HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - AEC - 07/26/2016 Meeting Minutes Alternative Energy Committee
Town Hall Basement Conference Room, 7:30 p.m., 7/26/2016
AEC Attendees
Shaun Selha, Chair (by phone)
Mary Jo Larson, Vice Chair
Marie Caristi
Steve Girard i
Steve Wenner
Eric Seuss
Patricia Gooding
Andrew Muir
David Eisenhaure
Josiah Stevenson
Other Attendees
Jeanne Astino (School Committee)
Amanda Thompson (Mariner)
Bob Silvia (Fire Dept)
Chris Senior (Town Manager)
Meeting Minutes
Meeting Minutes for June 2016 were approved and later posted.
Green Communities Activities
Grants for ECM Implementations
Initial grant application for $141,460, with estimated savings 2.5% of Town's annual energy
consumption:
• Exterior lighting upgrade at Cohasset DPW Facility (Original estimated completion -June
3 rd)
• Exterior lighting upgrade at Cohasset Middle/High School (Original estimated completion
June 8t")
• Exterior lighting upgrade at Deer Hill Elementary School (Original estimated completion
June 13`h)
• Exterior lighting upgrade at Osgood Elementary School (Original estimated completion
June 17tn)
Work is "In Progress". Currently there is one common light fixture still on order. Once it is
delivered the balance of the work will be complete.
Municipal Energy Technical Assistance Grant ($12,500/yr for technical assistant for the town
(Patricai Gooding)
Unfortunately, there was a breakdown of communication and the application was not submitted
by the July 6th deadline. Cohasset will look to apply for the 2017 grant.
MassEnergylnsight (MEI) System Log-In Rights (Brian Joyce & Chris Senior)
Chris Senior to forward Seth Pickering (DOER) the contact information for the other Town
employees requiring log-in rights (view only) for MassEnergylnsight. List to include Department
Heads and AP/AR/Finance employees. Expect this to be completed by mid-June.
Chris Senior has forwarded the names for five (5) municipal employees to Seth Pickering for ME[
log-in access. The five represent DPW, Fire Department, School Department, etc.
MassEnergylnsight (Patricia Gooding, Chris Senior): Town has identified Mary Snow as the
professional best suited to work with AEC on transitioning the diesel and gas consumption and
cost data uploads to MEI. Patricia Gooding to work with Mary Snow.
Patricia attempted to set up meeting with Mary Snow to discuss what needs to be done. Still
waiting on confirmation of meeting date. At this point the Town is almost a year behind the
uploads. This is a possible intern/coop job assignment. Chris to discuss with Brian Joyce and
Carl Sestito.
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Electric Vehicle and Charging Station Initiative
1. MA DEP EVIP (Brian Joyce, Chris Senior, Mary Jo Larson):
AEC consulting with Town and Capital Budget to assess needs/interests in applying for the MA
Electric Vehicle Incentive Program, which offers $7,500 to lease/purchase an electric vehicle
and $7,500 for 1-2 charging stations.
2. To date, the Fire Department, Elder Affairs and the School Department have expressed
interest and are now weighing costs/benefits.
3. Placement of charging stations might be at the Police/Fire Department, Middle-High
School and Willcutt Commons.
4. Chris Senior has agreed with Fire Chief that Town should proceed with application process
("first come first served"). Fire Chief Bob Silvia drafting EVIP Grant Application. Update and
next steps?
• The Town has been awarded $33,000 in funding to acquire three (3) electric vehicles
and Level 2 dual head charging stations by the MassDEP.
• TheTown has requested a proposal from Evan Melillo for assistance with procurement of
the vehicles and siting/installation of charging stations. Chris Senior currently
negotiating.
• The Town is currently considering either Nissan Leaf or VW e-Golf.
• The Goal is for the lease payments to be under $100. Month. Currently estimates have
been in the $60/month range. The lease payment will be offset by gas reimbursement
and maintenance costs for existing vehicles.
• Vehicles are currently being assigned to Public Safety (Fire/Police Departments), Elder
Affairs, and School/Other Municipal employees. Charging stations will be located at the
Main Library, Town Hall and Fire/Police Department.
Electricity and Natural Gas Commodity Contracts and Demand Response Enrollment (Brian
Joyce, Chris Senior, Shaun Se/ha)
1. ConEdison Solutions electricity commodity contract expires in November
2016. Natural gas commodity purchases floating through National Grid for all
municipal facilities with the exception of School Department that is part of a South
Shore Collective. Brian Joyce noted that the Town is currently gathering bills and will
work with the South Shore School Consortium for RFP pricing for both electricity and
natural gas commodity contracts.
• Town has executed an electricity commodity contract with ConEdison Solutions through
Titan Energy. The rate is $.0940kWh. Natural gas commodity contract is not finalized
yet.
2. Shaun Selha forwarded presentation to Chris Senior and Brian Joyce on benefits of
locking in now for commodity contracts for electricity and natural gas as well as
potential revenue stream through Demand Response program. Next steps?
• No movement or decision by the Town yet.
Town Bylaw for Ground-Mounted Solar Photovoltaic Array (Mary Jo Larson):
1. AEC working with Fire Chief Bob Silvia to draft a By-Law with standardized installation
procedures per NEC and NFPA code (commercial and residential) to allow for Fire Dept. review
for isolation and access during an emergency or fault event.
2. In conjunction with the Planning Board, AEC will work with Fire Chief Bob Silvia to draft
the warrant article in time for the Fall 2016 STM agenda. Next steps?
• Mary Jo has created a draft copy of the By-Law that has been reviewed by Shaun Selha
and Bob Silvia. Bob highlighted again the importance of stating in it that all installations
must abide by the latest revisions of the NEC and NFPA codes
• Mary Jo to circulate draft of AEC members for final review prior to sending revised copy
to the Planning Board for review and next steps discussion.
Status of Old Landfill PV Array Development (Brian Joyce & Chris Senior):
1. Brian Joyce noted in an email to the AEC that the lot merger has been filed with the
Registry of Deeds.
2. The Closure Permit application has been filed by CDM Smith with the DEP. The DEP
indicated that the permit is acceptable with the exception of:
§ They need to close out the Wetlands Issue, which is administrative on their side.
§ They would like the Town to dig pits to measure cap thickness.
3. Palmer/Town/AEC to meet in the next couple of weeks to discuss schedule and path
forward with the project including potential financial assurance obligation requirements from
MASS DEP separate from those covered under the executed Lease Agreement.
4. The technical review by National Grid of the interconnection and design plans is
complete. The next step is the drafting of an Interconnect Service Agreement which Palmer
and National Grid are working on.
• NGrid has fully executed the Interconnection Agreement as of yesterday. A copy was
sent to Brian Joyce.
• NGrid has fully executed the Interconnection Agreement as of yesterday. A copy was
sent to Brian Joyce
• Palmer Capital's lead engineer gave them a draft of the Site Plan Review application last
week and they have turned it around and given him a number of suggested revisions
• CDM Smith told Palmer today that they will have a draft of the test pit protocol for DEP
ready for them by tomorrow. Once that is approved by DEP, CDM Smith will coordinate
with the Town/Brian Joyce/DPW for the use of the backhoe to conduct the testing.
Palmer gave the Town earlier this month an upfront payment for $3,500 to cover the
projected costs.
• Palmer's lead engineer is preparing the Post-Closure Use Application for DEP and will
include the test pit data when that is available from CDM Smith. They hope to receive a
draft of the application shortly.
• Palmer believes the wetlands issue was closed out by the Conservation Committee and
was addressed in the Town's closure application with the DEP
Streetlight Procurement and Conversion (Brian Joyce & Chris Senior)
1. Town Counsel finished their review of the revised Purchase and Sale Agreement that
National Grid has submitted to the Town. They will be meeting with Town officials to review
their comments on 5/24/16. National Grid has countered with the P&S price of $14,000 for all
500+ streetlights. Additionally, they will grant the Town a credit for the eighty-eight (88)
streetlights that were found to be inoperative and reported to them last September (DPU
stipulates credit can only be obtained from the moment the inoperable streetlight was reported
to the moment it is repaired). Additionally, National Grid is in the process of repairing all
inoperative streetlights. Currently, there is no schedule from National Grid on when that will be
complete.
• Chris Senior noted that the final P&S price was a bit over $13,000. He has been
waiting, however, for forty-two (42) days for National Grid to respond back to the Town
on what the credit for the off-line streetlights will be as well as when the inoperative
streetlight repairs will be complete. Chris to follow-up with National Grid again.
• o DOER has decided to issue separate grant for Municipal Streetlights after all. Shaun
Selha submitted LOI to DOER indicating interest in grant for LED retrofit and controls
installation. DOER noted today that the grant application will probably be issued in
September.
Other Energy Conservation Initiatives
1. Energy Audit of Water Distribution and Treatment Plant and Pumping Stations (Brian
Joyce):
National Grid (Michael Skinner) has hired J.K. Muir to conduct the energy audit. On-site field
visit date to be scheduled. The audit will be conducted at no cost to the Town.
• Brian Joyce to confirm if the on-site field visit for the energy audit was
scheduled. National Grid was attempting to schedule it with Suez.
• J.K. Muir to return to the plant to set up temporary meeting to help them assess load
profile for the equipment, which will be used to better estimate energy and cost savings.
2. Microgrid Feasibility Study (Stephen Girardi):
§ MA Clean Energy Center has pre-qualified engineering firms for the feasibility study. One firm
has already responded back with proposed scope of work.
• Still waiting on official release of RFP. Now looking at potential September release date.
3. CCSCR Partnership (Shaun Selha):
National Grid has volunteered to have one of their Technical Assistants provide an Energy Audit
of the facility for free. This is being scheduled through Jack Buckley. This will identify the
energy conservation measures that can be enacted at the facility. After these are implemented,
Phase 1 will be completed. Phase 2 will be the analysis of renewable energy technologies at
the site as well as other more engineering heavy initiatives.
• Initial site visit and audit has already taken place. National Grid is waiting on ECM
implementation proposal from Rise Engineering. Once National Grid reviews it they
will then discuss it with the Town.
4.Virtual Net Metering Credit Option — Presentation by Marc Miller, Soltage LLC
Soltage is seeking "off-takers" for a VNMC agreement, similar to
what Town was originally planning with Solar City, for a new PV
Array that is currently being constructed in East Bridgewater, MA.
Discussion will include how Soltage would structure the Town's
contract.
• Marc Miller experienced a family emergency this week that prevented him from
attending the meeting last night. He apologizes to the AEC and would like to be present
at the August meeting to present their offering
Other New Business
Bob Silvia noted that the Capital Budget Committee would like to meet up with the AEC to
review projects underway as well as the typical process for any capital projects the Town
undertakes.
Chris Senior requested a meeting with Shaun Selha to review projects currently scheduled for
the next year or so as well as allocation of grant funds. Shaun Selha sent Chris an email
indicating availability on Thursday, 7/28/16.
Chris Senior noted that the Town would like to move forward with hiring regular interns or co-
ops to assist in the DPW as well as other departments. Shaun Selha sent him the contact
information for the Northeastern Co-op Program Coordinators.
Town Master Plan Update:
• Planning Board submitted on-line survey to committee members on 7/5/16. Town
consultant to consolidate results and report back.
Next Meeting: Monday, August 15, 7:30, Town Hall Basement Conference Room