Posts tagged Xcel Energy
Boulder releases findings related to possible creation of a municipal electric utility
Feb 21st
The results show that there are several forms a new utility could take that don’t require trade-offs among the community’s core values. The Boulder community has said it wants cleaner and greener energy with rates and reliability comparable to or better than those provided by Xcel Energy. The community is also seeking more local control and a voice in decision-making, as well as an opportunity to enhance economic vitality by providing a test bed for emerging technology and a low-cost, high-reliability environment in which businesses can thrive.
When Boulder voters approved the continued exploration of a municipal utility in November 2011, they set limiting requirements in the Charter that must be met before City Council could proceed. These included provisions related to rates, revenue sufficiency and reliability, as well as plans to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and increase renewable sources of energy.
Specific Findings
Under some of the options analyzed, a municipal electric utility would meet the Charter metrics and have a high likelihood of being able to:
· Offer all three major customer classes (residential, commercial and industrial) lower rates than what they would pay Xcel, not just on day one, as required by the Charter, but on average over 20 years;
· Maintain or exceed current levels of system reliability and emergency response, and, if the community chose to, use future investments to enhance dependability;
· Reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions by more than 50 percent from current levels and exceed the Kyoto Protocol target in year one;
· Obtain 54 percent or more of its electricity from renewable resources; and
· Create a model public electric utility with leading-edge innovations in reliability, energy efficiency, renewable energy, related economic development and customer service.
The report also examines the impact that a variety of stranded cost and acquisition cost rulings could have on rates and revenue requirements over 20 years.
The full memo, with all attachments, is available at www.boulderenergyfuture.com.
Process and Participation
“We are excited to share the results of this detailed analysis with City Council and our community. We believe the findings demonstrate that a municipal utility could be good for consumers, good for Boulder businesses and good for our planet,” said Heather Bailey, executive director of Energy Strategy and Electric Utility Development. “We look forward to an informed conversation over the next couple of month about how best to proceed.”
Bailey said she is especially grateful for the participation of more than 50 community members, many of whom have industry expertise, who donated their time to serve on working groups. These groups helped to ensure that a variety of perspectives was included and that all modeling was based on reasonable assumptions and data.
“This has been a community-wide review process, and this has greatly enhanced the quality and integrity of our report,” Bailey said. “I wish to thank everyone who has played a role in this direct way, as well as the countless members of the public who have shared their thoughts and concerns with me over the past year.”
An Xcel Energy Partnership Alternative?
While the city is committed to exploring ways to achieve “the electric utility of the future,” it has acknowledged that there might be ways to do so short of creating its own utility – in the form of a new partnership with the existing electric provider, Xcel Energy.
In December, the city released a paper that outlined a variety of ideas that could achieve the community’s goals if Xcel Energy is interested. The city has since spoken with officials from the current utility several times, asking them to identify which of the suggestions they would be willing to consider, as well as any innovative approaches the company might like to propose. Xcel officials have said they are open to a dialogue but have not yet come forward with specifics about what ideas they would like to discuss.
The framework for considering how the city should proceed includes the possibility of modeling an Xcel partnership option, when and if additional details become available. There are, in the analysis released today, also at least two options that might be achievable with the participation of a collaborative and willing energy partner.
“What we are looking to do is move beyond a 19th century approach to providing energy and create a forward-looking, innovative and consumer-friendly utility model that reduces our reliance on fossil fuels,” Bailey said. “Xcel Energy has served us for decades, and in many ways, done an admirable job. It is possible they could help us meet our objectives. We would welcome their involvement in a meaningful, timely and transparent discussion.”
What’s Next
Boulder City Council is scheduled to hear a presentation based on this memo and ask questions at a Study Session on Tuesday, Feb. 26. The session will be broadcast live on Comcast Channel 8 for Boulder viewers and online at www.boulderchannel8.com. A recording will also be available at the above website for later viewing. There is no opportunity for public comment at study sessions, but they are an excellent way to learn more about a topic and the staff’s work.
City Council will discuss this issue again – and decide whether to move forward with the next steps related to the potential creation of a city electric utility – on April 16. This meeting will begin at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers at 1777 Broadway and will include a public hearing.
Opportunities for Public Feedback
Between now and council’s April 16 decision, the city is providing multiple ways for the community to provide input about the analysis and how council might move forward.
As always, council accepts correspondence on any issue of community interest. In addition, there is a comment form available for this specific initiative on the project website.
In addition, the city is offering the following unique opportunities:
· An online questionnaire that will be available at www.bouldercolorado.gov between Feb. 27 and March 27;
· A conference telephone call designed to focus on rates and reliability, two key concerns for the business community, from noon to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, March 12 (please register in advance at www.bouldercolorado.gov/energyfuture/businesscall);
· A community open house exploring the pros and cons of each of the modeled options from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 13, at the West Senior Center, 909 W. Arapahoe Ave.;
· Focused questions and examination of the options on the city’s new digital town hall platform, Inspire Boulder; and
· Presentations, by invitation, from Bailey or other members of the staff team to interested organizations and associations.
All input collected during the next couple of months will be shared with council in advance of the April 16 meeting.
New EnergySmart rebates for businesses coming soon
Dec 18th
Boulder County, Colo. – Businesses and commercial property owners in Boulder County will be eligible for a new round of rebates for energy efficiency upgrades beginning in the early part of 2013.
EnergySmart is pleased to announce that $250,000 in rebates will be available for eligible business or commercial property projects completed between Jan. 1 and Apr. 15, 2013 or until funds are committed.
“We’re pleased to be able offer these additional incentives to local businesses,” said Boulder County Commissioner Will Toor. “Although funding from the federal ARRA grant will run out in mid-2013, our municipal and county officials and staff are committed to helping businesses continue to implement energy efficient improvements throughout the New Year.”
Already more than 500 EnergySmart Businesses throughout Boulder County have implemented energy efficiency projects that will save them more than $11 million a year. EnergySmart has awarded over $1 million in rebates to businesses since November 2010, supporting the investment of over $6.5 million in energy efficiency projects in commercial buildings located in our communities.
“The savings in power along with the reduced stress on the HVAC system and the overwhelming appreciation from the tenants makes this one of the best investments I have made in Commercial Real Estate,” said Rich Carlisle of BC Properties in Louisville.
EnergySmart is offering rebates to businesses and commercial property owners for over 120 qualifying energy efficiency measures. Previously awarded rebates will not count toward caps in this round. Solar photovoltaic (PV) and other renewable energy measures are eligible for rebates for commercial properties that achieve 15% energy savings through EnergySmart.
More information is available at www.EnergySmartYES.com. The rebate application will be available online Jan 2. Interested businesses are encouraged to call an Energy Advisor at 303-441-1300 to ensure your projects meet the eligibility requirements for both EnergySmart and local utility rebates. Payments will be made to qualifying applicants upon completion of projects on a first-come, first-served basis. Projects completed in 2012 are not eligible for 2013 rebate funds.
EnergySmart provides a suite of services to help businesses and homes in all Boulder County communities identify valuable energy-saving opportunities and assist residents and business owners through the energy upgrade process. For more information or to sign up, call an EnergySmart Advisor:
Businesses: 303-441-1300
Residents: 303-544-1000
Or visit www.EnergySmartYES.com
The program is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act through the U.S. Department of Energy’s BetterBuildings grant program and is sponsored in partnership by Boulder County, the cities of Boulder and Longmont, Xcel Energy and Platte River Power Authority.
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Local residents win Home Energy Makeover with EnergySmart
Nov 1st
Reichert family will receive $20,000 worth of energy upgrades
Boulder County, Colo. – John Reichert and his family received a pleasant surprise today when the Boulder County Commissioners and EnergySmart staffers visited to award them the Grand Prize in the EnergySmart Home Energy Makeover.
The Home Energy Makeover grand prize, valued at approximately $20,000, includes a new energy efficient furnace, air sealing and insulation upgrades to the attic and crawlspace/basement, an energy efficient water heater, cooling system upgrades, and $4,000 to use for recommended energy upgrades of the homeowner’s choosing.
John and Kathleen Reichert live in Boulder with their son, James, 6. They purchased their home intending to make it a more sustainable place to raise their family. “Have you ever been caught by a six-year-old for putting an aluminum can in the trash?” John said. Shortly after moving in, however, John’s position at work was eliminated and Kathleen’s hospice-care salary didn’t allow for the planned upgrades.
The Reichert family made it through three rounds of selection to win the grand prize. In round one, their home was identified as one of the top fifteen poorest performing homes having received an EnergySmart assessment.
In round two, the Reicherts submitted a short essay explaining why they needed a Home Energy Makeover, which was selected as one of three finalists by a panel of local energy expert judges. In round three, the three finalists were interviewed and the Reicherts were chosen as the best fit for the award.
Earlier this week, four homes won equal second place prizes, including a new energy efficient furnace, home air sealing and insulation upgrades, and $1,500 to use toward a recommended energy upgrade of the homeowner’s choice.
Contest prizes were largely donated by local contractors:
• Grand Prize package: Solar City
• Insulation/air sealing: EcoHandyman, ThermalCraft Insulation, EcoSmart Homes, ERC Insulation.
• Furnace installations: Service Experts, SAC Mechanical
EnergySmart focuses on improvements that will reduce energy waste, improve comfort, and produce cost-savings for both residential and business participants. Services include energy assessments and expert advisor assistance with finding contractors and all available rebates and financing options for energy efficiency upgrades.
Since the program’s launch in January 2011, EnergySmart has helped more than 6,600 residents and 2,200 businesses throughout Boulder County.
EnergySmart is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act through the U.S. Department of Energy’s BetterBuildings grant program and is sponsored in partnership by Boulder County, the City of Boulder’s Climate Action Plan (CAP) tax, the City of Longmont, Xcel Energy and Platte River Power Authority. For more information, visit www.EnergySmartYES.com or call 303-544-1000 (for homes) or 303-441-1300 (for businesses).
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