Clean Energy Task Force Regular Meeting September 11, 2013 - Approved
CLEAN ENERGY TASK FORCE MINUTES - APPROVED
September 11, 2013
REGULAR MEETING
The meeting was called to order at 6:40 p.m. by Commissioner Beinstein in Main Conference Room of Simsbury Town Hall, with the following members present: Jim Ray, Melissa Valentin, Susan Van Kleef and Bob Beinstein.
1. REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM MEETING ON JULY 24th, 2013:
The draft minutes from the July 24th meeting were reviewed by all. Commissioner Van Kleef made a motion to approve the minutes with noted changes. Commissioner Valentin seconded the motion. All voted in favor.
2. PUBLIC AUDIENCE:
Commissioner Beinstein opened the floor for public audience.
Mr. Tom Roy, Simsbury Director of Public Works, provided an update to energy related projects.
- The Solar Power Purchase Agreement did not get selected and Mr. Roy felt that it was probably low in those that are on the waiting list. The final proposal included Tootin’ Hills School, the Water Treatment Plant and the Skating Rink as Simsbury Farms. Mr. Roy indicated that the State was looking for higher usage sites in their selection than Simsbury had available. However, he felt that not being selected may be a good thing as they just approved a bill for Virtual Net Metering which allows usage to be shared across other metered accounts. This would allow a solar site used for collection to not be limited to the specific site location. As such, a low energy usage site with space – like the Simsbury landfill, could now be considered versus an individual building complex where all the energy was only credited against its own usage. For the current proposal, if there was surplus energy produced, it could not be used to offset future usage for a given site, but with the virtual net metering, it could be used for a different metered location like Eno Hall, the Library, Town Hall, etc. As such, other possibilities may now exist rather than just the State ZREC (Zero Emission Renewable Energy Credit) program.
- Mr. Roy indicated that the new municipal pledge that the Connecticut CEFIA (Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority) requires is ready, but it is for the total town properties which include the school buildings. As such, before presentation to the Simsbury Board of Selectman (BOS), it should be discussed with the Simsbury Board of Education (BOE). Mr. Roy indicated that over the summer, he had an intern take the myriad of electrical bills and get them loaded into a single database (EnergyStar Portfolio Manager) to allow assessment of the electrical usage for the town buildings. He needs to further investigate some of the year to year data as the results do not look correct for one year as it is so much higher with no known reason - may just be some double entries. This ultimately will allow the town to have a baseline in which to judge improvements for electrical usage which had been an issue due to the multiple accounts in not having a means to address total usage. The other energy sources are much easier to address as there is single (or limited) billings which are much easier to handle. This energy usage baseline is necessary as part of the basis of the pledge to reduce municipal building energy consumption by 20 percent by 2018, and to voluntarily purchase 20 percent of its municipal electrical needs from renewable sources by 2018.
- Mr. Roy indicated that he would like to present the Simsbury Energy Plan at the same BOS meeting when the new pledge is provided. A general discussion about the status of the plan and suggestions for changes was held. It was agreed that Mr. Roy would send out the current plan to Commissioner Ray for distribution to the CETF for review/comments prior to finalizing it for the BOS presentation.
- Mr. Roy had met with Community Farm representatives along with Mr. Mickey Toro of C-TEC Solar in regards to a possible solar installation at the farm. It was determined that they have a suitable location, but will wait until the solar panels earned by the Town are available. It was discussed that although the panels were earned under the past Municipal pledge, CEFIA will not provide them until the new pledge has been signed. CEFIA had been contacted in behalf of Simsbury by State Representative John Hampton, but they would not agree to back off their new criteria. As such, the 7kW of solar photovoltaic panels are tied to the new pledge. CETF will decide when they are available as to how they will be used with recommendations for both Simsbury High School and the Community Farm subject to final approval by the State. It was noted that the Town also will be eligible for the first Bright Ideas grant of $10,000 as it already has enough points which also is tied to the new pledge.
Mr. Bill Bitterli, a resident of Simsbury, indicated he was interested in learning about the CETF and helping out. He is a consulting engineer in the energy field. Commissioner Ray indicated that he would forward him a lot of the background information about the programs being discussed and welcomed any help he felt he wished to provide.
Ms. Claudia Szerakowski was introduced by Commissioner Valentin as interested in joining CETF. She had been involved with the initial forming of the Simsbury High School Environmental Club and which Commissioner Valentin’s daughter, Ms. Natalie Valentin, had been head of during her time in high school. Ms. Szerakowski indicated she was now living back in Simsbury and is working at UTC with their energy program. Commissioner Ray indicated he also would forward the same information he will be sending to Mr. Bitterli.
Ms. Kelly McAlpine and Ms. Caroline Murphy also were introduced by Commissioner Valentin as they are currently leading the Simsbury High School Environmental Club. A general discussion was held about what past programs/involvement that CETF had had with the Environmental Club and welcomed new joint efforts with CETF and the Environmental Club.
Ms. Ieke Scully was thanked for her and her husband, Mr. Mark Scully, with sharing their Tesla electric car for showing at Septemberfest. Ms. Scully indicated that Mr. Nevin Christensen of Flamig Farm had also helped out in showing the Tesla on Friday night as they could not be there. Ms. Scully asked if the meeting days are set on Wednesday or can consideration of other days be included. She indicated that her husband, Mr. Mark Scully, was interested in attending but due to his work out of town, he would only be available for Mondays. Commissioner Ray indicated that CETF had met on other days in the past and could be considered for next year at least since the schedule had not been set. Commissioner Beinstein indicated that Monday meetings were preferable to him due to his travel schedule so certainly something to be considered. This will be discussed at a future meeting with Chairman Boeshans.
No additional topics were discussed and Commissioner Beinstein closed the Public Audience.
3. REVIEW of CEFIA STATISTICS:
Commissioner Ray indicated that there had been no recent update to the CEFIA site for the points earned by Simsbury. This has been typical that there are long periods with no updates. Will continue to check and report back when the data is updated.
4. DATES and ATTENDANCE for BOS PROPOSAL of NEW SUSTAINABILITY PLEDGE:
Based on the discussions with Mr. Roy, Commissioner Beinstein indicated he would draft a letter that could be sent to the BOE in this regard. Also before presentation to the BOS, Commissioner Van Kleef indicated she would update Selectman Shannon Knall who is the liaison for the CETF with the BOS. Dates for the presentation to the BOS will be dependent on the scheduling for the briefing to the BOE first.
5. COMMUNITY FARM STATUS:
This was already discussed by Mr. Roy during the Public Audience.
6. SEPTEMBERFEST REVIEW:
A general discussion was held about what successes and needs for next year. Commissioner Ray indicated that being next to a vendor that was doing the Home Energy Audits was very good particularly since they were offering to do them free (normally $99 or $75 based on heating fuel source). Since the Town gets credit for these audits, we encouraged quite a few people to sign up for the audit with very good success. We did not have similar success with Clean Energy Options sign-ups. Community Energy had agreed to have someone there, but somehow got the weekend mixed up. 3D Energy had been contacted with no reply. Commissioner Van Kleef indicated she heard more than one comment about the lack of bike racks at the site. Commissioner Valentin will get some pricing for a rack for discussion at a future meeting. The location for the electric cars (the Tesla and the student project arranged through Mr. Kurt Dougan from Simsbury High School) were considered by everyone as being a good display, but the location outside of the Septemberfest in the parking lot was not preferable. It was discussed that early planning for Septemberfest will need to done next year to improve the CETF’s efforts.
7. OPEN FORUM:
Commissioner Van Kleef presented a request by the Simsbury Land Trust for CETF to provide sponsorship for their Green Scenes Film Series. Commissioner Van Kleef indicated that CETF had sponsored it at a $250 level last year. Commissioner Beinstein made a motion to sponsor the Green Scenes program at the $250 level. Commissioner Valentin seconded the motion. Commissioner Van Kleef recused herself as she is a member of the Simsbury Land Trust Board. The vote was then taken with unanimous approval.
6. NEXT MEETING
The next scheduled meeting is September 25th.
7. ADJOURNMENT
Commissioner Van Kleef motioned to adjourn the meeting at approximately 8:25 p.m. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Valentin and unanimously approved.