Category Archives: Energy Committee

Energy Committee Meeting Minutes

October 25, 2012, 7:30 P.M. Town Hall

Present: Marie Nolan, Cynthia Greene, Lee Alinsky, Fred Davis, Charles Kellner, David Temple, Osler Peterson, Michael Sullivan and David Cressman, guest.

Chairman Nolan called the meeting to order at 7:35 pm.

I. Accept minutes of last meeting – September 27, 2012 Minutes by Mike Sullivan were accepted.

II. Dartmouth Energy Efficiency/Renewable Energy Strategies Discussion with Town of Dartmouth Administrator

David Cressman, Town Administrator of Dartmouth, MA shared his experiences regarding that town’s successful renewable energy activities. He had previously been in Tewksbury. In Dartmouth, an energy committee was started around 2000 by his predecessor; the committee had significant engineering talent. The focus was wind, thinking it would provide biggest bang for buck. But around 3 yrs ago, it had become “a runaway locomotive”; they were looking at 80-100 meter turbines; that was too high, as it was in a flight path; also too close to wetlands, zoning issues, then financing. The reward looked ok, but with low confidence, only 50%, meaning high risk. At 80-90% confidence, the picture was much less rosy; plus noise concerns. Was heading for 8 MW. Switched from town-owned to a firm-owned project which would sell electricity to town. However, no wind developments ensued.

Switched focus to installing PV (photovoltaic) on capped landfill. Got town meeting approval to lease land for 20 years. By this point, there were many wind opponents who easily became solar proponents. Gave solar farm companies as-of-right in any zone in Town. Asked for RFPs, considered quality, experience, price.

Developments in the past 3 years:

• 1.8MW ConEd [ConEdison Development] in industrial park; 20-acre parcel, 10-acre plant.
• 2.6MW ConEd in residential Hicksville area, problems with residents, demanded special town meeting.
• 1.3MW Borrego [Borrego Solar Systems] on Reed Rd. Sports field, abutting residential, no problems.
• 1.4MW Borrego on landfill. Town agrees to buy back electricity at $.08 / KWH, no inflation for 20 years. Attorney General, according to 40A Sect 3, asked for consideration (?).
• 6.2MW EMI [Energy Management Inc.], “Cape Wind company” at Energy Park, paying $.099 / KWH.
• 3.4MW Borrego at High Hill.
• 6.0MW No-Fossil [No Fossil Fuel] on Fisher Rd.

Electricity consumption for Dartmouth, municipal uses only, comes to 10MW. Town is buying this electricity, meaning for municipal uses, from the developers. Buying at $.08 / KWH, credit from Nstar for $.12 / KWH, therefore net $.04 / KWH cost (?). Developer sells (? or attempting to sell?) other production to area companies, after reaching capacity of sales to town. Developer is getting tax credits; making most of their money in the first 7 years, depreciation allowance. Town is also making money from leasing the land.

To do all this, Cresman highly recommends a specialist attorney. He successfully used Mark C. Kalpin, Partner, and Co-Chair of the Cleantech and Energy Group at WilmerHale, who “has a boutique business specializing in this.”

One concern is what if the support for net metering should shift? Either then would negotiate a new price, or could break the contract after paying the “terminal value.”

There is a market for Solar RECs [Solar Renewable Energy Certificate] – investments in solar projects The “Department of Energy Resources (DOER) has carved-out a portion of the RPS Class I Renewable Energy requirement to support distributed solar photovoltaic (PV) energy facilities, as provided by the Green Communities Act of 2008” – see their website for more info at:

http://www.mass.gov/eea/energy-utilities-clean-tech/renewable-energy/solar/rps-solar-carve-out/

Dartmouth insisted that developers pay taxes, not PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes).  The Town now reached capacity for distributed generation.  Currently projecting ~$7 million in electricity savings over 20 years from these photovoltaic projects (compare that previously they had been thinking about ~$3 million from wind).  Projects must have a 30-foot vegetative buffer, and a 75-foot setback. There have been a couple of MA towns like Falmouth who “also got out of control in wind.”

Discussion followed about possible application for Medfield. Pete asked are there 20-acre parcels in Medfield that could potentially be solar generation energy sites? Answers:

• It will be maybe ~10 yrs until Medfield’s landfill is available.
• There are about 40 acres available behind Wheelock.
• The wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) is about 2.1 acres, already fenced in and remote (Marie: TGE can do a quick feasiblity assessment; Mike will talk with head of the WWTP). The price of land in Medfield is probably different because parts of Dartmouth are older strip-malls and dormant industrial areas. Medfield’s municipal electricity bill is $1.1 million / yr.

III. Report out on WWTP audit findings

Mike reported out on the results of the energy audit of the Wastewater Treatment Plant which was presented to the Selectmen and interested parties by NSTAR and its contractor Horizon Solutions on October 29, 2012.  The energy audit was a result of the town’s application to MA DOER for assistance with energy conservation strategies at the WWTP.

Mike reported that of all the 23 WWTP plants in the state, municipal and regional, that were audited, DOER concluded that Medfield’s was the most energy efficient! And we’re doing it all without state or federal subsidy or financing. Energy bill is ~$9000 / month. There is talk of new technology from Europe which might eventually allow the WWTP to be even more efficient.

IV. MEC follow-up to Town Charter and Bylaw Committee request

Marie wrote letter as discussed.

V. MEC/Medfield Green Winter Series on Energy Issues

• First session: January 17 at Library, 7:00 – 8:30 pm on residential energy conservation and efficiency. Can Pasi from Sagewell come to explain infrared pictures to residents and next steps? Maybe NStar Green presentation? Consider explaining how to use kill-a-watt meters in a home? Marie will followup with Medfield Green.
• Second session: February 28 at Library to focus on renewables, esp. individual homeowners’ experiences such as Chief of Police converting home to solar; Anna Mae O’Shea Brooke’s home conversion to  geothermal.
• Third session: April 7 at Harmony Center to focus on electromagnetic emissions (EMFs) from technoloical advances (including smart meters) and how they affect us.  This program is being sponsored by Medfield Green and The Harmony Center.

VI. Sagewell Mass Thermal Imaging Initiative Update

David Temple wrote an article which was published in Medfield Press Friday October 12: “Utilizing Thermal Imaging Can Save You Energy, Cash: Time’s Running Out on Free Energy-Saving Programs.”

VII. Set Date and Agenda for next meeting

Thursday, November 29, 2012.

Minutes respectfully submitted by Fred Davis, thanks for help from Marie Nolan and Mike Sullivan.

Medfield Energy Committee
November 29, 2012 Meeting Minutes

Attending: Lee Alinsky, Fred Bunger, Cynthia Green, Marie Nolan,
Pete Peterson, Mike Sullivan, David Temple, Ryan McLaughlin

1. Minutes of October 25, 2012 meeting were approved.

2. Reviewed TGE analysis of Solar PV installations of 0.7 and 2.3
acres at Wastewater Treatment Plant. Both have same payout of
11.7 years based on assumed electricity cost of $.18/kWh and a
return of $.20/kWh from the sale of REC’s. The WWTP energy use
averages 58,000 kWh/month at an average cost of $9,313/month or energy cost of $.159/kWh. Marie will have the analysis updated
using current electricity pricing.

3. MEC is collaborating with Medfield Green on a Energy
Conservation and Alternative Energy series in January and February (possibly March). The first session is January 17. Speakers include Patsi Miettinen, Sagewell president, perhaps Next Step Living, Dan Ruben (energy use reduction speaker and Director of Boston Green Tourism), and residents who have implemented alternative energy projects on their homes such as Chief Meaney and Anna May O’Shea-Brooks. Marie will contact Medfield Green about the content of Dan Ruben’s talk.

4. DOER Clean Energy Grant Program Solicitation to help
communities with planning. Mike Sullivan will send a letter of intent to DOER regarding Medfield interest in solar PV at the wastewater
treatment plant.

5. As part of the solicitation for interest in the solar PV at the
wastewater treatment plant, MEC feels it would be useful for the
potential vendors to look at other Town property and buildings and
provide proposals where feasible.

6. A December holiday get-together is tentatively planned for
December 18 or 19 at Marie Nolan’s.

f. bunger 11/30/12

Exciting and fascinating information at Energy Committee last night –

• Town administrator of Dartmouth was the guest, and he explained how that town, for a small investment (he estimated it at $35K) encouraged private third party development of seven solar photovoltaic installations, most on privately owned land, with the town reaping major economic benefits via the town entering into power purchase agreements. As a result, Dartmouth will be saving an estimated $7 m. over 20 years.  The town merely zoned to allow the PV arrays anywhere in town, and then just issued RFP’s to third parties to provide PV generated power to the town via the power purchase agreements.  Private developers then approached the town to provide the power on privately owned sites (15-20 acres) via the power purchase agreements.  The town then contracted with those third parties to obtain the PV power for 20 years at 8 cents/KWH, which the utility is required to buy at 12 cents/KWH.  The utility issues credits to the town for the PV electricity, enough credits such that the town pays for its own electric needs via those credits.  It works because the town’s long term stability  and credit worthiness is an essential element for the third parties looking to contract for the power purchase agreements – private parties in place of the town would not allow the deal to happen.  $35K invested, plus time of town officials, and it returns $7 m.  The Dartmouth town administrator left us all the documents they used to make it happen.  Mike Sullivan wants us to start by pursuing a PV array on 2 acres of town owned land next to the Waste Water Treatment Plant and questions whether we have any 15-20 acres sites on which private PV arrays could be built.
• Mike Sullivan reported that the big news from the DEP review of the Waste Water Treatment Plant energy efficiency was that Medfield was already the most energy efficient of the 23 plants they had audited.  Kudos to those running the WWTP for what they have already done for the town.

Press release from David Temple of our Energy Committee-

Serious energy cost savings – via free insulation and interest-free loans for high-efficiency heating and cooling systems – are staring hundreds of Medfield homeowners in the face.

Alas, most residents are letting the opportunity slip by – even though it’s so easy to take advantage of these opportunities.

Last winter the Medfield Energy Committee arranged for Sagewell, Inc., of Woburn, to conduct a thermal imaging survey and analysis on some 3,000 Medfield homes.  A thermal image is somewhat akin to a photo of a house, with orange and yellow in the thermal image showing areas of heat loss.

The study showed that about 700 families could save substantially on energy costs if the homeowners logged on to www.sagewell.com and click for help…or just call 617-963-8141.

Potential savings are greatest for those who heat with oil, electricity, or propane, although gas customers will save as well.

So far only 341 residents have gone to www.sagewell.com and looked at the thermal images of their houses.  Only 123 have asked for the free energy audit.

The free energy audit will point to ways to ways to get free insulation and weatherization, if you qualify.

And if your furnace or boiler is old and inefficient, the energy audit can set you on your way to getting a seven-year interest-free loan of up to $25,000 for installing a safe, new, high-efficiency HVAC system.

This interest-free loan program runs out December 31.

There are thermal images of over 1,000 Medfield homes that have been analyzed by Sagewell but haven’t been looked at by the homeowners.  There are another 1,500 homes that have been imaged but haven’t been analyzed yet by Sagewell, because so many Medfield residents have shown they don’t seem to care about their energy costs.

The Medfield Energy Committee was established in 2008 to find ways to cut the annual energy cost for the town-owned buildings.  Since then the school department’s annual energy bill has dropped $180,000, an amount equivalent to several teachers’ salaries. Significant energy cost savings have also been realized in other town departments – the search for energy savings is a continuous process

Most of the committee members are professionals in an energy- or environment-related field. The chair is Marie Zack Nolan.  Other members are Lee Alinsky, Fred Bunger, Penni Conner, Fred Davis, Cynthia Greene, Charles Kellner, Pete Peterson, Emre Schveighoffer, Mike Sullivan, and David Temple

I was tired last night, so I went to the Energy Committee and got charged up. Here are the highlights –

• Fred Davis reported in depth on an MAPC meeting he attended about the savings that can be achieved by the town buying our streetlights from NSTAR and converting them to LED fixtures.  Many towns have done so already and are saving tens of thousands of dollars a year.  We are paying about $40,000 per year to light our 345 streetlights, and the guess based on what other towns achieved was that we might save $15,000 a year.  See my prior post.
• David Temple updated us on the thermal imaging conducted by Sagewell.  They took thermal images last winter of about 3,000 homes in town and to date they have processed about 1,400 of those, they got about 600 requests for thermal images from town homeowners, and got about 125 requests from town homeowners for energy audits.  Town homeowners can still get information and energy audits by contacting Sagewell.
• Marie Zack Nolan reported on an energy audit of the Waste Water Treatment Plant that she attended that the major energy saving things have already been accomplished there by the town – e.g. variable speed pumps.
• Next meeting will be at 7 PM on 10/25/12 to hear from the Dartmouth town administrator about its solar PV installations and other energy saving steps.

Medfield Energy Committee

September 27, 2012

AGENDA

I.  Accept minutes of last meeting – July 18, 2012

II. Town bylaws/regulations recommendations

III. Report out from MAPC workshop on Streetlight Buybacks

IV.  Report out on WWTP site visit

V. Next Steps in Procuring/Installing PVC for WWTP

VI. Next Steps for investigating Feasibility of Solar Farm behind Wheelock

VII. Sagewell Mass Thermal Imaging Initiative Update

VIII.   Collaboration with other town organizations

IX.  Other Business

VIII. Set Date and Agenda for next meeting

Governor Patrick offers remarks to members of the Massachusetts Municipal Association. (Photo credit: Office of Governor Patrick)

My email this afternoon to members of the Medfield Energy Committee –

========================

The Massachusetts Municipal Association’s magazine, Municipal Advocate,  this month is all devoted to green energy.  I looked for links at the Massachusetts Municipal Association’s website to send to you, but they do not seem to put this material on-line.   I am still reading it, but several things I have already noticed –

• 340 out of 351 Massachusetts cities and towns already have municipal PV solar arrays – we are in a distinct minority to not yet have one
• Lancaster opted to own its PV array, to save even more $, and is saving $85,000/year
• I thought I read that Dartmouth is saving $90,000/year from its three solar arrays
• some have been built with federal stimulus monies and/or state grants

I am now using Zemanta to analyze what I write and to suggest graphics to insert, and I noticed this one.  It is from a meeting at the Hynes Convention Center, probably January 2011, because the Governor was not able to attend this year, and I am probably standing on the right hand side of the room.  It has little to do with green energy, but I liked it.