HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - AEC - 09/08/2015 Meeting Minutes Alternative Energy Committee
Town Hall Basement Conference Room, 7:30 p.m., 9/8/15
AEC Attendees
Shaun Selha, Chair (via phone)
Mary Jo Larson, Vice Chair
Marie Caristi
Josiah Stevenson
Patricia Gooding
Steve Girard i
Other Attendees
Amanda Thompson (Cohasset Mariner)
Jeanne Astino (School Committee)
Brian Joyce (Director of Public Works)
Dave DeGennaro (School Department)
Meeting Minutes
Meeting Minutes for August 2015 were approved and forwarded to Rob Bonnell
(rbonnell@cohassetma.org)
Committee Application Renewals
Just a reminder that all members must submit their AEC applications.
Green Communities Application Format (Due by October 30", 2015)
QC#1: Adopt"As-of-Right Siting": — complete.
QC#2:Adopt Expedited Application/Permitting Process (12-month):. — complete.
QC#3: Establish an Energy Use Baseline With a Plan to Reduce Baseline by 20% in 5
Years: Energy Reduction Plan complete. Signed School committee acceptance letter signed.
Board of Selectmen to sign acceptance letter at 9/22 meeting. —Still in progress.
QC#4: Purchase only Fuel-Efficient Vehicles:Steve Wenner to update inventory list with
new non-exempt replacement truck purchased by town. —complete.
QC#5:Adoption of Stretch Code: —complete.
Landfill Post-Closure Permit Meeting with DEP
CDM Smith DEP meeting minutes noted the following action items:
Identify if Wetlands Court Case has been dismissed.
Formal letter to DEP addressing their comments in the draft Denial Letter of the Closure
Certification Report from April 14, 1998. Comments questioned:
Thickness of Capping Layers
Organic Content of Topsoil
Edge of Waste
-Request a Certificate of Compliance with the Conservation Commission for the project closure.
-File a Notice of Landfill Operations with the Registry once the closure is approved by DEP.
-Resolve any balance of wetland issues that need to be addressed
Brian Joyce to follow up with CDM Smith to get estimated completion dates for the tasks listed
above. The town ha moved the cap, cut shrubs, and removed debris from the site. Palmer
Capital completed the site survey for the engineering design work.
Energy Conservation Measure Implementation
Schools—The VFD and premium efficiency motor installation at the Middle/High School
is almost complete. Town waiting on crane to complete pick of VFD's for rooftop units (RTU's)
onto the roof for installation. .
Other Municipal Facilities—Lighting retrofits at Library to begin 3rd week of September.
Streetlight Procurement and Conversion— Brian Joyce working with National Grid to
reconcile the true number of streetlights the Town wishes to procure as well as the purchase and
sale agreement for them. The 3rd party maintenance RFP is complete and will be issued after
purchase and sale agreement is finalized. Cohasset will not partner with Scituate on retrofit
and maintenance work since Scituate is using Ameresco as part of an Energy Performance
Contract (EPC) and as such is paying a premium for Ameresco to oversee the implementation of
all of their ECM initiatives in the Town including the streetlight retrofit.
SunConnect Presentation Follow up
As part of due diligence into viability of the company and their product/service offering, Brian
Joyce will reach out to them with the following questions:
Can they submit sample PPA and Lease Agreement documents for our review?
Can they change their budgetary proposal to reflect a complete roof replacement?
Can they set up an "educational" kiosk at the school showing production and off-sets?
Can they offer a minimum production value in their PPA?
Palmer Capital Middle-High School Roof PV Array Follow-Up
After seeing the article in the Cohasset Mariner about SunConnect, Palmer Capital came back
and alerted the twon to the fact that they would be willing to horn their original PPA price and
work with the Town to finance the repairs/replacement of the Middle-high School room. Palmer
to submit comprehensive package that includes roof repairs to the Town in the next few weeks
Note that sicne Palmer was the selected firm from the original RFP process (once Broadway
defaulted) if we were to go with them a new RFP would not have to be issued.
Cimcon Presentation
Offer to provide a comprehensive wireless streetlight control system that provides the required
hardware needed for streetlight mapping, status indication and control. The system also comes
with a graphical user interface(software) that allows for control, Identification of failed units,
scheduling, work order tickets, etc.
Price is $100 per light for the controllers, additional $50-60 for motion sensor per light and $860
for the gateway used to receive and transmit the wireless signals. The software platform is
$1,200/yr if it is hosted and maintained by them or a fixed upfront cost of about $10,000 if the
Town hosts and maintains it. There is a 3 year warranty on the hardware.
Note that if the Town was to move forward with the installation of the devices after we procure
the streetlights it makes more sense to install the equipment during the LED retrofit in order to
reduce labor costs and capitalize on the crews already out in the field doing the work. The
marginal cost would mostly be the cost associated with the controllers ($100/ light) that would
allow for mapping, dimming, etc. The 7 pin LED bulb is preferable to allow for motion sensors if
we want them in the future or as part of this project.
Pilot program being conducted in Hull right now at the docks which should be complete in the
next few months.
Cimcon currently working with National Grid to have their individual light electric consumption
meters tested by National Grid and approved for billing purposes so Towns can be billed based
upon actual consumption of electricity as opposed to fixed prices for fixed hours of
operation. Resolution and acceptance not expected for another year more or less. Other
utilities have already agreed to time of use measurements.
Miscellaneous New Business
In regards to the email indicating the DOER is currently offering free LED bulbs to municipalities,
Patricia Gooding to look into details to see if these are retrofit bulbs for existing fixtures. If so,
then perhaps the Town can take advantage of this in order to convert/retrofit the lights at the
Teen Center, Library, and DPW Building as well as any other municipal facilities.
The committee formally voted to elect Shaun Selha as Chair, Mary Jo Larson as Vice-Chair and
Josiah Stevenson Secretary. Shaun to alert Town Clerk.
Mary Jo Larson (AEC) discussed needing direction from the School Committee as to how to
approach and select Student or Teacher Representatives at the AEC meetings
Shaun Selha (AEC) reminded everyone to get sworn in at Town Hall. There are now ten (10)
approved members of the AEC. Also, Ethics training needs to be completed..
Mary Jo Larsen to arrange meeting with new CIO and Patricia Gooding to review Mass Energy
Insight System functionality and maintenance.
Green Communities pre-application submission review meeting to be arrange with DOER after
Board of Selectmen sign off on Energy Reduction Plan after 9/22.