ALACHUA COUNTY ENERGY CONSERVATION STRATEGIES COMMISSION PRESENTATION TO THE SOLID AND HAZARDOUS WASTE PUBLIC INFORMATION COMMITTEE March 18,
Contents Background on the ECSC Community Challenges Rising Energy Costs, Climate Change, Peak Oil Production & Decline Community Opportunities Create a resource efficient and resilient community 2
Alachua County Commission “…wants 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…” Resolution 07-18, March 27,
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 Gainesville City Commissioner One former elected Alachua County Commissioner One alternate position 4
Energy Conservation Strategies Commission 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 final report will include potential local socioeconomic impacts of increased costs of energy for transportation & energy for buildings. 5
County Accomplishments 1991 County Energy Management Program 1998 Resolution Establishing Air Quality Commission 1999 BoCC joins ICLEI Cities for Climate Protection 1999, the County Commission adopted a resolution allowing Alachua County to join the Cities for Climate Protection (CCP) campaign. The CCP program is a global campaign to reduce greenhouse gas. Achieved four of five stars. 2000 Hybrids purchased for County Fleet 2001 County Greenhouse Gas InventoryCounty Greenhouse Gas Inventory 2001 Sustainable Operations Team 2001 County Employee RTS Bus Passes 2002 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan 2002 Comprehensive Plan specifically the Conservation Element Policy Conservation Element Policy
County Accomplishments 2003 Landfill Gas to Energy Project 2003 Alachua County Energy Reduction PolicyAlachua County Energy Reduction Policy 2003 New Courthouse built to LEED standards 2006 County Representative to ICLEI North American Congress; Receive ICLEI Award: Recognition of 4 of 5 Stars for CCP Campaign. ICLEI North American Congress 2007 Resolution Establishing Energy Conservation Strategies Commission 2008 NACO Green Infrastructure Award 2008 Alachua County becomes full ICLEI member 2008 Water Conservation Project – County Jail Retrofit It is estimated that the ICON Water Reduction System will conserve between 16 and 17 million gallons of water per year, lowering utility bills by over $109,000 per year. 7
Community Challenges Escalating energy costs for transportation & for buildings Climate change: global and local A geologically abrupt change to long term weather patterns caused by emissions of heat-trapping CO2 through the burning of fossil fuels. 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: 8
Escalating Energy Costs “Electricity costs have…spiked because of rising fuel costs. Coal has doubled in price just this past year. Since 1999, the cost of natural gas has also skyrocketed, by more than 400 percent. Coal and natural gas make up approximately 60 percent of Florida's electric generation. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is predicting that summer power prices may increase even further, as high as 50 percent or more.” Barry Moline Executive director, Florida Municipal Electric Association July
Ripple effects-escalating energy costs Cost of oil (gasoline) Apr 2001: $22.86/barrel Feb 2001 $1.54/gallon gas Apr 2008: $101.22/barrel Feb 2008 $3.08/gallon gas Monthly Cost of Food for a Family of 4 Feb 2001: $599 Feb 2008: $771 Average residential retail price of electricity 2001: 8.63 cents/kWh 2007: cents/kWh 100% 29% 23% 10
Bargain Priced Fuel? New York Times: Savoring Bargains at the American Pump, June 29,
Climate Change from the Past Image from: Statement on Sea Level in the Coming Century; Science Committee Miami-Dade County Climate Change Advisory Task Force Presented by Dr. Wanless Aprill 22,
Climate Change without Action Image from: Statement on Sea Level in the Coming Century; Science Committee Miami-Dade County Climate Change Advisory Task Force Presented by Dr. Wanless Aprill 22,
Climate Change and FL Population Image from: Statement on Sea Level in the Coming Century; Science Committee Miami-Dade County Climate Change Advisory Task Force Presented by Dr. Wanless Aprill 22,
Energy & Transportation US General Accountability Office Report GAO : released February, 2007 Crude Oil: Uncertainty about future oil supply makes it important to develop a strategy for addressing a peak and decline in oil production Source: 15
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 ov/energy/graphs/o ilimport.html 16
Vulnerability and Oil Supply 17
Vulnerability and Oil Supply 18
Vulnerability and Oil Supply 19
Vulnerability and Oil Supply 20
Vulnerability and Oil Supply 21
Energy Insecurity Domestic InsecurityInternational Conflict 22
US Oil Production and Consumption Overview Million Barrels per Day Energy Information Administration; Official Energy Statistics from the US Government US Consumption MB/Day US Production Net Imports 23
US General Accountability Office Report - Key Findings Peak oil is real. Decline in oil production will occur sometime between February 2007 and No one is sure of the exact date, because there is a wide variance in the data and methodology used by various research entities. Alternative energy sources, particularly for transportation, are not yet available in large quantities. 24
US General Accountability Office Selected Findings “Key alternative [fuels] currently supply the equivalent of only about 1 percent of U.S. consumption of petroleum products.” “USDOE projects that even under optimistic scenarios, by 2015 these alternative fuels could displace only the equivalent of 4 percent of projected U.S. annual consumption.” 25
Community Opportunities Create a resource efficient and resilient community 1. Invest in weatherization & energy efficiency 2. Create employment & new local businesses 3. Develop sustainable mobility infrastructure 4. Maximize local food production 5. Maximize renewable energy production 26
Community Opportunities Create a resource efficient and resilient community Guiding Principles: (1), Practice conservation (reduce consumption); (2), make efficiencies in building envelopes and mechanical equipment; and (3), invest in renewable power generation. 27
New Employment and Business Creation: Turn discards into raw materials for locally manufactured products. Economic development of the Alachua County Transfer Station. Issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for industries to use discards in manufacturing or related activity. Community Opportunities Create a resource efficient and resilient community 28
Waste and Energy Implication Recommendations: Recommendations may be found in the Major Strategic Policies, Alachua County, and Legislative Charts. Community Opportunities Create a resource efficient and resilient community 29
Contact the ECSC Web Site: Phone: Sean McLendon, Sustainability Program Manager Address: ECSC, 12 SE 1 st St. PO Box 2877, Gainesville, FL
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
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 32