| Energy Committee Resources | | | | LEC Working Group | The mission of the Local Energy Committee Working Group is to provide collaborative guidance and technical support to New Hampshire Local Energy Committees & local governments seeking to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions within their communities.
Erica Anderson, Lakes Region Planning Commission
Mike Behrmann, SDES Group, LLC
Linda Darveau, US EPA, Region 1
Julia Dundorf, Clean Air - Cool Planet / NE Carbon Challenge
Cheryl King Fischer, New England Grassroots Environment Fund
AnnMarie French, NH Local Government Center
Wes Golomb, Lakes Region Community College
Jim Grady, LighTec
Christa Koehler, Clean Air-Cool Planet
Julie LaBranche, Rockingham Regional Planning Commission
Madeline McElaney, NH Sustainable Energy Association
Camille Pattison, Nashua Regional Planning Commission
Bob Reals, Jr., Plymouth Area Renewable Energy Initiative
Chris Skoglund, NH Department of Environmental Services
Eric Steltzer, NH Office of Energy and Planning
Angela Vincent, ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability
Cameron Wake, Institute for the Study of Earth,
Oceans, and Space
Bob Walker, Sustainable Energy Resource Group
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| Are people asking you how they can lower their heating bills or get assistance? Information with energy saving tips and assistance programs can be found here. | | Feedback | If you have questions suggestions, comments, or energy news you would like to see in the newsletter, please send an email to: Sarah Harpster | | New on the Wiki | | More information is being added. Anyone can do it! Guides for submitting to the Wiki are on site.
As always, please keep posting and sharing the great work your committees are doing.
Also, keep an eye out for some wiki training workshops.
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Save the Date
Second Annual Local Energy Solutions Conference
June 19th, 2010
Grappone Center, Concord, NH
Resources for local energy committees and municipalities to reduce energy costs and save taxpayer dollars.
For further information contact: Julia Dundorf, jdundorf@cleanair-coolplanet.org or 603-957-4350
Lakes Region Alliance Quarterly Meeting
The Lakes Region Energy Alliance held their quarterly meeting at the White Mountains National Forest Complex on February 1, 2010. The discussion and tour of the new combined Headquarters and Pemigewasset Ranger District was led by Bill Dauer, Technical Services Team Leader for the forest, Paul Leveille, Jordan Institute, Bill Vecchio, NH Electric Co-op, and Jason Anderson, Facilities Engineer for the forest. The discussion included an overview of the process and partnerships involved in developing and constructing the new facility. It is built to LEED Gold standard and incorporates a number of alternative energy and stormwater efficiencies including a wood pellet boiler, biomax cogeneration unit, pv panels, and pervious pavers. For more information on the new complex, visit their website For more information about the Lakes Region Energy Alliance, visit the Lakes Region Planning Commission's energy home.
New Non-Profit Under Development
A new sustainable energy focused non-profit is being formed in the greater Manchester/Nashua area modeled after PAREI, the Plymouth Area Renewable Energy Initiative. The preliminary goals of the organization are to motivate people to take action to reduce their carbon footprint and embrace a more sustainable lifestyle by:
- Educating the membership and public at large of the benefits of reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and the actions they can take to help,
- Providing forums for members to exchange information on sustainable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable and healthy living practices in general,
- Organizing "Energy Raisers," where volunteers help install renewable energy systems,
- Organizing "House Warmings," where volunteers help weatherize each other's homes.
Anyone who are interested helping to get this group started, or for more information, please contact Tom Werst at tom-w@pobox.com or 603-759-8191.
NH Energy & Climate Collaborative Meeting This Week
The NH Energy & Climate Collaborative will be holding its next meeting on Thursday, March 11, 2010 at the PSNH Energy Park in Manchester, NH. All members of the public who wish to speak at the Collaborative meeting on the 11th during the public comment period, or who can not attend the meeting but wish to submit public comment, can do so by completing and submitting a Public Speaking Form by Monday, March 8th. The Public Speaking Form and directions to this meeting can be found on the Collaborative's website.
The agenda for this event will be posted shortly.
2010 Smart Growth Implementation Assistance Program: Letters of Interest Due April 9, 2010
EPA is now accepting letters of interest for the 2010 round of the Smart Growth Implementation Assistance (SGIA) Program. EPA, with the assistance of the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Transportation, is offering direct technical assistance from national experts to communities, tribes, regions, and states that want to incorporate smart growth techniques in their development. EPA is also interested in identifying and documenting innovative solutions to complex problems faced by communities as they seek to incorporate smart growth practices. EPA expects to select up to 4 applicants for assistance this year.
For more information about the 2010 application process, click here.
For more information about the SGIA program, click here.
Progress of the Municipal Energy Assistance Program
The Municipal Energy Assistance Program is continuing to work with 48 NH municipalities to help them measure energy use and prioritize their energy conservation efforts. Project Assistants are planning to complete Municipal Baseline Energy Inventories for 12 towns this month. Baseline Inventories use accessible software tools to give a general snapshot of energy use in various municipal sectors and help municipalities set their sights on the most important energy conservation priorities in their towns. Previously, Baseline Inventories were completed for Albany, Dorchester, Dunbarton, Franconia, Hopkinton, Sandwich, and Washington through the MEAP project.
In the second phase of the MEAP project, SDES Group, a Dover, NH-based energy consulting firm, provides one Decision Grade Audit for a municipal building in each participating town. SDES Group also supports each town with 25 hours of community energy advocacy services. In previous months, SDES Group completed building audits through the MEAP project in Alstead, Barrington, Chesterfield, Hollis, Marlborough, Peterborough, and Sullivan. Last month, they also supported participating MEAP towns in gathering information needed to complete their applications for the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants.
For more information about the MEAP project, please visit nhenergy.org.
MEAP Implementing Team Holds Mid-Project GatheringOn Saturday, February 20, staff members from Clean Air-Cool Planet, SDES Group, and the EPA who are working together on the Municipal Energy Assistance Program held a mid-project gathering at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Concord. This all-day working session provided the geographically dispersed team with an opportunity to check in on their progress as they approach the mid-point of the year-long project, share insights and best-practices for reaching benchmarks in their grassroots work, and strategize on how to successfully carry out the second half of the project. The working session focused primarily on the work of the eight Energy Project Assistants, each of whom is tasked with initiating the MEAP project with 4-6 towns, mobilizing citizens and local leaders to engage in the process of planning for municipal energy conservation, and creating a baseline energy inventory for each town. The MEAP project involves two primary phases that are carried out by different members of the MEAP team. After a baseline inventory is completed by the Energy Project Assistant, the town project is then transferred to SDES Group, which provides a Decision Grade Audit for one building and 25 hours of community energy advocacy services. The mid-project gathering provided an opportunity for the Energy Project Assistants and SDES Group to consult on the best practices for making a smooth transition between the two phases of the project. The MEAP project is on target to complete their work with 48 New Hampshire municipalities according to the original project schedule. The team expects to complete municipal baseline inventories in the spring of 2010 and building audits and community energy advocacy in the fall of 2010. | News From Your Committees
| This section summarizes recent news sent to us by local energy committees throughout the state. More detail can be posted on nhenergy.org.
Atkinson hosted a Button Up NH workshop on February 6th. Approximately 30 people attended from Atkinson and surrounding towns. A volunteer taped the presentation and Atkinson's cable manager will splice in screen shots from the PowerPoint presentation. A copy of the finished product will be given to Garry Dow, gdow@cleanair-coolplanet.org, if others are interested in viewing. Many thanks to the New England Carbon Challenge and Clean Air-Cool Planet for making this presentation possible! We hope to see more "how-to" presentations in the future! The Bedford Energy Commission is using social media to keep residents up to date on commission initiatives and other energy related items of interest. Follow the Bedford Energy Commission on Twitter and Facebook. As a benefit of its grant from the Municipal Energy Assistance Program, the Franconia Select Board heard a report of the results of its Town of Franconia 2008 energy-use survey (STOCC) on Monday, February 22. Franconia has also applied for 3 EEC Block Grants to help improve the heating energy efficiency of the Library, and for energy auditing of three other town buildings. Franconia has also introduced a Town-Meeting Warrant seeking property tax exemptions for residential installation of solar, wind, and central wood-burning heating systems (NH RSA 72:61-72). The Ammonoosuc Regional Energy Team has worked closely with the Franconia Select Board in these efforts. On February 10, 2010 the Gilford Energy Committee gave a presentation to the selectman which reviewed our past goals and where we are going and why. In the past our goals have been: - First, to educate all segments of the Gilford community about the importance of energy efficiency, renewable energy and emissions reductions. To this effort, five "Go Green" series were held at the library and an Energy Fair was held at Town Hall. We have also established a website.
- Second, to research appropriate methods of conservation, energy efficiency renewable energy and emissions reductions techniques that fit with the unique character of the Town of Gilford.
- Third, to become a resource for residential, commercial, municipal sectors and be available to assist individuals, businesses and Town officials in energy use decisions, policy and planning.
We have asked the selectman to revisit the Renewable Property Tax Exemption (NH 72:61-72) which was rejected by them initially on the grounds that the Town Assessor does not tax renewable energy sources.We believe that this was the wrong decision. We pointed out to them as of 09/04/2009 on a "public web site" 84 Towns are listed with a breakdown of energy source types for which exemption are granted. We believe that people will look at this web site, and see that Gilford does not offer a property exemption for renewable energy systems. This is incorrect as it relates to the present Assessor, but the average citizen does not know that. Also we asked what would happen if we changed assessors. If taxed clearly it would negate the energy savings. - Fourth, to encourage residents, businesses and the Town of Gilford to take action now to plan for our community energy future. This again relates to adopting NH 72:61-72 by the town as well as the noise standards set by the State for Noise Levels emitted by wind generators. Gilford has a tighter and more restrictive standard for noise for wind generators than that of the State.
- Fifth, to build long term community resilience through adaptation planning, strategies and action.
Because we have only three members we must limit our future goals .We have openings for seven individuals. As a committee we would like to attract more members. As such, we believe that the town will receive the most bang for the buck in upgrading the Town Hall. To that end we are proposing to look at the following three tasks: - The Roof - Not part of Energy Related Matters
- The Building Thermal Envelope
- Upgrade the Heating System from an inefficient one zone to a high efficiency multi-zone boiler.
With help from the Energy Committee, Rye submitted five applications for Energy Efficiency Conservation and Block Grant (EECBG) funding. All the submissions were based on recommendations from previous energy audits of the town buildings and will help contribute to the town's sustainability goals. The applications included upgrading the HVAC controls at both Rye Elementary and Rye Junior High School, replacing an aging boiler at RES with two Combined Heat and Power (CHP) units, improving the building envelope at the Rye Public Library, and replacing the ancient heating system at the Rye Town Hall with a Ground Source Heat Pump. Last summer, the Rye schools implemented the first of the audit recommendations by insulating and air sealing the schools. The schools are seeing energy reductions ranging from 20 - 28 % from these upgrades and Rye Junior High is now qualified to apply for Energy Star rating. The Rye Board of Selectmen was formally introduced to MEAP (Municipal Energy Assistance Program), which will help the town improve its long term energy efficiency. Sandra Bissett, president of Bissett Consulting and an energy project assistant, presented the road map which involves first completing a municipal energy inventory, looking at energy consumption, usage and cost by each sector. Rye will then undergo an investment grade audit with recommendations for improvements. In addition, Rye will receive 25 hours of professional review from the Sustainable Development & Energy Systems Group LLC to evaluate the best strategies to improve energy efficiency. The New Castle Energy Committee's effort this past month has been to submit the Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant applications by February 15th. We were able to obtain the professional support of the SDES group as part of the Municipal Energy Assistance Program ( MEAP), who completed an Energy Audit of the New Castle Town Hall, and that was the basis of our application for a Building Energy Efficiency Meausures (BEEM) project to address the Building Envelope. The Town also submitted two applications for the New Castle School ( MHT) with the help of the SDES Group and other members of the community to submit a BEEM project and a Renewable energy project for geothermal and a solar array. We are awaiting the outcome of the EECBG grant awards on March 10, 2010. Temple's Energy Committee has been working on and writing an Energy Chapter for the town's Master Plan for many months. They met with the Planning Board on February 17 to present the 2nd draft of the plan to the board. Several suggestions were made by board members for minor changes. But the board indicated that it would likely be ready to adopt the Chapter after it is presented to the residents in a Public Hearing in the spring. It was decided that this will take place soon after Town Meeting, date yet to be determined. The energy committee also met with the principal of the Temple Elementary School on February 12 to make plans for the kick off of a school Recycling Club the first week in March. Members of the Energy Committee will visit each class room that week to present a fun video and an engaging power pt. presentation that they are in the process of creating to invite kids to join the club. Then they will talk about the recycling program about to begin for their school, and bring bins for each class to use for collecting paper and plastic. The Energy Committee is still providing free home weatherization for residents who qualify for fuel assistance with the generous support of the Congregational Church of Temple. The extensive energy retrofitting project for Temples' Municipal Building, Fire Department and Library will be getting underway within weeks. Ingram Construction Company will be the General Contractor working in collaboration with two energy consultants, Margaret Dillion and Tom Hartman. Margaret Dillon's extensive audit reports from 2008 are the basis for the project, and she will be actively advising and providing blower door and smoke tests throughout the project. Tom Hartman will guide and provide oversight for the retrofit. His company, Coldman and Hartman, is well known and highly respected for pioneering principles and methods in the field of building science and energy efficiency retrofitting. The committee welcomes Ingram Construction and Tom Hartman to the project and is looking forward to seeing this retrofit hit the ground. The energy committee's new (Sept. 2009) website will provide updates on all these efforts and projects in its "News" section. Other environmental and energy related news items are also updated on the website on a regular basis. Walpole's local energy committee, the Tri-Village Energy Committee (TVEC), recently submitted a grant application for EECBG funds to have energy audits conducted on the three schools in town. It was challenging to know how much money to apply for, because the preliminary audit estimates from four different companies had a spread of over $15,000 from low to high! The TVEC ended up picking a cost estimate near the middle of the range, and in the grant application suggested ways in which an excess of funds or a shortfall would be addressed. | | Wiki User Tip
| Want to find out what is happening with other Local Energy Committees across the state? Simply check out our community page to find out. - From the main page click "New Hampshire Communities", or "NH Communities".
- Then, find the community you are interested in and click its name.
- Finally, if you would like to leave a comment for that committee, simply click the "discussion" tab at the top of the page, then click "edit", type your message and click "save changes".
Congratulations! You can now find out information about other committees and their activities! | | Upcoming Events |
Networking with other energy committees by going to events and workshops is a great way to learn from each other and bring back ideas to the committees.
Go to the calendar page on nhenergy.org for more information and to add your own events.
March 30: Reducing Single Occupancy Vehicles 3:00 p.m. EST Webinar Reducing transportation related emissions remains one of the thorniest problems in carbon management, and one shared by institutions ranging from college to hospital to business. As we work to move to a culture of greater sustainability, how can we address the environmental impact of commuting via single-occupancy vehicles (SOVs)? Hear about some of the newest strategies for reducing SOVs, including lower-cost and more engaging alternatives to those ever present, ever inconclusive commuter surveys. Solutions discussed will be applicable to commuter populations of varied shapes and sizes. Our featured speakers include Diane Linderman, PE, Mike Scott, and Brent Drewry. Ms. Linderman oversees Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. (VHB)'s Richmond, Virginia office and also serves as APWA Director at Large of Public Works Management and Leadership. VHB provides integrated transportation, land development, and environmental services to public, private and institutional clients. Ms. Linderman will discuss some of the most exciting innovations in the field of transportation demand management applied at colleges and institutions across the country. Mr. Scott and Mr. Drewry represent two of the most interesting web-based applications for commuters to date - Moblu and PickUpPal. Mr. Scott is the co-founder of Moblu Inc., a Vancouver-based web company that helps groups track the environmental of their commuting and other transportation choices. Mr. Drewry is the Business Development Director at PickUpPal, a ride-sharing service that interfaces with the most popular social networking tools. Mr. Drewry and Mr. Scott will discuss how employers and campuses have employed these web applications for reduced SOV use and better commuter data. * "Recent Success Stories in Transportation Demand Management" Diane Linderman, PE Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. * "Get Better Data with a Successful Commuter Survey" Mike Scott, Moblu * "Building Carpooling Networks around Social Media and Events" Brent Drewry, PickUp Pal Sign up at Clean Air-Cool Planet's webinar registration site. Culture Shift - A Training in Global Warming Communications and Behavior Change 2:00 p.m. EST Webinar Join us for a webinar on the principles and practices of climate communications and behavior change led by Cara Pike. Framing and delivering communications in a manner that motivates individuals to examine and reshape their own thinking and behavior about the climate is essential. To create successful outreach programs, climate leaders and practitioners must understand the barriers to public engagement in global warming, the stages of behavior change people go through in response to the issue, and the social values that shape their interest and willingness to act. This webinar will draw from some of the largest data sets on public engagement and global warming, including Climate Crossroads: A Research Based Framing Guide and Re: Green - The Ecological Roadmap to provide tips on how to tailor climate outreach and behavior change strategies to particular segments of the public with a focus on engaging young Americans. Cara Pike is the Director of the Social Capital Project, an effort of the Climate Leadership Initiative at the University of Oregon. Cara is a leading social marketer and has done extensive research and public engagement campaign work on climate and sustainability issues. Sign up at Clean Air-Cool Planet's webinar registration site.
________________________________________________ Green Drinks, a world wide organization that helps bring together people interested in anything green to network and learn what is going on in their communities.
Concord:
Facebook users invited to join Green New Hampshire Group, a virtual meeting place for those interested in all things green including local food, alternative energy, building, stores, and events
Green Drinks Concord meets on the 3rd Tuesday of every month at the Barley House on Main St in Concord. September sponsor is Planned Parenthood. Contact steve@zetlandhomes.com for more info. Interested in sponsoring a meeting or have an idea for a topic, contact Barbara Morris at: barb.morris@zetlandhomes.com.
Keene:  Green Drinks will be held the first Monday of each month. Hosted by the Monadnock Sustainability Network, committed to encouraging sustainable living practices and resource conservation in the region through direct advocacy, education and outreach.
For more info: contact Bonnie Hudspeth
Portsmouth:  Just put Green Drinks down in your calendars for the third Thursday of the month at 2 Ceres Street Martini Bar. To receive our monthly reminder email joeharrison415@gmail.com. | | News on the NH Energy and Climate Collaborative
| Following the release of the NH Climate Action Plan in March 2009, the NH Energy and Climate Collaborative convened to facilitate the implementation of the plan by "Implementing Partners" already at work around New Hampshire. The Collaborative is in the process of developing support and resources necessary to carry out its long-term efforts, including a speakers bureau organized in cooperation with Clean Air - Cool Planet. For questions regarding the collaborative contact Stacey Doll, Collaborative Coordinator stacey.doll@des.nh.govClick here for a list of the members of the collaborative The Climate Action Plan is available for review and download hereOverarching Strategy 6: Reduce Vehicle-Miles Traveled Through an Integrated Multi-Modal Transportation SystemThis overarching strategy includes improving and expanding local, regional and inter-city transit (bus) service, park and ride infrastructure, bike and pedestrian infrastructure and passenger and freight rail. As communities assess their Master Plans, growth management plans and land use ordinances it is important to consider multi-modal infrastructure which alleviates automobile traffic and reduces greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles. Developing a transportation plan for the community that incorporates plans for future sidewalks, bike lanes, and transit stops allows a community to develop capital improvement plans for improvements to existing infrastructure and provides a guide for future development so that new multi-modal infrastructure is phased in with future growth. The NH Department of Transportation provides guidance for multi-modal transportation through the Bike/Ped program and the NH Rideshare Program. Additionally, the NH Department of Transportation's Transportation Enhancement and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Programs support planning and financial assistance to communities for multi-modal transportation projects. Visit NHDOT's website for more information. The NH Energy & Climate Collaborative is tasked with tracking progress towards implementing the recommended actions in the Climate Action Plan. For more information on the Collaborative and/or the Climate Action Plan, please contact Stacey Doll, the NH Collaborative Coordinator, stacey.doll@des.nh.gov or visit the Collaborative website. | | News on the NH Office of Energy and Planning
| To stay informed, take a look at the OEP website devoted to ARRA funding. State Energy Program UpdatesThe Green Launching Pad Program for entrepreneurs seeking to prepare their business for success is now accepting applications to participate. More information about this green-energy business commercialization program is available here. The initial inquiry form for the application process for the Enterprise Energy Fund will become available in early March, although logging-in to the registration system for the program is available now. Previously known as EE/RE Loans and Grants for Businesses and Non-Profits this statewide, revolving low-interest loan program for businesses and non-profit organizations seeking to make energy efficiency upgrades and/or renewable energy projects, is being coordinated by the NH Community Development Finance Authority. For more information, contact Sarah DiSano at CDFA. OEP is pleased to announce a stakeholder information session meeting about two State Energy Programs - the Residential Energy Efficiency Program and the First Time Home Buyer Program. The meeting is scheduled for March 17, from 10am-noon at OEP. Space is limited. Please RSVP to Laura Richardson or Mary Downs if you would like to attend. The first workshop for the Building/Energy Code Compliance Program was held on February 10 with the NH Building Officials Association. More than 80 attendees participated. This program received national attention for its innovative solution compliance issues and has been selected by the Building Code Assistance Project/Alliance to Save Energy as one of Ten Places to Watch. For more information about the Building Code Compliance Program contact Ryan Capers at GDS Associates. Appliance Rebate Program UpdateOn February 9th, the Governor and Executive Council approved the contract between OEP and Public Service of New Hampshire. PSNH and its partnering electric utilities (Unitil, National Grid and NH Electric Coop) are currently developing the program, and will begin offering rebates in April to residents for the replacement of existing fossil fuel home heating systems. Also, new updates have been made to the Appliance Rebate Programs website, including information on eligible products and a Frequently Asked Questions page. Upcoming Hearing- Renewable Energy FundParties interested in the funding opportunities through the Public Utilities Commission's Renewable Energy Fund, including rebate programs for Solar Hot Water and other systems, are alerted to a Notice of Opportunity to Comment on Additional Renewable Energy Incentive Programs. A Public Hearing is scheduled at the Public Utilities Commission for Thursday March 18. $6.6 Million in Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grants to be allocated to NH Municipalities and Counties by March 2010:
The New Hampshire Office of Energy and Planning (OEP) entered into a contract with TRC Environmental Corporation (TRC) to provide New Hampshire municipalities with funding for energy efficiency projects. The U.S. Department of Energy has approved OEP's plan to obligate approximately $6.6 million to municipalities and counties throughout the state by March 2010 to fund implementation of strategies relating to reduction of fossil fuel emissions, reduction of total energy use, and/or improved energy efficiency in transportation, buildings and other areas. TRC will develop a subgrant application and related guidance materials, conduct program workshops, collect and evaluate applications, help select awardees, facilitate reporting and ensure subgrantee compliance with all state and federal requirements. Eligible communities will be permitted to apply for up to $400,000.
For more information please contact Dari Sassan, (603) 271-1765, dari.sassan@nh.gov or visit our Web site: www.nh.gov.
OEP's Appliance Rebate Plan Approved by DOE:
On December 4, 2009, the U.S. Department of Energy approved the New Hampshire Office of Energy and Planning's (OEP) Appliance Rebate Program proposal. The plan is a progressive one aimed at offering rebates to residents for the replacement of their inefficient home heating systems. This will include boilers, furnaces and hot water heaters. The program will focus on solar hot water systems and more conventional energy efficient fossil fuel based systems. In the coming months OEP will enter into contract agreements with the Public Utilities Commission and the electric utilities who will administer the program. OEP expects the program to begin sometime in early spring 2010.
The rebate will be available to New Hampshire residents who are replacing an existing heating system listed under the program. Savings for residents, in some instances, would be as high as 50 percent for replacing a wasteful and inefficient hot-water heater, boiler or furnace. The program will be available to all New Hampshire residents, including municipal utility ratepayers.
For more information please check out our Web site: www.nh.gov/ or contact Eric Steltzer of OEP at eric.steltzer@nh.gov or (603) 271-1759.
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Ever wondered what the Legislature in New Hampshire is doing to address energy issues in the state? The NH Office of Energy and Planning has just made it easier for you to find out and track the progress of the energy bills before the State's Legislature. To view the list of energy and municipal planning legislation, visit OEP's website .
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