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Municipal Policies to Support Community Power. World Wind Energy Conference June 25, 2008 Scott Vokey Energy Services Coordinator, AMO/LAS. Purpose of Presentation. Part 1 – How AMO’s Structure and Mandate supports community power
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Municipal Policies to Support Community Power World Wind Energy Conference June 25, 2008 Scott Vokey Energy Services Coordinator, AMO/LAS Association of Municipalities of Ontario
Purpose of Presentation • Part 1 – How AMO’s Structure and Mandate supports community power • Part 2 – How LAS and its Member Services Activities supports community power, energy management, and CDM initiatives • Part 3 – Best Practises from our members Association of Municipalities of Ontario
AMO and its Mandate • AMO is a non-partisan association representing almost all of Ontario’s 445 municipal governments • AMO advocates on behalf of municipal governments on matters of province-wide policy and regulation • AMO advocates for effective and autonomous municipal government • To support and enhance strong and effective municipal government in Ontario • To promote the value of the municipal level of government as a vital and essential component of Ontario’s and Canada’s political system Association of Municipalities of Ontario
AMO Governance and Activities • AMO has a 49 member Board, structured to provide equitable representation though 6 “Caucuses”, and an Executive of caucus chairs plus a President and 3 other functionaries • This structure allows AMO to: • develop well informed consensus positions on key issues • speak with an authoritative and unified voice • keep members informed and educated • develop policy positions and reports on issues of interest • conduct ongoing liaison with the provincial and federal governments Association of Municipalities of Ontario
Connection to Community Power AMO’s Energy Task Force • Comprised of politicians, advisors, and staff with an interest in energy issues • Advises the Board on issues and preferred policy outcomes related to energy conservation, local and DE, climate change, and related issues • Recently revised ToR to include local generation and co-generation facilities renewable energy and district energy facilities Association of Municipalities of Ontario
AMO supports generation options Association of Municipalities of Ontario
Local Authority Services (LAS) • Established in 1992 • Subsidiary of AMO • Develop and market innovative and beneficial services to the municipal sector • Objective is to reduce the cost of common expenditures and to increase revenues through economies of scale Association of Municipalities of Ontario
LAS Energy Services Division • Assist Municipal Capacity Building • Responsible Decision Making • Regulatory Imperatives • Energy Conservation Leadership Act • CECO request for MECO’s • Federal Gas Tax & ICSPs • Federal Carbon Credit Program? Association of Municipalities of Ontario
Municipal Load Profile Ontario’s 445 Municipalities: • Spend ~$680 million annually on electricity • Spend ~$300 million annually on natural gas • Consume over 6.6 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity per year (or 6.6 TWh) • 80% of consumption is covered by 10 accounts • Larger than all Industrial Segments with the Exception of Pulp and Paper Association of Municipalities of Ontario
Empowering Municipalities Challenges Opportunities • Energy Markets—local and global • Legislative Requirements • Climate Change • Economic Development • LAS Procurement Programs • Energy Services • Energy Management Tool (EMT) • CDM Programs • Energy Plan Support • Policy Support • Education Programs Association of Municipalities of Ontario
Empowering Municipalities • AMO/LAS champion community power b/c: • Distributed systems are more efficient • Helps build community independence • Renewable energy helps combat climate change • Local economic development impact • Part of integrated energy management approach • Carbon credits may help cash-strapped municipalities fund enviro projects Association of Municipalities of Ontario
Good Practice Example: City of London • Recently passed Wind Energy By-Law • City permits small-scale wind energy conversion systems for domestic use that would also permit the sale of surplus power to the local utility provider. • OP and Zoning By-Laws amended to allow small wind energy conversion systems in agricultural areas Association of Municipalities of Ontario
Good Practice Example: Huron County • Director of Planning Scott Tousaw has promoted integrated approach since 2005: • Raise Community Awareness • Involve Local Utilities • Review Local Planning Documents • Support a Community Wind Energy Policy Framework Association of Municipalities of Ontario
Conclusion • Most municipal council supportive of wind and other renewable energy development • Typical NIMBY reactions remain but regulatory obstacles and backlogs connecting to the grid much more significant issues Scott Vokey, Energy Services Coordinator svokey@amo.on.ca 416 971 9856 Association of Municipalities of Ontario