Committee (CAEECC) is meeting July 13^th: review the agenda and other recent updates from CAEECC here. You can also review presentations from energy efficiency Program Administrators, see comments from stakeholders, and more on the CAEECC website.

3. Webinar on New EE Programs 7/14: Southern California Edison (SCE) invites you to a July 14^th webinar that will provide an overview on three High Opportunity Programs or Projects (HOPPs) proposals related to Public Buildings Retro-commissioning, On-Bill Financing, and Comprehensive Commercial HVAC.

4. CPUC EE Program Evaluation Webinars 7/20: the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)’s evaluation consultant Itron is holding two public webinars July 20^th to present and receive public comment on plans for impact studies of local governments partnerships (LGPs) and Regional Energy Networks (RENs).

5. EE Financing Pilot Workshop 7/20: CAEATFA will be hosting a series of public workshops related to the commercial pilots and on-bill repayment under the California Hub for Energy Efficiency Financing (CHEEF) – with the first workshop taking place July 20^th.

6. Climate Change Conference 8/1: Join the Association of Environmental Professionals (AEP) Institute in Sacramento August 1st for their third annual conference, focusing on “Climate Change Implications and Adaptation.” 

7. Working out TDV: For those looking ahead towards the zero net energy requirements coming under 2019 energy code: new documents on time dependent valuation (TDV) of energy are available from the California Energy Commission (CEC).

8. TDV Workshop 7/15: The CEC will also be holding a Lead Commissioners Workshop to review TDV and Life Cycle Analysis Methodology on July 15^th.

9. Rural EE Webinar 7/12: Co-hosted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of Energy, this webinar will highlight federal energy efficiency programs with an emphasis on rural America.

10. Resources for EE Districts: The U.S. Department of Energy’s Building Technologies Office and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have partnered with Architecture 2030 to expand support for its 2030 Districts Initiative, which focuses on improving energy efficiency for major metropolitan areas in their sustainability endeavors.

11. Navigating Title 20’s New Water Efficiency Standards: Last week I shared some information on new water efficiency standards now in effect (July 1). Now, you can get the latest resources to understand and comply with the new standards from Energy Code Ace – including a new Plumbing Fittings and Fixtures Fact Sheet – to capture the power of saving water.

12. Innovative Water/EE Strategies: Learn the latest from BayREN on how their Pay As You Save (PAYS) water efficiency financing program is serving the Cities of Hayward, Windsor, and now the East Bay Municipal Utility District’s multi-family sector.

13. New Video: Oakland and Richmond on Bringing Home the Message of COP21: Hear from the Cities of Oakland and Richmond on their experience visiting Paris during the COP21 Climate Conference in December 2015, specific examples on their leadership on energy and climate in their communities, and advice for local governments looking to get started.

14. EE and Solar Savings for the City of Grass Valley: Congratulations to Grass Valley, celebrated the completion of a number of municipal energy efficiency and solar projects through an energy performance contract – including new solar generation, LED streetlight retrofits across the City, ADA compliance retrofits for all streetlights, upgraded interior and exterior lighting, and installation and replacement of the roof at City Hall. Learn more about the project.

15. Passive House History in North America: Are “passive house” building efficiency strategies German, or are there roots in the Americas? Learn about early North American case studies in this Energy Vanguard article.

16. EE Competition Best Practices: A new LBNL paper covering best practices in developing energy competitions, “Competition, carbon, and conservation: Assessing the energy savings potential of energy efficiency competitions” is available to download. (Or, learn more about setting up a competition from EPA ENERGY STAR.)

17. New Revised SGIP: For those integrating renewables: the CPUC last week approved an updated and revised Self Generation Incentive Program, which provides $83 million a year through 2019 for behind-the-meter generation technologies including wind, fuel cells and energy storage.

18. Clean Energy Support for EJ: The U.S. EPA invites you to participate in a webinar on July 19^th that will provide an overview of the Clean Energy Incentive Program (CEIP) Design Details Proposal for community and environmental justice groups.

19. Clean Energy Lessons from Germany: LGC Executive Director Kate Meis has returned from a tour of clean energy innovation in German local governments. Learn what lessons Germany can share with California in LGC”s Livable Places Update.

20. Whittier Underway with Streetlighting and Building EE Savings: Congratulations to the City of Whittier for leveraging incentives and technical assistance from Southern California Edison and The Energy Network for municipal upgrades estimated to save the City over $200,000 per year – including streetlight upgrades, building HVAC, and indoor lighting.

21. Benefits of ZNE Schools: Are there benefits to expect from zero net energy investments in schools beyond energy, operational and environmental savings? Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and the New Buildings Institute review evidence of educational benefits.

22. Spotlight on CNG and Air Quality: Learn about how the San Joaquin Valley leveraged Air District funds and funding from the CEC’s Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program (ARFVTP) to install a compressed natural gas station at the Lodi Unified School District.

23. Energy Data Coverage from DOE: The U.S. Department of Energy recently updated the State and Local Energy Data (SLED) website, which allows users to search by zip code to get an energy profile – including climate and emissions data – for their respective city.

24. Job Announcements: MCE is hiring for two Power Supply Contracts Managers! Learn more here.

25. RFP: The City of San José posted RFP 32016 – Consultant Services for Environmental Sustainability Plan on June 30th. Learn more here.

That’s all for this week!

Grange Network to host first free webinar on efficient water delivery this Thursday

The SJVCEO likes to make friends wherever we can, so when we met Jim Anshutz preparing for our Clean Energy Jobs workshop last December we knew we'd be fast friends!

Sure enough, the work Jim and his partner, Kurt Maloney are doing with AGH20 is right up our water/energy nexus alley.  In addition to collaborating on our C6 training program they have also started a web based community for irrigation industry called the Grange Network.  The new site serves the Agricultural Irrigation Industry's need to share knowledge and effectively use water.

On Thursday, February 28th the Grange Network will hoe the first in a series of free webinars hosted by top industry thinkers.  Click here to register. 

Topic: Making Drip Pay: Increasing Income, Reducing Costs and Improving Flexibility
Speaker: Inge Bisconer, Technical Marketing and Sales Manager, Toro
Date: Thursday, February 28, 2013
Time: 10:00 a.m. PST, 60 minutes
Cost: FREE!
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Session Description: Drip irrigation for agriculture is gaining in popularity because of its many benefits.  This webinar provides an overview of how producers are increasing income, reducing costs, improving flexibility and achieving sustainability by using drip irrigation technology on row, field and permanent crops.

Case studies will be reviewed, along with a unique software tool called the Toro Drip/Mirco Payback Wizard. Finally, a typical drip irrigation system layout and design will be reviewed using Toro's AquaFlow 3.2 Drip Irrigation Design Software.

About Inge Bisconer: Inge Bisconer is the Technical Marketing and Saels Manger for Toro Mirco-Irrigation in El Cajon, CA.  She has worked in production agriculture, co-founded an irrigation consulting firm, and has held various technical, sales, marketing and management positions in the irrigation and water treatment industries over the past 30 years.

Inge holds a BS in agriculture from UC Davis, an MBA in technology management, and most recently authored the Toro Mirco-Irrigation Owner's Manual, a comprehensive guide for both new and existing row, field and permanent crop growers.

Inge currently serves as President of the California Irrigation Institute, is an Irrigation Association Certified Irrigation Designer (CID) and Landscape Irrigation Auditor (CLIA), and it past-chair of the IA's Drip/Mirco Common Interest Group and its Market Development subcommittee.

The "Grange Network  is a collaborative effort between AGH2O and vftnetworks--A Vignettes for Training Inc. Company.

photo credit: CUESA via photopin cc

Wellness Wednesday: Wait, What the WWTF?

It’s easy to take what seem like the simple things in life, like running water, for granted. You turn on the faucet and out it comes. You flush the toilet and there it goes. Your sprinklers go off like clockwork. I was taught the importance of water conservation (e.g. turn off the faucet while you brush your teeth and whatnot) but not until a recent visit to the City ofWoodlake’s Waste Water Treatment Facility (WWTF) did I truly grasp the consequences of my actions and the ‘big picture’ when it comes to water use.

A waste water treatment facility is the destination for all waste water that travels through our complex sewer systems. This can be from our homes (toilets, baths, showers, kitchens, sinks, etc.), industry, and storm water runoff. A lovely combination of human waste, animal waste, oil and grease, and whatever else finds its way into the system go through a series of processes at the facility in order to treat it so that it may be discharged into a body of water, used as irrigation, or even put back into the groundwater supply. That is the overly simplified explanation so you can visit good ol’ Wikipedia for some great diagrams. The largest gag reflex point of Courtney and my tour of Woodlake’s WWTF would have to have been at the very beginning where solid wastes that cannot proceed through the treatment facility are disposed of into the trash to be taken to the dump. Nothing was even processing at the time we stood there but I could only imagine. Close second was standing on the catwalk over the bubbling waste water as it was being treated – see photos for full effect. The most amazing part of our tour was that while I was thoroughly disgusted, I was also equally fascinated.

It doesn’t take a genius to realize that these complex processes to treat waste water take a huge amount of energy. My personal adventures in benchmarking municipal energy use and seeing the utility bills related to running these facilities caused my jaw to drop. According to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), ‘municipal water supply and waste water treatment systems are among the most energy-intensive facilities owned and are operated by local governments, accounting for about 35% of energy used by municipalities’. You can’t deny the obvious link between water and energy; in fact, this is something the VIEW Partnership hopes to address in the coming year. The City of Woodlake wisely incorporated energy efficiency measures into the development of their treatment facility which will help with operation costs.

I think it goes without saying that these facilities are not only related to energy but also to our health. Without these treatment facilities…well, I don’t need to spell it out - just think about it. Proper collection, treatment, and disposal of waste water are crucial for human and environmental health. Water contamination can lead to cholera, typhoid, parasites, and Hepatitis – just to name a few illnesses.  

My visit to Woodlake’s facility was a reminder to be cautious as to what I put down the drain and to be thankful for our municipalities for allowing us safer and healthier lives.  Hats off to you, Woodlake, and congrats on the grand opening of your new facility!

PHOTOS (from C. Kalashian)

Energy And Water: A Call For An Integrated Policy

The twin pillars of water and power have caught the attention of two non-profit industry groups. The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy and the Alliance for Water Efficiency teamed up to study and present recommendations for addressing the "nexus" of water and energy.

"...Every drop of water saved in the United States saves energy, and every unit of energy saved saves water," the report starts out.

Calling itself a "blueprint" for action, the white paper - produced with the help of financing from the Turner Foundation - makes the case for a collaborative policy of water and energy conservation. "The two communities have not historically worked together," the report states..."and instead generally created separate but parallel efforts."

A concerted effort could reap major benefits. The report cites a 2009 study by the River Network that estimated water-related energy accounted for 13% of the nation's total electricity consumption.

A separate 2005 report by the California Energy Commission found that "sourcing, moving, re-treating, heating, collecting and disposing of water" accounted for 19% of the state's electricity, 30% of its natural gas and 88 billion gallons of diesel fuel annually.

The report uses the words "energy" and "electricity" interchangeably, and notes "water" refers to wastewater and treated water. It is no coincidence that more cities, including some in the San Joaquin Valley, are using solar, fuel cells and other renewable power sources in their water-treatment facilities. check out our recent blog post on that topic.

The study presents eight broad themes as recommendations:

1/ Increase cooperation between water and energy communities in planning solutions;

2/ Achieve a deeper understanding of the water embedded in energy and energy embedded in water;

3/ Learn from and replicate the best practices integrated water-energy programs;

4/ Integrate water into energy research and vice versa;

5/ Consider regulatory structures that provide an incentive for investing in integrated programs;

6/ Build upon existing programs that address water and energy as a package;

7/ Implement codes that mandate combined improvements;

8/ Pursue training, awareness and educational campaigns.

Those recommendations sound simple on the surface, but actually require some major policy shifts. "The two communities frequently operate under different regulatory business models and existing structures that do not recognize the benefits of both energy and water savings," the authors stated.

One of the most interesting challenges involves what the study calls antiquated methods of collecting water-utility revenue. It contends that common pricing methods discourage conservation and urges a revamp.

The authors say the report is a good first step, but suggests the process will be long. "This blueprint is...direction setting, and we hope that the energy and water conservation communities will learn from it and be motivated to act."

Photo of fuel cell at city of Tulare's water-treatment plant