Acceler Accelerating ting Pr Progre ress thr through ugh Re Regional Col Collabor aboration tion SEPTEMBER 12, 2014 WESTCHESTER CLIMATE CHANGE SUMMIT NINA ORVILLE, ABUNDANT EFFICIENCY
Westchester Environmental Collaboration Started 2009 to pursue stimulus funding. Multi ‐ municipal GHG inventory and CAP, incubated EIC. Energy Improvement Corporation (EIC)– funded with $2.6 million in DOE /NYSERDA funds to promote and finance energy efficiency. 12 municipal members. Began in 2010 to promote sharing of best practices and shared solutions. I provide services of ED through Abundant Efficiency LLC.
NWEAC + SWEAC = Sustainable Westchester! www.SustainableWestchester.org
Why Collaborate? Inter ‐ municipal collaboration provides key advantages including the opportunity to: • Promote and accelerate best practices • Strengthen market power • Attract outside resources
Promote and Accelerate Best Practices SAMPLE PROJECT: LED STREETLIGHTS
SWEAC Sustainabiity Forum featured Dobbs Ferry’s installation of LED streetlights replacing 300 lights. Promoting Best Practices SWEAC Sustainability Forum January 2012. Yonkers officials used Dobbs Ferry’s experience to help prioritize replacing all city streetlights. Replaced 12,000, reducing municipal GHG emissions almost 10% and saving almost $1 million / year with no capital outlay.
Promoting Best Practices Event hosted by Pace Land Use Law Center 11/7/13. 29 municipalities registered. Case studies: • Eastchester • Dobbs Ferry • Yonkers Yonkers RFP and final contract posted on SWEAC website.
Many Other Examples of Best Practices …. * Green Building Codes – Yonkers, Complete Streets Policies – Tarrytown, Hastings, Greenburgh, Lewisboro, Dobbs Ferry, New Bedford Rochelle, Hastings, Somers, White Plains, Westchester County Energize Energy Efficiency Program – 14 Northern Bike Lanes – White Plains Westchester communities. Electric Vehicle Charging Stations : NYS Solar Permit – Croton ‐ on ‐ White Plains, Bedford, Mount Hudson, Somers, Yonkers, White Kisco Plains Solar on Municipal Buildings – Larchmont, Dobbs Ferry, Tarrytown, Ardsley…. * Note: This list is not complete!
Many Other Examples of Best Practices…. * Mulch Mowing (Love Em and Sustainability Plans – New Leave Em / Leave Your Leaves Rochelle, Bedford, Somers, Alone) – Irvington, Greenburgh, Hastings ….. Bedford, New Rochelle, Yonkers, Participation in Climate Smart Scarsdale…. And many more! Communities Certification Pilot – Plastic Bag Bans – City of Rye, Cortlandt, Dobbs Ferry Village of Mamaroneck, Public education – Bedford, Larchmont, Hastings (also includes Tarrytown, Eastchester, Somers, ban on expanded polystyrene!). Larchmont, Dobbs Ferry, and many Take It Or Leave It (reducing waste more! through re ‐ use) – New Castle, White Plains * Note: This list is not complete!
Strengthen Market Power SAMPLE PROJECT: MUNICIPAL SOLAR BUYERS GROUP
Municipal Solar Buyers Group Leverages market power and innovative approach – hallmarks of Sustainable Westchester and its predecessors. Effort included advocating for same incentives for solar installations for NYPA customers (in Westchester includes many local governments and public schools) as others. Group purchase with lower transaction costs (shared across consortium) and purchase prices. www.SustainableWestchester.org
Attract Outside Resources SAMPLE PROJECT: SOLARIZE WESTCHESTER
NY’s Investment in Solar • NYS is making $1 billion investment in solar energy over 10 years through the NY-Sun program to capitalize on clean energy, local jobs, energy security and cost savings. • Solarize Westchester is supported by NYSERDA through NY-Sun to help Westchester – and all its communities - fully benefit from NYS’s investment and the opportunities that solar offers.
Solarize Westchester Team • Energy Improvement Corporation – Prime Contractor • Abundant Efficiency – Program Manager • Sustainable Westchester • Pace Land Use Law Center • SmartPower • Croton Energy Group
“This innovative program is the first of many we expect to form through the Community Solar NY program as part of Governor Cuomo’s NY-Sun Initiative. NYSERDA’s partnership with Solarize Westchester and its dedicated members will help grow the use of solar power in downstate New York and serve as a model for other counties and communities to spur growth of this clean, renewable resource.” John Rhodes, President and CEO of NYSERDA
Solar Market in Westchester Number of PV Installations 300 271 250 200 162 150 100 77 58 50 43 50 29 0 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Count
Solar Market – Trends and Factors Growth fueled by factors including: • Price declines – almost 30% in Westchester from 2010 – 2013. • New financing options: – Leasing – Low ‐ cost loans – On ‐ bill financing and PACE financing
Solar Market – Trends and Factors • Price declines to date, from falling hardware costs – now attention is on “soft” costs. • Solarize Westchester targets these costs while supporting municipalities.
Two Complementary Components Solarize Campaigns Solar ‐ Friendly Aggregate demand for Permitting and Zoning solar during time limited Support municipalities in campaigns in particular the adoption of streamlined communities. and vetted processes.
What are Solarize Campaigns About? • Community Outreach • Moving Social Norms • Engaging Volunteers • Engaging Community Leaders Volunteers tabling a football game in Cheshire
Barriers to Going Solar 1) Cost Tiered pricing 2) Reliability Municipal/State ‐ sponsored 3) Complexity Transparent 4) Inertia Deadline Volunteers at a parade in West Hartford
Example: Solarize CT ‐ Results So Far As of April 15, 2014: • 8 MW installed through Solarize campaigns in four Phases (Phase 4 still ongoing) • 34 campaigns in 43 towns • 1,160 total contracts signed • 20 ‐ 25% reduction in cost of solar
Solarize CT: Results So Far
Permitting & Zoning Barriers • Requiring multiple approvals like building and electrical permits along with site plan approval, special use permits, variances, design review board consideration increase the “soft costs” to installing roof ‐ mounted solar PV systems Time = • Zoning barriers include height limitations, set back requirements, multiple land use board reviews
Solar ‐ Friendly Permitting & Zoning Project Components • Collection of data from an estimated 80% of Westchester County’s 45 municipalities regarding current permitting processes ( Municipal Survey ) • Adoption of the NYS Unified Solar Permit (allowing for minor modifications) by an estimated 67% (30 of 45) Westchester municipalities (municipalities that adopt the form in time will receive assistance accessing the Cleaner Greener Communities implementation funding allocated for this purpose) • Creation of decision tree resource document to support municipalities in the removal of unnecessary zoning restrictions • Through technical assistance provided by the Land Use Law Center, an estimated 5 to 10 municipalities shall remove or reduce zoning, regulatory or procedural barriers to installing PV
Step 1 (continued) – Solar Road Map Landing page will be created for Westchester County with links to all participating municipalities.
www.SolarizeWestchester.com
Attract and Leverage External Resources Municipal engagement through Sustainable Westchester and EIC helped secure Solarize grant funds. It turn, leverage other initiatives to heighten impact – Energize (EIC), Solar Road Map (DOE funded), NYS SolarSmart (CUNY, funded by DOE, NYSERDA… )
Why Collaborate? World Meteorological Organization 9/9/14 It’s our best hope. It strengthens commitment and builds courage. It helps us find a path forward, together.
Thank You! NINA ORVILLE N INA @A BUNDANT E FFICIENCY . COM
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