Alachua County Energy Conservation Strategies Commission Interim report, January 8, 2008

Alachua County Commission “Board of County Commissioners of Alachua County wishes to do its part to reduce or mitigate the effects of Global Climate Change and promote the long-term economic security of its citizens through the implementation of policies that enhance energy efficiency…” Adopted Resolution (March 27, 2007) & created Energy Conservation Strategies Commission (ECSC) Appointed ECSC members (May 22, 2007) ECSC final report due May, 2008

ECSC Mission “To draft a comprehensive report on energy use, its relationship to climate change and local socio- economic impacts, including actions that can be implemented by the Board of County Commissioners and the community at large.”

ECSC Membership Twelve energy conservation experts “Possess demonstrated expertise and/or advanced training in the areas of energy demand side management, LEED or Green Building Code standards, renewable energy technologies, or a related field.” One representative of the University of Florida One former elected City of Gainesville Commissioner One former elected Alachua County Commissioner One alternate position

ECSC Membership Energy Conservation experts Dwight Adams, Ph.D. Ed Brown Fred Depenbrock Christopher Fillie Ken Fonorow Pattie Glenn Harry Kegelmann Tom Lane Mark Spiller Ruth Steiner Eduardo Vargas One Vacancy

ECSC Membership University of Florida Representative Dr. Stephen Mulkey Former elected City of Gainesville Commissioner Warren Nielsen Former elected Alachua County Commissioner Penny Wheat Alternate Member Bill Shepherd

ECSC Expertise Over 200 years of collective experience Green Building and Energy Efficiency Climate Change, Adaptation and Mitigation Transportation Community Design and Planning Alternative Energy Policy Development and Implementation Design and Engineering Energy Utility Local Entrepreneurs

Community Challenges Escalating energy costs Climate change: global and local Climate change refers to the variation in the Earth's global climate or in regional climates over time. It describes changes in the variability or average state of the atmosphere over time scales ranging from decades to millions of years. These changes can be caused by processes internal to the Earth, external forces (e.g. variations in sunlight intensity) and, more recently, human activities. Peak oil production “Peak Oil means not 'running out of oil', but 'running out of cheap oil'. For societies leveraged on ever increasing amounts of cheap oil, the consequences may be dire.” Energy Bulletin:

Escalating energy costs Cost of oil and gasolineCost of oil Oct 2001: $19.13/barrel $1.44/gallon gas Oct 2007: $73.65/barrel $2.84/gallon gas Monthly Cost of Food for a Family of 4 Oct 2001: $612 Oct 2007: $750 Average residential retail price of electricity 2001: 8.63 cents/kWh 2007: cents/kWh 97% 23%

Very Low Low Medium High Very High Climate changes Distribution of Risk from Climate Change

Peak & Decline - Oil Production Peak Oil doesn’t mean 'running out of oil', but running out of cheap oil'. Increased cost to extract and refine remaining petroleum reserves. US GAO report (2007): “While the consequences of a peak would be felt globally, the United States, as the largest consumer of oil and one of the nations most heavily dependent on oil for transportation, may be particularly vulnerable. Therefore, to better prepare the United States for a peak and decline in oil production, we are recommending that the Secretary of Energy take the lead, in coordination with other relevant federal agencies, to establish a peak oil strategy.”

Peak Oil Time Frame Opinions differ: some think a peak has already happened or will occur soon. Some believe the peak will occur in the next 10 to 15 years. Optimistic opinions place the peak around 2030 to 2040.Lower estimates tend to come from petroleum geologists and physicists, the higher estimates from economists. Descending the Oil Peak: Navigating the Transition from Oil and Natural Gas pg 51 http :// http ://

United States Oil Imports This chart depicts the sources of American oil imports. While the United States gets about 45% of its oil from the Middle East and North Africa, these regions hold over two thirds of the oil reserves worldwide.” Driving the Future of Energy Security

US Oil Production and Consumption Overview Million Barrels per Day Energy Information Administration; Official Energy Statistics from the US Government Consumption MB/Day Production Net Imports

Peak Oil: Implications Heating & Cooling Costs – The economic squeeze. Transportation within our community? Fertilizer & Food- Production declines, higher prices Trucking – Ripple effect throughout local economy Individual Travel – Reduced discretionary travel, including air travel and tourism Descending the Oil Peak: Navigating the Transition from Oil and Natural Gas pgs

Community Opportunities Some ECSC initial themes: Create an ‘energy self-sufficient and resilient community.’ Develop local economy based on low-energy consumption. Develop multi-mode sustainable mobility infra- structure, with focus on public transportation. Maximize local food production. Maximize local, non-fossil fuel based energy production; create community employment opportunities.

ECSC Subcommittees Commercial, Governmental, Industrial & Institutional Buildings Land Use & Transportation Locally-applicable Alternative Energy Options Residential Buildings (inc. Low-Income Housing & Rental Properties) Waste & Energy Implications

ECSC Subcommittee Commercial, Governmental, Industrial & Institutional Buildings Goal: Reduce energy consumption and maximize efficiencies in existing buildings. Develop ‘best practices’ for new County buildings and leased Alachua County facilities. Focus on the jail, which is 50% of Alachua County’s total energy consumption.

ECSC Subcommittee Residential Buildings (inc. Low-Income Housing & Rental Properties) Goal: Reduce high utility bills and consumption of energy wasted by inefficiencies. Solutions will be quantifiable, based on current building science, and implementable. Work with community partners to leverage existing capital and volunteer expertise.

Energy Issues: Buildings “Data from the US Energy Information Administration illustrates that buildings are responsible for almost half (48%) of all energy consumption and GHG emissions annually; globally the percentage is even greater.”

Energy Issues: Buildings “Seventy-six percent (76%) of all power plant- generated electricity is used just to operate buildings. Clearly, immediate action in the Building Sector is essential if we are to avoid hazardous climate change.”

Energy Issues: County Buildings Buildings in Alachua County Government 48 Alachua County Facilities (not counting leased space) totaling approximately 980,000 sqft 19,257,309 kWh Total Electric Consumption (2005) up 2.9% from $1,458, Total Electric Cost (2005) Bringing the Global Perspective Home: Creating a case for high performance green buildings in Alachua County government. Top Ten Energy Consuming Buildings

ECSC Subcommittee Land Use & Transportation Goal: To plan and adapt to community threats and opportunities, and recommend policies and strategies designed to create integrated, sustainable ‘best practices’.

Energy Issues: Transportation Alachua County Government 437 total vehicles (FY )includes cars & hybrids, utility vehicles, light & electric pickup trucks, vans, medium and heavy trucks, heavy equipment and trailers. 482,812 total gallons of fuel used (FY ) for this fleet. (Diesel= 344,943 gallons; Gasoline=137,869 gallons.) Review of Alachua County Fleet Management; Looking at number type and fuel consumption of vehicles.

Energy Issues: Transportation 2005 Florida 15.6 million vehicles 10,418,160 (Thousands of gallons) 1998 Alachua County Consumed 88.1 million gallons of gasoline Consumed 6.5 million gallons of diesel

ECSC Subcommittee Locally-applicable Alternative Energy Options Goal: Increase use of renewable energy sources applicable within Alachua County.

ECSC Subcommittee Waste & Energy Implications Goal: Use waste materials for creation of locally- needed products; and/or power production. Consider examples of other communities (i.e., the City of Bern, Switzerland uses methane extracted from municipal sewage sludge to power city buses.)

Waste & Energy Implications

Contact the ECSC ECSC meetings: 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month at 5:30 PM in the County Administration Building, Second Floor, Grace Knight Conference Room. ECSC subcommittee meetings: Weekly on Tuesday & Wednesday. (call for details) Phone: Address: ECSC, 201 SE 2 nd St., Suite 201, Gainesville, FL

Energy Conservation Resources Energy Bulletin Energy Information Administration; Official Energy Statistics from the US Government CRUDE OIL: Uncertainty about Future Oil Supply Makes It Important to Develop a Strategy for Addressing a Peak and Decline in Oil Production. United States Government Accountability Office, February

Energy Conservation Resources The New York Times Magazine August 21,2005 The Breaking Point, by Peter Maass National Geographic, The End of Cheap Oil by Tim Appenzeller html