AVON CLEAN ENERGY COMMISSION
AVON ROOM BLDG. #1 TOWN HALL
MINUTES
OCTOBER 5, 2011
I. CALL MEETING TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 7:10 PM by Acting Chairman Bernard Zahren in the Avon Room, Bldg. 1 Town Hall. Members present: Acting Chairman Bernard Zahren, Linda Meyers, Jeffrey Bernetich and Lisa Levin. Members absent: Marty Kaplan and Brian Glenn. Advisory members present: Jonathan Craig, Diane Zhao and Giorgina Paiella. Advisory members absent: none. Also in attendance was staff member and Town Clerk Ann Dearstyne.
II. APPROVAL OF THE PRECEDING MEETING MINUTES – SEPT. 7, 2011
Mr. Zahren requested changing the word “number” to “charge” after distribution and adding “charge” after the word usage on page 2, paragraph 3.
VOTE: Ms. Levin motioned and Mr. Zahren seconded to accept the September 7, 2011 minutes as written with the changes. Mr. Bernetich and Ms. Meyers abstained as they were absent from the meeting.
III. COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE
None.
IV. OLD BUSINESS: a. Energy Plan update, b. Solar Panels – Project with PTO, c. Avon Day Booth – turnout
Mr. Zahren asked Ms. Dearstyne if she’d include a recurring agenda item that focuses on communication from the high school members. He would also like to include at the beginning of each meeting a discussion of some piece of the whole energy picture in terms of something that makes sense. He then referred to a handout he brought telling of the Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu’s efforts to continue to provide loan guarantees for clean energy even in the wake of the Solyndra solar manufacturing scandal. Mr. Zahren continued that the last day of the fiscal year, the government gave out an additional $5 billion in loan guarantees for clean coal technology, biofuel and nuclear plants as well. Mr. Zahren said the Solyndra item was an example of how things get messed up in the news and that this was one of
them.
Mr. Craig requested that the minutes show commending the high school Green Club for their participation in Avon Day as they had volunteers there all day. Mr. Zahren added that they were great in engaging the visitors who came over to see Mr. Craig’s windmill. Mr. Zahren questioned if the message was getting across to the residents attending Avon Day. Ms. Zhao felt that yes we really are getting the message about clean energy to them. She said there were a few people who didn’t understand about clean energy and the volunteers helped them to understand how to sign up and help to create a sustainable environment for everybody. Ms. Paiella said she spent more time setting up but did notice more kids attracted to the booth than last year which she felt was a good sign.
Ms. Zhao spoke of questions she’s receiving from teachers at the high school regarding a slip of paper bulleting certain energy conservation behavior they should be doing at the school and wondered if the Commission was affiliated with this. Mr. Zahren surmised that the new Superintendent was behind it because Mr. Mala recently hired an energy consultant to use in the schools. Mr. Zahren continued that it’s all about teaching everyone to be more energy efficient. Ms. Zhao said that teachers have been complaining about climate control problems resulting from having to close their doors after they begin teaching. She was asked if they should be doing these things with the problems that are resulting. Ms. Dearstyne suggested they check with the schools as this Commission was not involved in this program.
Mr. Craig said touring the Thompson Brook School showed variations in window or southern exposure that would make a general policy decision difficult to follow. Ms. Paiella added that the gym and auditorium always seem too cold in the winter and how could that be rectified. Ms. Levin referred to a recent article in the New York Times that highlighted the fact that everyone spoke of the heating control situation but not of the air conditioning waste and that it will probably be the next wave of energy education. Mr. Zahren was glad that the faculty was providing feedback to our student members of the commission.
Mr. Zahren referred to an additional handout he provided showcasing the Town of Cornwall’s efforts to garner town wide support for clean energy. With 1420 people, they were able to receive 9kW’s of free solar panels. Mr. Zahren reiterated his plea to the Town Council to challenge Avon to become one of the greenest towns in the state and if not the whole country like Cornwall.
In Mr. Bartha’s absence, Ms. Dearstyne relayed that tentatively Peregrine will present a complete draft of the energy plan at the next meeting. She added too that Mr. Bartha has been working with Peregrine and the BOE and Public Works on all of the buildings. Mr. Zahren reminded that there were a number of blanks in the last draft and that hopefully those will be filled in for the next meeting. He felt confident too that much of the 15% reduction goal had been addressed using the 2008 baseline and the total could be achieved by the 2015 date, and he added that the Town Council was delighted with this as well. Ms. Dearstyne continued that Mr. Bartha is still having difficulty in contacting Bob Wahl. Ms. Levin said that she has been successful in contacting him.
Ms. Levin discussed the energy sign up campaign. She first questioned the members for feedback on the handout she had prepared for Avon Day. Mr. Craig said that no one stopped to ask to go through it step by step, that there was a little confusion with the choices for signing up with a supplier and called the reactions mainly a “mixed bag.” Ms. Levin suggested that if the town really wanted to be like Cornwall then there had to be more emphasis on education. She said her own experience of trying to sign up proved to be confusing and frustrating. She said the first thing they need to do is change the average families’ monthly usage from 700kW to something less misleading. She said Mr. Wahl told her that Sterling Planet is going away as of January 1, 2012. She attempted to sign up with Con Ed to offset
savings against her other choice of the more expensive clean energy supplier Sterling Planet. After many conversations with CL & P, Sterling Planet and ConEd, she was able to sign with Sterling Planet and when she is a customer she will seek Dominion as the other supplier of electricity. Ms. Levin added that if the Commission wants to get others involved then they have to do a better job of explaining the process. Mr. Zahren concurred and added that we were never going to get to a 10kW goal when referring people to a web page and in order to get the PTOs involved, you’d need a simple form, gather the sign ups and take them to get processed to the DEEP to insure the credit to the town. He added that Mr. Wahl and coworkers are not sure of their own futures given the changes to the department. Mr. Zahren emphasized the need for a big push such as the PTO and wasn’t sure of Mr. Mala’s plan. Mr. Craig questioned why we couldn’t install the 2kW that the town
has earned to date. Mr. Zahren answered that they wouldn’t want to make the investment for installation on such a small system. Ms. Dearstyne said they’d come out for anything over one but you’d be on you own for any installations after that on ones you subsequently earned. Mr. Zahren offered to contact Mr. Mala again to see where he is on the sign up campaign.
Mr. Bernetich agreed that sign ups were difficult. He felt that until the process was simplified, it wouldn’t work. Ms. Levin added that people were scared after Hurricane Irene and would be reluctant to switch suppliers for fear of perceived problems with their service. She said people didn’t understand the concept of a grid and again the Commission should focus on education. She questioned how Cornwall was able to get such a great response. Mr. Zahren attributed the success to people calling and handling the paperwork in bunches without referring them to a web page and that this was the only way to find success here. Ms. Levin and Mr. Bernetich questioned whether people would be willing to give out that information. Mr. Craig summed by saying that people feared that CL & P would no longer take care of
them and clarified that CL & P owned the grid. The grid brings the energy in some way and you are supplementing that grid to bring in green energy. Ms. Levin suggested a day with a lot of computers with help to sign up. Ms. Paiella suggested the Community Room at the high school could be useful even for a tutorial. Mr. Bernetich stressed the importance of showing a financial comparison. He asked what the cost of a solar array would be in comparison to the energy cost it would save and could this be displayed somehow. Mr. Craig suggested the roof would hold 40kW. Mr. Bernetich felt that Avon is a wealthy community and could contribute money towards a full array; contribute so much and receive a plaque in return for example. Mr. Craig said a visitor to the booth said they’d rather give the money to the school than to an energy supplier. Ms. Meyers questioned the cost of one panel. Mr. Craig said it had to be based on kWs. He figured $4 to $6 with installation per kW. Mr.
Zahren corrected that panels have come down even further for a total with installation to be approximately $3 to $4 per watt on a 40kW system for a cost of $120,000.00. Mr. Bernetich asked how much this would save on energy use. Mr. Zahren said roughly 10% a year for a savings of roughly $80,000.00 at the middle school. Mr. Bernetich added that energy costs could go very high thus making the investment much more cost effective. Mr. Craig said the system should last 25 years. Mr. Zahren said that after January 1st, solar panel owners will be able to sell the RECs that could be worth $300 a megawatt hour. Mr. Bernetich envisions a screen located in the school lobby showing wattage coming in and savings made. Mr. Craig has a similar system at his school. Ms. Dearstyne cautioned that policy regarding donations and contributions need to be examined before fund raising efforts are considered. Mr. Craig said that a good way to reach people who were skeptical was to show how the
savings flowed back to the general operations of the Town thus impacting the taxes they pay. He said Peregrine should be able to do this for us. Mr. Zahren added that this was an issue that Mr. Kaplan has emphasized through his suggestions to look at what software is available for this.
V. NEW BUSINESS: a. One on one support from Clean Water Action
Mr. Zahren discussed the consultant who is available through the Clean Water Fund. He said they’ve been strong advocates for the State energy bill and hoped they would continue to do so. Mr. Zahren said we applied and were selected to be one of ten towns eligible for the consultant’s services but unfortunately he couldn’t make the meeting to explain what was available. Ms. Dearstyne said the next meeting would be devoted to Peregrine’s final draft of the energy plan. Ms. Levin said it’d be better to wait until after the plan is final to seek the consultant’s services to help with the implementation. Mr. Zahren said one of the consultant’s goals is to interface with the selected towns with all the things that are happening with the DEEP. Mr. Craig summed that
energy is only going to cost more whether current supply prices increase or the costs become higher due to accessing sources with new technologies such as tar sands extraction for example. Ms. Dearstyne questioned if the consultant would help to find grants. Mr. Zahren said yes that it would be part of his role and added that he didn’t think this person would add more work to an already burdened staff.
VI. COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE COMMISSION
Mr. Zahren spoke of Wethersfield’s interest in networking with other towns’ commissions. He will respond that we are interested but that he may not be the person to commit to it. He again emphasized the need for the other members to contribute to the success of the Commission’s efforts.
VII. DO ANY BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THIS MEETING
VIII. ADJOURN
VOTE: Ms. Levin motioned, Mr. Bernetich seconded and all agreed to adjourn the meeting at 8:16 PM. None opposed.
Respectfully submitted:
Acting Chairman Bernard Zahren
Attest: Susan Gatcomb, Clerk
| 
