CITY OF DANBURY BUILDINGS HONORED WITH PRESTIGIOUS ENERGY STAR
AD HOC REPORT
Clean Energy
Thursday, May 17, 2007
11011. Mark D. Boughton, Mayor
Common Council Members
Chairman Shay Nagarsheth called the meeting to order at 7:15 pm. on Thursday, May 17, 2007, in the Caucus Room, 3tI
Floor, Danbury City Hall, 155 Deer Hill Avellue. Present were Committee members Michael Calandrino and John
Esposito Also present were Mayor Mark Boughton, Corporation Counsel Laszlo L, Pinter, Assistant Finance Director
Dan Garrick, Public Buildings Superintendent Richard Palanzo, Jack Kozuchowski, Cohn Bennett, Councilwoman Mary
Teicholz, Mike McLaughlin and interested citizens.
Chairman Nagarsheth explained that the charge of the Conuniffee was to consider a clean energy proposal. Chairman Nagarsheth asked Mr. Bennett to provide an overview ofthe proposal. Mr Bennett began by introducing himself and his non-profit organization, Clean Water Acon. The proposed program is called the 20% by 2010. The idea is for Connecticut chies and towns to purchase 20% of their municipal electricity usage from clean air renewable sources by the year 2010. It was mandated by the Connecticut Legislature and it is administered by the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund which is a quasi-governmental organization funded by Connecticut rate payers. Ifyou are paying an electric bill in Connecticut part of your electric bill goes to the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund. This program is administered by the Conneccut Clean Energy Fund. The State has aircady made the commitment to clean energy. The State has committed to 20% ofthe State’s energy will be coming from ciean sources (these include universities, the State Capitol, etc1). The State’s desire is for the cities and towns to follow suit, Rather than mandate the cities and towns to purchase 20%, an incenve program has been developed. A town passes a Resolution committing to 20% by 201 0. For every 100 residena1 or business customers in town that also sign up for clean energy through the Connecticut Clean Energy Options Program, the town would get two free solar panels. Another incenve was to offer the first 40 towns that pass the Resolution a $5,000.00 grant to help support the program. Unfortunately, 48 towns have already passed Resolutions so that incenthe is no longer available. The Resolution is tailored by each city or town. Once a Resolution has been passed, the only doewnent that would need to be executed would be an MOU (Memorandum ofUnderstanding) with the Connec&ut Clean Energy Fund which reaffirms the goal of 20% by 201O The MOU is not a contrae it is a nond binding Resolution and a good faith effort to reach the goal of 20% by 2010. Mr. Benne explained another option— onsite generation. If the City wanted to invest in s own solar panels or put up its own wind turbines or fuel cells, that would help the City meet ils goal of 20% by 2010. Not a lot oftowns are pursuing that opfion because it requires the most capital costs upfront. However, the benefit is that once you install the solar panels, there is no cost, they willjust be producing electricity whereas if you are going to be buying from the grid, you will always be paying for it. If you buy solar panels, they will eventually have a payback peod between ten and twenty years. You will eventually save money rather than sjnd money. If Danbury chose to go that route, the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund is paying for up to half of all renewable energy installations up to $4 million,
Chairman Nagarsheth opened the meeting up for discussion and/or quesons. Councilman Calandrino asked how the 20% by 2010 caine about Mr. Bennett explained that in approximately 2003/2004, some students in New Haven, along with some citizen activists, wanted the city to pursue clean energy so they created the idea of 20% by 2U10 They approached the New Haven Board of Aldermen to liy to convince them to purchase 20% renewable energy1 They were successful. So, the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund, in cooperation with some Connecticut non-profit organizations, looked at New Haven as a model and replicated it across the state. This program is now serving as a model for other states that are adopüng either the same program or similar programs. Councilman Calandrino asked if there were other towns presently using solar energy through the 26% by 2010 program. Mr. Bennett said there was a handful. He pointed out the success of the program and noted that none of the towns that are participating have backed out of the program once the Resolution was passed. Mr. Esposito asked where the panels have been placed in other towns. Mr. Bennett said that West Hartford placed the panels on theft City Hall. Upon reading one of the brochures distributed by M Bennett, Councilman Calandrino noted a surcharge and asked what was being done with the money. Mr. Bennett said that the money was being invested directly into renewable energy infrastructure. Jack Kozuchowski was afforded an opportunity to speak. He explained that he worked with the Corporation Counsel to help draft the proposed Resolution.’ In the
AdHoc Report, Re: C1eai Energy, Thursday, May 17, 2007
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