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Energy Policy Development

Energy Policy Development. Process and outcomes in local government American Planning Association MN Chapter Annual Conference St. Cloud, MN September 28, 2011. DAKOTA COUNTY ENERGY PLANNING. Setting the stage. Dakota County. Third largest county in Minnesota (398,500)

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Energy Policy Development

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  1. Energy PolicyDevelopment Process and outcomes in local government American Planning Association MN Chapter Annual Conference St. Cloud, MN September 28, 2011

  2. DAKOTA COUNTY ENERGY PLANNING Setting the stage

  3. Dakota County • Third largest county in Minnesota (398,500) • Located in Twin Cities metro area • Rapid growth earlier decades,slowed 2000-10

  4. Minnesota Climate Change Advisory Group (MCCAG) • Governor directed group to recommend policy options, final report 2008 • Local government can be leader in GHG reductions • inventory sources • establish reduction targets

  5. Regional Efforts • Metropolitan Energy Policy Coalition (MEPC) • Energy efficiency and conservation • Greenhouse gas management and reporting • Legislation and advocacy

  6. Comprehensive Plan 2030 • Reduce greenhouse gas emissions • Achieve optimal energy use and conservation, and transition to sustainable energy sources • Plan, design, and construct sustainable public buildings in Dakota County • Prevent waste generation • Reduce demand for automobile transportation • Create an environmentally sensitive transportation system Source: DC2030 Executive Summary

  7. Dakota County Efforts Underway • DC Design, Construction and Sustainability Standards • Lighting Retrofit/Rebates • Park System and Comprehensive Plans • Recycling • Transit Options • Alternative Energy • E-government and Videoconferencing • Hybrid fleet vehicles

  8. Board Direction for Energy Work 2009 Board goal: “Achieve a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and support transition to alternative/renewable energy by adopting and implementing a County energy plan and related sustainability strategies.”

  9. DAKOTA COUNTY ENERGY PLANNING The Process and findings

  10. Energy Subcommittees • Buildings and Grounds • Facilities • Parks • Natural Resources • County-owned land • Research opportunities • Transportation • Fleet • Vehicle miles traveled Met monthly About eight staff per committee Cross-disciplinary

  11. Research Template

  12. Energy Subcommittees Scoring criteria used to screen and filter initial ideas: Consistent Objective Multi-dimensional

  13. Goals and Objectives Defined Goals: • Reduce (energy consumed) • Renew (use renewable resources) • Restore (sequester carbon by restoring natural landscapes) Objective Themes:

  14. Dakota County Greenhouse Gas Inventory (2005): Government Operations Total= 27,120metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) Dakota County Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report, 2009

  15. Committee Recommendations

  16. Dakota County can positively impact energy and greenhouse gas emissions and save money or be cost neutral.

  17. Statement of Energy Principles “Dakota County will reduce energy consumed and greenhouse gas emitted, use renewable resources, and sequester carbon. To do so will require ongoing commitment and leadership as demonstrated through the following principles...”

  18. Statement of Energy Principles • Reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions from buildings through design, construction, operations, and user habits. • Reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in transportation through transportation fuel alternatives, fleet related business practices, and transportation system design and use. • Manage waste, land, and water to conserve energy and sequester carbon. • Increase renewable energy use to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reliance on fossil fuels. • Inform, advocate, and anticipate the future with others to collectively conserve energy, transition to renewable resources, and sequester carbon.

  19. emissions reduction target

  20. The Importance of Targets… Provide one or more endpoints toward which efforts are focused Enable benchmarks to know if we are making progress Signal our collective effort and commitment Align ourselves with scientific consensus on necessary reductions

  21. Emissions Reduction Targets Reviewed other targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from 2005 levels, to show consistency and potential to achieve the targets 15% by 2015 30% by 2025 80% by 2050

  22. If we followed State targets… 27,120 15% 5,424 30% 80%

  23. Dakota County can meet the 2015 target for government operations, using the following proposed strategies, and save money.

  24. Internal Strategies Proposed strategy package

  25. Developing Strategies • Each subcommittee tasked with developing and ranking strategies • 72 strategies were developed • 0-4 hours of research per strategy to estimate impacts and costs • Subcommittees ranked strategies, then an exercise was used with the full group to prioritize among them

  26. Evaluation Criteria Applied Cost per ton of GHG avoided Net Fiscal Impact Leadership potential Potential to avoid GHG

  27. Developing the Strategy Package: • Meet the 2015 target • Net cost-neutral or better • Represent the three goals • Use strong assumptions and data

  28. 10% Fuel Efficiency Increase by Class Reduce: 11mt

  29. Promote Employee Transit Use Reduce: 25mt

  30. Increase Employee Recycling 15% Reduce: 32mt

  31. Cellulosic Biomass for Biofuel Reduce: 160mt

  32. Environmentally Preferred Purchasing Reduce: 221mt

  33. EECBG Projects Reduce: 423mt

  34. Improve Building Efficiency 10% Reduce: 1,619mt

  35. Build a 1 MW Wind Turbine Reduce: 1,950mt

  36. Dollars Spent (or Saved) Per Metric Ton of GHG Avoided

  37. Annual Net Fiscal Impact and GHG Avoided

  38. GHG Emissions from County Operations - 2005 Total= 27,120metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) Dakota County Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report, 2009

  39. Impact of Proposed Strategies 84% (remaining footprint) 16% (reduced emissions)

  40. Impact of Proposed Strategies Save $40,000 Annually 84% (remaining footprint) 16% (reduced emissions)

  41. Impact of All Internal Strategies 50% Recommended Strategies 50% Other Internal Strategies

  42. 2015 Target: 15% Reduction If Dakota County implements proposed strategies from 2010-2015, we can meet this target (using 2005 baseline data)

  43. 2025 Target: 30% Reduction We would need to double our reductions to reduce emissions 30%.

  44. 2050 Target: 80% Reduction We would need to do five times as much to reduce emissions 80%.

  45. Not all strategies are scalable…

  46. Example Strategies and Policy Questions External/CommunitystrategY Options

  47. Why look externally? • Climate change will affect government operations (environment, water, public health) • Federal and state mandates likely forthcoming • Position ourselves to receive funds • Some role unique to or best suited to counties • Our decisions and actions impact our residents energy use

  48. Why look externally? • MCCAG major Recommendations: • Reduce VMT • Biofuels • Forestry Management • Recycling/Waste Management • Public Education and Outreach

  49. Viewing Ourselves in Context County Government Operations: 27,120 metric tons annually

  50. 440,000 MT from travel on County Roads… Govt. Operations VMT on County Roads

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