Some bright ideas on energy conservation

PINE PLAINS — The planet is getting warmer. Since 1970 the average temperature has risen 1.8 degrees in the United States and 2 degrees in New York, according to state’s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Special Assistant to the Commissioner of the Hudson River Estuary Program and Climate Change Program Barbara Fratianni.

“Those are climatic events — not  trends — and they happened over a long time and we have to believe what science tells us,†she said. “We can’t say that all science is wrong.â€

Fratianni made her comments before the Pine Plains Town Board recently, where she was invited to speak about affordable and practical ways for the town to deal with climate change. She said there’s a reason to be hopeful.

“There’s a window of opportunity open right now,†she said. “In the next few decades we must convert all energy solutions to low carbon versions. [There are ways through] the joint management of the DEC and NYSERDA [New York State Energy Research and Development Authority].â€

Case in point is the Climate Smart Communities Pledge, a 10-step pledge to act locally to protect the climate. Those steps include: 1. pledge to combat climate change by setting goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; 2. set goals, inventory emissions, move to action; 3. decrease energy demand for local government operations; 4. encourage renewable energy for local government operations;
5. realize benefits of recycling and other climate smart solid waste management practices; 6. promote climate protection through community land use tools; 7. plan for adaptation to unavoidable climate change; 8. support a green innovation economy 9. inform and inspire the public; and 10. commit to an evolving process.

And there’s some money available to help municipalities make eco-friendly changes. Just this spring the DEC awarded $6.6 million for such projects, like one in Millerton that provided funds to install solar panels on the roof of the water district’s pump house.
The money was made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) — otherwise known as stimulus funding.

The grant totalled $286,334 and it went toward installing a 49 kW photovoltaic system with an estimated annual savings of $9,231 to the village of Millerton. It will help to produce energy for the pump house to bring water from the wells to the water tower.

In 2009 that bill was just under $18,000 for the year. According to NYSERDA, the system will provide close to 40 percent of the cost of the electrical needs for the municipal water pumps on an annual basis, and it will tie into the existing electrical supply provided by Central Hudson Gas and Electric.

That’s the kind of support Pine Plains would like to garner for similar energy-saving projects. Meridith Nierenberg, the downstate and Hudson Valley point of contact for NYSERDA, was also at the August climate change presentation. She said NYSERDA has programs that specifically focus on working with municipalities to work on carbon and greenhouse emissions. One such way is to conduct an energy audit, which is refundable as long as a receipt is kept for the records.

“An energy audit is a great way to benchmark energy usage,†Nierenberg said. “It’s a great working document. If there is a building that uses more than $75,000 we can use the FlexTech program. We have different financial incentive programs. We have lighting, motors, HVACS and larger programs, too. The good thing to keep in mind is that if you plan on doing any big projects, like reconstruction, you can have a big program to help pay for the costs — you’ll be saving much into the future.â€

Councilwoman Sandra David asked if the two women could keep the town in the loop regarding any new programs, especially new grants, that the town could take advantage of. She was told by both they would forward such information directly on to the Town Board once they receive it.

Town Supervisor Gregg Pulver said the Town Board is very keen on pursuing energy-saving alternatives; Pine Plains was the first town in Dutchess County to buy 50 percent of its electricity from wind power.

“Most of what I read here is stuff we should  be doing, or are doing. For a lot of reasons we should cut down our energy usage,†Pulver said. “This looks great. I just want to look into it as we’re starting the process and this is an all electric building. The pumping station just changed from electric to gas.â€

Everyone agreed that it made sense to do some research.

For more on the programs mentioned, log onto dec.ny.gov/energy or nyserda.org/municipalities/default.asp.