An Introduction to the Regional Energy Planning Process 2 25-10

Editor's Notes

• #2: 2 counties, 10 communities, partnership between E3 coalitiopn, UW extension and many other partners!! 1 year to complete a plan
• #3: These are the steps that we’ll gp through together in the next year to create a plan. 1. This starts with our vision, or where we ultimately see ourselves. -moving into a sustainable energy future will not happen over night. The next two steps are really focused on gathering the information we need to know to make good decisions. 2. The energy use baseline creates a snapshot of how energy is used throughout the community. This would include electricity, natural gas, and gasoline. This involves some technical number crunching of: utility data, auditing of buildings and homes, and commuting estimates 3. The Resource Baseline is about resources we have for reaching our goal What resources we have to reach our goal including energy resources and efficiency opportunities, programs that are already in place, and people in the community. 4. The Evaluation of Alternatives is about ways to get to our goal. After figuring out resources and priorities, it’s time to evaluate the alternatives for reaching the goals. This is where the economic considerations enter in – what are the cost effective ways to proceed – how to get more bang for the buck in the long run? 5. The Plan and timline. Heres where we create more specific goals and action steps that we can implement on the ground. This includes what I describe here as milestones, or ways to evaluate our goals. 6. Implementing the plan is the last step…but really the beginning. We are continually evaluating how we’re doing and the planning process continues in a cycle.
• #4: The planning process is a cycle. We are continually evaluating our progress and making changes to the plan if need be. Plan should not be documents on a shelf! They are guides that help us determine if we’re getting where we want to be.
• #5: The vision is the long term ideal – moving into a sustainable energy future will not happen over night This step relates to the sustainability visions mentioned before “ New Urbanist smart growth” or “solar city”? These photos illustrate two different approaches that both ultimately reduce the carbon footprint
• #6: The vision is the long term ideal – moving into a sustainable energy future will not happen over night This step relates to the sustainability visions mentioned before “ New Urbanist smart growth” or “solar city”? These photos illustrate two different approaches that both ultimately reduce the carbon footprint
• #7: The energy use baseline creates a snapshot of how energy is used throughout the community. This would include electricity, natural gas, and gasoline. This involves some technical number crunching Utility data Auditing of buildings and homes Commuting estimates
• #8: There are three categories of resources to assess: Energy resources and efficiency opportunities, including renewable energy, utility facilities, energy efficiency opportunities in all sectors, based on the energy use baseline – this is more technical number crunching Assessing programs and plans already in place – Local recycling and other green activities, municipal and private, including the Smart Growth Comprehensive Plan and other municipally adopted programs The last category is perhaps the most important – Making note of the people in the community who can contribute to the planning and implementing process
• #9: After figuring out resources and priorities, it’s time to evaluate the alternatives for reaching the goals. This is where the economic considerations enter in – what are the cost effective ways to proceed – how to get more bang for the buck in the long run? EXAMPLES: Does solar power more more sense than generating electricity with local biomass? When do individual energy efficiency measures become less cost effective than a district heating system? This is also where state and federal incentives are assessed
• #11: Once you see how the various alternatives pencil out, its time to set some priorities and timelines and make the plan. What is the best way to get to net zero energy? How do we chose to invest our limited resources to reach our visionary goals? EXAMPLES: Do we creatively finance energy efficiency improvements for homes or invest in a biomass generation plant, knowing that the former would create a lot more local jobs than the latter, but they would both achieve carbon reduction? How can we work together to create economies of scale for increasing the efficiency of existing homes or buildings? Do we install solar panels on roofs or buy green energy from the utility?
• #12: The plan should include quantifiable milestones that will help measure progress in the future, such as energy reductions that can be confirmed by actual utility use data, or the installation of a certain level of renewable energy systems by a certain date.