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HomeMy WebLinkAboutEnergy Board - Minutes - 12/13/2018Energy Board Minutes December 13, 2018 Energy Board Minutes December 13, 2018 Fort Collins Utilities Energy Board Minutes Thursday, December 13, 2018 Energy Board Chairperson Nick Michell, 970-215-9235 City Council Liaison Ross Cunniff, 970-420-7398 Energy Board Vice Chairperson Amanda Shores, 408-391-0062 Staff Liaison Tim McCollough, 970-305-1069 Roll Call Board Present: Chairperson Nick Michell, Alan Braslau, Bill Becker, Jeremy Giovando, Greg Behm, John Fassler, Stacey Baumgarn, Krishna Karnamadakala Late Arrivals: Board Absent: Vice Chairperson Amanda Shores Others Present Staff: Tim McCollough, Christie Fredrickson, John Phelan, Lindsay Ex, Brian Tholl, Lance Smith, Kevin Gertig, Rhonda Gatzke, Maelly Oropeza (LCCC) Platte River Power Authority: Paul Davis, Joel Danforth Members of the Public: Meeting Convened Chairperson Michell called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. Public Comment None Approval of November 8, 2018 Board Meeting Minutes In preparation for the meeting, board members submitted amendments via email for the November 8, 2018 minutes. The minutes were approved as amended. Announcements and Agenda Changes Board member Braslau noted the municipal code updates that were presented to the Energy Board on November 8 were not approved by Council because there was some pushback from plumbing suppliers, so the item is rescheduled to go before Council on December 18. Additionally, the Building Energy Scoring ordinance was passed with a few amendments. Mr. Phelan said there were two amendments; one was a simple manual reporting requirement, and the other was that the City would not impose a minimum score. This message was consistently communicated to the stakeholders of the project, but it’s now formally communicated within the ordinance. Staff Reports Executive Director’s Report Kevin Gertig, Utilities Executive Director (attachments available upon request) Energy Board Minutes December 13, 2018 Energy Board Minutes December 13, 2018 Mr. Gertig said the Light and Power staff and crews have put out an incredible amount of effort to complete asset inspections and cable inventory. Staff has also put a lot of effort into data cleanup, including outage maps and transformer loading reports. Chairperson Michell asked if the data cleanup efforts are tied into the GIS system, and Mr. McCollough said what the board is seeing is data cleanup efforts in the electric model and customer information system and tying that information to the meter data management system. Mr. Gertig showed how Light and Power crews are using cameras to get full, high resolution 360-degree surveys with virtual reality. Mr. McCollough added this was funded with a general fund grant and staff sees a lot of safety benefits for crews, as well as training opportunities. Mr. Gertig also highlighted the 2019 Work Plan, which includes projects within Operational Technology (mapping, assets, and customer information systems), delivering new electric capacity, and the success of the broadband launch. Board member Braslau asked how broadband fiber will be connected to houses, by trench or bore? Mr. McCollough said there is not conduit to every house right now, and the cable that connects the transformer to the meter is direct buried, so the house drops will have to be new conduit and fiber connections. He added traditionally boring is more expensive, so the intention is to trench, but depending on the existing landscaping boring can be option. Chairperson Michell asked if L&P will be compensated for crew time dedicated to Broadband, and Mr. McCollough said labor will be paid but the usage of the conduit is currently not compensated. Quarterly Financial Report Lance Smith, Director, Financial Planning & Assets (attachments available upon request) The Strategic Financial Plan targets Operating Margin of at least 2%, but the over the last four years the operating margin has been trending in the negatives, which is reflective of the rate increases the utility has made, but Mr. Smith said that’s why the 5% rate increases in 2019 and 2020 were so necessary. Chairperson Michell asked if all L&P debt is paid off and Mr. Smith confirmed it was. Chairperson Michell asked if L&P is responsible for any debts accrued by Broadband/Connexion? Mr. Smith said yes, and that debt does impact L&P’s debt capacity and bond ratings. He added they don’t anticipate needing to issue any debt in the next three years, which is when broadband is expected to take off on its own. Mr. Smith reviewed the 2019-20 L&P budget (less purchased power), which includes plans for renewable energy, energy services, capital investments, and operations and maintenance (among other things). The budget also includes several enhancements: three new circuits to increase feeder capacity, the remodel of the Supervisory Control Operations Center, Enterprise Asset Register and Work Order Management System, and the 2030 Climate Action and Energy Policy Update (50% of which is funded through L&P). Mr. McCollough added that the City Manager’s recommended budget had some modifications prior to adoption to add scaled versions of energy efficiency and noncommercial solar rebates. The funding needs for those additions were offset by reducing three offers, the core renewable energy offer was reduced by approximately $140,000 in 2019, the capital offer on distribution transformers was reduced, and one circuit job was delayed until 2021. Board member Becker asked if the additional CAP offer package the Board supported was approved and Mr. McCollough said no, only the original 5% rate increase was approved. Board member Baumgarn Energy Board Minutes December 13, 2018 Energy Board Minutes December 13, 2018 asked if there is anything that could be brought forward in a mid-cycle offer. Mr. McCollough said mid- cycle offers are possible, Platte River EVSE Pilot Joel Danforth, Distributed Energy Resources Manager, Platte River Power Authority (attachments available upon request) The goals of the Electric Vehicle (EV) Distributed Charging Study are three-fold: gather data on customers’ EV charging behaviors, build a direct relationship with the emerging class of EV charging customers, and implement new EV charging technology that may facilitate future services aimed at managing customers’ charging load. Mr. Danforth said approximately 80% of all EV charging events occur at home during the afternoon or evening hours, but presently there isn’t a good method to monitor these loads. He estimates that one EV increases the average residential energy use by 50% and residential power demand by approximately 350%. Mr. Danforth said that this can be a lot and is certainly something that should be paid attention to so that the Utility and Platte River can determine how to accommodate the new loads. Based upon a study completed by the Colorado Energy Office in 2015, Platte River estimates that by 2026 there could be as much as 99MW associated with EV charging within its service area. The EV market is growing and many automakers are committing to increasing future EV lineups by 2030, including GM, Ford, Volvo, and Volkswagen. Board member Behm asked if the assumptions from the 2015 Colorado Energy Office study are still in line with today’s assumptions, or if there is a discrepancy. Mr. Danforth said they created three forward - looking scenarios, low growth, medium growth, and high growth. The high growth was forecasted at 15%, but currently the market is trending closer to the medium growth baseline of 5%. The assumptions Mr. Danforth presented are based on the medium growth scenario. Board member Baumgarn asked if the growth assumption data is for residential customers only or if it is inclusive of fleets. Mr. Danforth said both studies (the City study and the Colorado Energy Office study) are based on residential, local percentage of households versus the state household percentage. JuiceNet software is installed on the charging station product manufactured by ENEL, the JuiceBox Pro. In an effort to remain technologically agnostic, this software is also available on ClipperCreek stations and AeroVironment stations. The platform requires Wi-Fi and is accessible via a smartphone app so customers can remotely monitor their charging, for example, plugging into a Time of Day schedule. The charging management options are also accessible online through their customer portal and the software is also compatible with smart devices like Amazon Alexa and Google Home. From the utility access side, JuiceNet has a cloud platform with 15-minute interval data and predictive modeling, as well as demand response service and API support for Open-ADR and other applications. Board member Braslau asked if there is a way to tie the devices’ communications into the Utility’s advanced metering infrastructure as opposed to a Wi-Fi connection, and Mr. McCollough said that’s not possible at this time because there is presently no EV charger on the market that can “speak” Zigbee, which is the protocol Utility’s smart meters use for demand response. The market provides mostly Wi-Fi- enabled residential smart chargers, but with Connexion on the horizon soon the Utility will have ownership and potentially control of that access point so there will be a potential opportunity for a direct line of communication, to be explored. Energy Board Minutes December 13, 2018 Energy Board Minutes December 13, 2018 Board member Becker commented that without Time of Day rates, the Utility would likely see a huge spike in load between 5:00 and 6:00 pm as people are arriving home from work because there would be no price incentive to do otherwise. Board member Behm asked in a hypothetical situation, if every vehicle in the city of Fort Collins was converted to EV, what fraction of the total system load would that represent if everyone came home and started charging at the end of the day? Mr. Danforth said the real issue is how would that change demand for power, and Mr. McCollough added the city could get up to about a 30% EV adoption rate before the Utility would hit infrastructure issues. Board member Braslau commented that’s why it is so important to implement workplace charging to help stagger the load as well as to take full advantage of solar generation. One of the questions from the study is, can location and load be “mapped” to a distribution transformer or feeder? Mr. Danforth explained in order to do that we would need to associate a device ID/location with a feeder/transformer ID (i.e. a spreadsheet); then Platte River could provide communities with a list of participant locations, the communities would respond with a feeder/transformer ID for each location, and Platte River then provides interval EV load data for each ID. The next steps in the study in 2018 were to complete JuiceBox charger testing, execute JuiceNet service agreement, and finalize rebate and participant agreements. In 2019 they will add charging devices to the EfficiencyWorks store and begin marketing to customers, and then use the data collected to develop proposal on new “smart charging” services. The board is very excited about the perspectives that this program offers and would like to see it develop further. Larimer County Conservation Corps Brian Tholl, Senior Supervisor, Mechanical Engineer Maelly Oropeza, Corps Manager, Larimer County Conservation Corps (attachments available upon request) Mr. Tholl said the current five-year Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) period with Larimer County Economic and Workforce Development Department completed in 2018. The Water and Energy Program is incorporated into the City’s suite of efficiency programs and is administered by Larimer County Conservation Corps (LCCC). This includes the staffing and recruitment of participants, and sourcing of direct-install materials. The customer offer is a no-cost home efficiency assessment on site with a Corp team staff member who also provides educational information for the tenant or homeowner. The customer is provided with direct-install equipment like shower heads and LED lightbulbs. The Water and Energy Program is marketed within the Utility Affordability Portfolio, which also includes the Income Qualified Assistance Program, Payment Assistance Fund, Medical Assistance Program, and Colorado Affordable Residential Energy. In 2019, staff plans to target customers who have signed up for LEAP and IQAP, though participation in those programs is not a requirement or prerequisite. LCCC has completed many installations since 2010, including 3,485 assessments, 32,300 efficient light bulbs, 637 programmable thermostats, 5,897 efficient sink aerators, and 409 low-flow toilets. Chairperson Michell asked for clarification on how the City of Fort Collins supports the LCCC and the Water and Energy Program. Mr. Oropeza explained LCCC administers the program, which is funded by and serves both Fort Collins Utilities and Loveland Water and Power customers. Mr. Phelan added the funding from each of the municipalities is provided to their respective customers enrolled in the program. Energy Board Minutes December 13, 2018 Energy Board Minutes December 13, 2018 Mr. Tholl is seeking the Energy Board’s feedback and support of renewing the IGA with Larimer County. Board member Behm moved the Energy Board offer its support to renew the IGA between the City of Fort Collins and the Larimer County Economic and Workforce Development Department to maintain the Water and Energy Program. Board member Braslau seconded the motion. Discussion: Board member Braslau said the Council Futures Committee discussed equity as an outcome, and this program aligns very well. Chairperson Michell agreed and said it’s important for renters and low-income population to have access to efficiency programs. Vote on the motion: it passed unanimously 8-0, with one absent. Climate Action Plan Update Lindsay Ex, Interim Environmental Services Director John Phelan, Energy Services Senior Manager (attachments available upon request) Ms. Ex and Mr. Phelan briefly recapped the climate action momentum happening statewide; in January 2018 Longmont adopted a 100% renewable electricity goal by 2030, and similarly in October the City of Fort Collins adopted a 100% RE goal by 2030 and Platte River adopted a similar goal in December 2018, with the approval notably of Estes Park and of Loveland. Also in December, Xcel set a goal to be carbon neutral by 2050 (80% carbon reduction by 2030) and Delta-Montrose Electric Association announced plans to sever ties with Tri-State. Locally, the Take Two Campaign reached approximately 5,550 residents, there has been uptake in SP3, commercial, and residential solar installations, the online marketplace launched, and On-Bill Financing re-launched, City Plan and the Transportation Master Plan are coming together, as is regional wasteshed planning. In the City Budget Offer 43.12 (2030 Climate Action and Energy Policy Update), staff tried to focus on the future and identify questions that could be addressed by the budget offer. These questions included things like, what are the most cost-effective, pragmatic and equitable initiatives in this timeframe, what infrastructure and/or capital needs are necessary to reach the goal, and how will the community (residents and businesses) need to be engaged over the ten-year period? Staff also identified a list of guiding principles for the planning process: act at the mitigation-resilience- equity nexus, the triple bottom line, maintain a balance of reliability-affordability-environmental sustainability, start with existing tools (e.g., CAP model), maintain the balance between a technical exercise and policy discussions, and don’t anticipate any significant influx of new City funding. Board member Braslau said there will likely have to be an influx of additional funding to address the goal, and it is a core-need for the City. Board member Baumgarn suggested that if we want triple bottom line solutions, perhaps we need a triple bottom line analogy. We often suggest that solutions (only) take money, so offering a few triple bottom line analogies, inclusive of social and environmental attributes may help take the discussion to a different place. Ms. Ex said that is great feedback and very helpful to staff. Ms. Ex said staff is also asking themselves many questions, such as how to develop a compelling vision that garners community alignment—an 80% carbon reduction by 2030 is a great goal, but it is not a vision. Mr. Phelan said staff also needs to define what an equitable process looks like in Fort Collins, so it not be so abstract. Board member Karnamadakala asked if the feedback they’re receiving from the public Energy Board Minutes December 13, 2018 Energy Board Minutes December 13, 2018 is that an 80% carbon reduction by 2030 is a target and not a vision, and Ms. Ex said yes. She explained the goals of the CAP are very clear, but how to get the whole community on board is much more intangible until we can make the message relatable to the quality of life in Fort Collins. Mr. Phelan also noted that in many things we do as a City, for example Building Energy Codes or Stormwater Impacts, traditionally historical data is used to define the performance of the plan; however, Mr. Phelan said we should be using projected future climate in the CAP planning process. Ms. Ex asked the Board a series of questions to think about as they formulated their own questions and feedback: What does the Energy Board see as criteria for success for this effort, are there other questions the Energy Board would like to see addressed in the planning process, and what other reactions does the Energy Board have? Board member Behm said he can see the dilemma in developing a compelling and relatable message for the Climate Action Plan, because often when climate change is discussed, we focus on the negative aspects of a changing climate. It’s about trying to put the brakes on where we are headed, but that’s a hard vision to convey because it is somewhat of a tangibly invisible goal. Chairperson Michell said the excitement behind the 100% Renewable Electricity goals that were set locally was surprising to him because there were other efforts that came before that specific goal adoption that were equally as exciting, but he understands that this goal gives everyone a better vision of what they can do. There has been a lot of press coverage with marketing slogans like, “A Green Energy Revolution,” and even though it’s a slogan it’s better than a headline that reads, “Let’s Get Rid of Carbon.” He said there are already things starting to catch peoples’ attention and maybe we need to do a better job building on that messaging. Board member Giovando asked how staff plans to approach outreach, particularly with the schools. Ms. Ex said the excitement around 100% RE also caught them somewhat by surprise and so it has slightly changed a few of their workplans as they begin outreach programs. Mr. Giovando said someone came to his children’s school to talk about how bad plastic straws are for the environment, and his kids have really grasped that idea and are actively avoiding straws now. He said if staff could get into the schools he believes children will become a huge proponent of the message. Board member Becker commented with a suggestion that it may be helpful to add a tagline at the bottom of each slide to bring the viewer back to the central goal of the presentation. Board members also asked staff to clarify or be more specific what they mean by the phrase “this effort.” Ms. Ex said that’s good feedback, and the vague language was a result of trying not to overuse the titles of all the plans encompassed underneath the Climate Action Plan; staff is currently trying to develop a creative acronym. Board member Baumgarn said the Energy Board is a group that staff can potentially geek-out with numbers, because this group is very data driven. He also said when thinking about community engagement and having a vison, we need to identify and appeal to common values; in those, we will find the common ground and the compelling vision. He said it will always be necessary to do both, because the science and the numbers will always be the reality, but the compelling conversation for many will begin and end with story-telling and values. He also wondered if there is an opportunity to get local businesses to band together, similarly to how ClimateWise was able to get businesses to participate in common initiative. Board member Behm said there isn’t any public rewards system for doing the right thing, as there was with ClimateWise, aside from the Opower reports that are sent to utility customers. He said everyone communicates with their family, friends, and neighbors differently and through different avenues, but pretty much everyone goes outside. He suggested adding public banners downtown and throughout the community for increased messaging visibility within our community. Energy Board Minutes December 13, 2018 Energy Board Minutes December 13, 2018 Draft 2018 Annual Report Nick Michell, Energy Board Chairperson (attachments available upon request) Chairperson Michell presented his draft version of the 2018 Annual Report and board members made suggestions and changes to be made prior to final submission. Chairperson Michell also said in 2019 he hopes to see the Board’s subcommittees resurrected and urged those who have the time and bandwidth to participate. Board member Braslau suggested setting some objectives for these subcommittees early on in the year. Board Member Reports None Future Agenda Review Energy Board Officer Elections will take place in January. Some members of the Energy Board would like to take a tour of Rawhide Energy Station, and the Board decided to wait until the January meeting to discuss when, so as to include the new board member who will be formally appointed on December 18. Adjournment The Energy Board meeting adjourned at 9:07 p.m. Approved by the Energy Board on January 10, 2019 ________________________________ ______________ Board Secretary, Christie Fredrickson Date 1/10/2019