[bouldercouncilhotline] Hotline: Thoughts for Climate Commitment and Boulder Muni Utility discussions

[cmosupport at bouldercolorado.gov]

Sender: Weaver, Sam


Fellow Councilors,
 
As you can see by reading my Daily Camera guest opinion below, I had a very interesting and productive workshop with City staff and other advisors at the Rocky Mountain Institute's eLab accelerator retreat.  My experience there combined with commitments
 taken by Fort Collins that same week, convinces me that we need to plan an energy transition course that sets us up for increased resiliency, economic development, and emissions reductions on a more aggressive timeline than we have previously envisioned.
 
http://www.dailycamera.com/guest-opinions/ci_25547233/new-strategies-boulders-energy-future
 
I have a short presentation that I could give at a study session or Council meeting that summarizes the eLabs process and some of the thinking that emerged relative to energy services that could be realized with new utility governance, should fellow Council
 members be interested.
 
All the best,
 

Sam Weaver
Member of Boulder City Council
weavers at bouldercolorado.gov
Phone: 303-416-6130
 
New Strategies for Boulder's Energy Future
 

I was fortunate to spend several days last week working with members of city staff, fellow Boulder community members, outside consultants, and some excellent facilitators from the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) to explore the possibilities that could arise
 from a Boulder-centric electric utility. The event was RMI's eLab accelerator, and the main focus was to strategize the future we could build as we transition from the 20th century utility that we have to a 21st century system that we need. More on that soon,
 but first some regional context.
 
In Boulder last week, our council deliberations focused on dogs on open space and developing an updated housing strategy, both worthwhile issues. But even bigger game was afoot in Fort Collins regarding long-term sustainability, economic development, and
 leadership on energy and the environment. Their City Council voted unanimously to adopt an audacious goal: 80 percent carbon emissions reduction by 2030. Stop here and read that again - 80 percent greenhouse gas reductions in 15 years in the city of Fort Collins.
http://fcsg.fccan.org/node/32 The implications of this step are profound, and our sister city to the north is leading our state and nation in a way that Boulder should emulate. The goal adopted by Fort Collins
 will not be an easy one to achieve, as they are heavily dependent on coal-fired plants that they partially own. This makes their statement that much more significant - if they are to reach their goals, their relationship to their coal generation will have
 to be significantly altered.
 
Clearly, part of the Fort Collins leadership example is the foresight they had many years ago to ensure local democratic management of their electricity system. Boulder's ongoing efforts to reclaim the authority to determine how our community's electric
 utility operates are an essential first step in our process. However, like Fort Collins, we need to be looking beyond just the establishment of a local utility and formulate a strategy for a comprehensive energy system transformation - including electricity,
 natural gas, and transportation. Achieving our climate and economic development goals requires establishing this plan.
 
We should also recognize that this is not simply an environmental imperative; it is also an important economic vitality initiative. Boulder has the entrepreneurial character and the creative businesspeople needed to become an international leader in the
 development of clean energy and smart grid products and services. We need to create the physical, administrative and economic infrastructure to foster this innovation sector.
 
For these reasons, I am proposing that we reformulate Boulder's Climate Commitment. We have taken laudable recent steps: a target for net-zero energy new commercial buildings by 2035, and the past council's direction to achieve 80 percent carbon emissions
 reductions by 2050. However, prodded by last week's brainstorming and the Fort Collins example, I think we need to do even more. The deep analysis that Fort Collins did with RMI is the kind of examination that we need to make of our own energy system. I propose
 that we take several concrete steps in the coming year aligned with the city staff work plan already in place:
 
1) Engage our community to modify our climate commitment in a way that recognizes the urgency of the latest IPCC report:
http://ipcc.ch/report/ar5/wg2/
 
2) Adopt a commitment to a zero-fossil-fuel electricity grid (or darn near) by 2035 as the first priority of our climate commitment strategy and the foundation for a major economic development focus area.
 
3) Formulate companion strategies to foster deep GHG reductions via replacement of natural gas and transportation-oriented fossil fuels with electricity or renewable resources within a similar time frame.
 
4) Host a community dialogue, perhaps facilitated by RMI, to further expand the vision for a Boulder Energy Community (and Marketplace).
 
Last week, I participated in an exploration of the community benefits that could accrue if we get our next steps right on a local utility. For example, our grid could enable a community market for energy services provided by local businesses, keeping much
 of the money spent on energy circulating within our local economy. Our utility could manage the marketplace for these energy services, and position Boulder to be an international leader in the transition to a world where energy is clean, safe, affordable,
 and abundant.
 
Fort Collins has broken new ground in the push for clean, reliable local energy systems that are environmentally responsible to the coming generations of Coloradans. Congratulations to their council and citizens. I would hope for Boulder to keep pace with
 these developments as we strive for leadership in our ongoing energy transition.