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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - Mail Packet - 06/10/2025 - Council Futures Agenda – June 9, 2025 Council Futures Committee Agenda – City of Fort Collins Page 1 of 2 June 9, 2025 AGENDA Futures Committee REMOTE VIA TEAMS, 4:30-6:00PM, Monday, June 9, 2025 Please click the link below to join the meeting: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/join-a-meeting Meeting ID: 284 475 535 410 7 Passcode: Ag6ds3bH For Technical Assistance please call: 970-221-6505 CALL MEETING TO ORDER 4:30pm- 4:35pm Facilitated by Melanie Potyondy ROLL CALL, APPROVAL OF APRIL 14, 2025 MINUTES 4:35- 4:45pm Facilitated by Caryn Champine Click or tap here to enter text. DISCUSSION ITEM: Innovative Public Sector Budgeting Practices 4:45-5:45pm Facilitated by Melanie Potyondy We will explore different and innovative approaches related to public sector budgeting processes. Two speakers have been invited to share two different styles of budget processes; priority-based budgeting and participatory budgeting. These are not competing styles of budgeting but can be complementary. The first speaker, Chris Fabian, Senior Director of Product Strategy, Priority Based Budgeting at Tyler Technologies, will explore the inception and evolution of Priority Based Budgeting, a solution transforming how communities allocate resources. Following Chris, Matt Harder, Founder of Civic Trust, will share the power of Participatory Budgeting (PB) as a transformative tool for local governments to build trust, engage residents, and deliver real results. ADDITIONAL COMMITTEE UPDATES 5:45- 6:00pm Facilitated by Caryn Champine Council Futures Committee Agenda – City of Fort Collins Page 2 of 2 COMMITTEE MEMBERS Councilmember Julie Pignataro Councilmember Melanie Potyondy Councilmember Tricia Canonico Councilmember Susan Gutowsky, Alternate Staff Liaison: Caryn Champine, Director Planning, Development and Transportation Staff Support: Melina Dempsey, FCMoves 1 CITY OF FORT COLLINS FUTURES COMMITTEE MEETING Date: April 14, 2025 Location: Zoom Time: 4:30pm-6:00pm Committee Members present: Councilmember Melanie Potyondy Councilmember Julie Pignataro Councilmember Susan Gutowsky Additional Council members present: City Staff: Caryn Champine Additional Staff present: Kelly DiMartino, City Manager Teresa Roche, Human Resources Director Tyler Marr, Deputy City Manager Meeting called to order at 4:31 pm Approval of Minutes: Councilmember Pignataro moved to approve the February 10, 2025 minutes. Councilmember Gutowsky seconded. Motion passed 3-0. Chairperson Comments: None 2 The Future of Hydrogen, Dr. Bret Windom, Andrew Zdanowicz, and Samantha Preuss of the Chemical Energy Conversion Laboratory (CECL) at Colorado State University (CSU) Topic Overview: What is hydrogen, and what role can it play in shaping our future energy systems? This presentation explores the fundamentals of hydrogen as an energy carrier and discusses innovative research underway at CECL within CSU’s Energy Institute. Learn how hydrogen is being studied and developed as a key component of tomorrow’s cleaner, more sustainable energy landscape. Dr. Bret Windom introduced himself as a professor of mechanical engineering at CSU. Samantha Preuss provided the presentation. Hydrogen and the Energy Transition • Key Benefits of Hydrogen o Reduced greenhouse gas emissions o Reduced oil consumption o Reduced air pollution o Ability to store renewable power • Production Pathways o Electrolysis: electrochemical reaction that uses water to produce hydrogen and oxygen o Steam Methane Reforming: primary mode of production of hydrogen in the United States (95%) • Hydrogen that is being produced today is not being used for energy needs but for petroleum refining and ammonia production • Hydrogen can be used in fuel cells to generate electricity with the only byproduct being water • What is standing in the way of creating a hydrogen economy? o Cost o Safety concerns o Climate considerations • Hydrogen Applications o Largest uses of hydrogen today: petroleum refining and fertilizer production o Emerging markets: transportation and power utilities • Transportation Potential o Full-cell electric (hydrogen) vehicles have a longer driving range and shorter charging time than battery electric vehicles, but are more expensive o Trains are a good hydrogen use case for transportation – 14 existing and proposed train projects as of March 2024 o Trial case in Germany for hydrogen semi-trucks o Edmonton International Airport has a fleet of 100 Toyota fuel cell electric vehicles • Utility Opportunities o Hydrogen blending • Hydrogen 2030 and Beyond o Potential for emission reduction o Opportunities for employment in the hydrogen economy • Hydrogen at CSU: Mission is to develop energy and carbon solutions at-scale to achieve a global impact o Carbon and energy solutions o Experiential learning o Industry partners and entrepreneurial scale-up 3 • Project in place to install and operate hydrogen refueling stations in Fort Collins at the Powerhouse, Denver, and Pueblo: $11 million over 7 years Councilmember Pignataro asked if it is possible to convert a regular combustion engine to hydrogen. Preuss replied much of the current research is being focused on that topic. Hydrogen runs very hot; therefore, engine materiality is important. Andrew Zdanowicz replied there are manufacturers of internal combustion engines that are capable of burning hydrogen, similar to how gasoline is burned. The nuance is that you lose quite a bit of efficiency in using hydrogen fuel with that kind of system; the fuel cell bumps up efficiency by a factor of two. It makes little sense to convert an existing car to accommodate hydrogen fuel. Dr. Windom stated some companies that are making the engines for long haul trucks do see a market for hydrogen internal combustion engines as somewhat of an on ramp as they develop fuel cell technologies. Councilmember Pignataro noted approximately 20% of the cars sold in Colorado are electric and asked if that is part of the progression toward hydrogen or if there will be a longer time period in terms of adoption of hydrogen vehicles. Preuss replied it does not make sense economically to use a hydrogen passenger vehicle when the battery electric vehicle prices are so much lower and the technology has improved. Hydrogen would better be utilized with semi-trucks and other heavy-duty applications. Zdanowicz commented on the two technologies co-existing for the different uses. Councilmember Pignataro asked about the hydrogen form. Preuss replied it can be liquid or high- pressure gas and it is cryogenically cooled to make it a liquid. Councilmember Pignataro asked if the trains discussed in the presentation are getting hydrogen from a green source. Preuss replied the India train is powered with renewable electrolysis technology, and those in Germany and California are powered using grid electricity electrolysis operations with the intention of promoting that to renewable energy. Councilmember Gutowsky asked for more details about the San Bernadino, California hydrogen train. Preuss replied it is in preliminary service and provides more regional service with the hydrogen train being one of seven. She discussed the hydrogen fueling system involving onboard hydrogen tanks and fuel cell and noted the train is able to cover nearly 2,000 miles without refueling. Councilmember Gutowsky asked which other countries are hydrogen producers. Preuss replied Canada has a large infrastructure for hydrogen production, though the main fuel cell electric vehicle market is in southeast Asia. Chair Potyondy asked what type of infrastructure is required to move the hydrogen from its generation point to stations for vehicle refueling and whether there are opportunities to reuse outdated pipelines. Preuss replied the fueling station options include truck supplied stations and on-site generation, which is how the Fort Collins, Denver, and Pueblo sites will be configured. Chair Potyondy asked if hydrogen can better meet energy storage needs. Dr. Windom replied the thought process behind the hydrogen transition was as an energy storage medium. Chair Potyondy asked about the space constraints for hydrogen storage compared to batteries. Dr. Windom replied the volume of hydrogen storage is significantly better than batteries and can unload power quicker than can batteries. Deputy City Manager Tyler Marr asked about infrastructure considerations assuming hydrogen gets to the point of being a feasible fuel to run through turbines. He noted PRPA announced a partnership for a 100- 4 megawatt four-hour battery storage project. Dr. Windom replied there could be dedicated pipes for hydrogen, though materiality must be considered. Deputy City Manager commented on the possibility of encouraging Xcel to explore some of the hydrogen blending options. Champine stated much of the buildout for the future transit system contemplates on-route charging and mobility hubs, of which hydrogen could be a part. She commented on the infrastructure needed for electric uses and noted it will not be as applicable for hydrogen. Dr. Windom commented on New Belgium’ desire to decarbonize its transportation routes and stated that could be a customer in Fort Collins that could provide some evidence-based data to allow the City to make more educated decisions in terms of infrastructure. Preuss stated it is important to not rely solely on battery electric technology and there will be different solutions for each use case. Other Business Champine commented on the desire to subtly bring the three horizons framework into the Futures Committee presentations, which started with this presentation. Additionally, she stated the June session will include two speakers on the future of budgeting. Councilmember Potyondy adjourned the meeting at 5:50 pm.