Creating a Program
SPOTLIGHT ON: Portland, Oregon, USA
One example of an innovative municipal energy program is Portland, Oregon, and while the particulars may not be relevant to an Eastern European city, the process definitely is.
Portland's approach to energy planning is the broad-ranging 1990 Portland Energy Policy. Under this policy, the city is improving energy efficiency in municipal buildings, residential buildings, commercial and industrial facilities, transportation, and energy supply. The policy also requires increased recycling, decreased waste, and the development of telecommunications as an energy-efficiency strategy.
Why Portland's Policy Succeeds
A. Portland's policy has clear goals.
Overall, Portland has set a goal of increasing energy efficiency citywide by 10% by 2000. In dollars, Portland expects its total energy consumption in all sectors to reach $1 billion by 2000, so the energy-efficiency increase means that $100 million will be retained within the local economy. To achieve this energy-efficiency goal, the energy policy sets forth 53 two-year objectives and 36 long-term objectives.
B. Portland's policy has authority.
The Portland Energy Office manages the day-to-day implementation of the policy. The energy policy was adopted as official city policy by a vote of the Portland City Council and was incorporated into the city's general plan. The Portland Energy Commission, made up of citizen volunteers appointed by the mayor and city council, actively oversees implementation and updating of the policy.
Merging energy into other issues, the Portland Energy Office plays a variety of roles. It identifies opportunities for energy-efficiency improvement and sources of funds to pursue these opportunities. The energy office is also an energy-related information clearinghouse. Its staff members provide consultations throughout the community. Sometimes the consulting is free. In other cases, energy office staff members are consultants for hire on projects affecting the city's energy consumption. In fact, the Portland Energy Office brings in three dollars' worth of grants and contracts for every dollar it draws from the city's general fund.
C. Portland's City Government Is Involved:
The City Energy Challenge program was launched in July 1992. The goal of this program was to identify and implement energy-efficiency projects that would cut $1 million from the city's annual energy bill by 1997. Based on energy costs to city facilities in 1991, which totaled $9.14 million, the $1 million reduction represents an 11% reduction in energy bills. To achieve this goal, the city imposed a 1% fee on all city government energy bills. Totaling about $70,000 per year, these fees were used to hire an energy management coordinator for city facilities. Result: by the end of 1992, Portland had already implemented measures or identified opportunities to save more than $775,000 annually.
D. Portland's Citizens Are Involved:
The energy policy included plans to facilitate the weatherization of 8000 units in low-income, multi-family housing complexes by 1992 and 20,000 such units by 2000. By October 1992, Portland apartment owners had spent more than $6 million weatherizing some 8300 apartments. Working under contract with three local utilities and the Oregon Department of Energy, The Portland Energy Office recruited apartment owners for the program and helped them to apply for more than $2.9 million in utility and state cash rebates and tax credits. Buildings weatherized through this program achieved average energy savings of at least 26% on space heating. Also during this period, another 4000 apartments received energy audits and had weatherizing work in progress, and an additional 1300 apartments had energy audits pending.
Energy Cost Savings:
Identified: $1.2 million
Realized: $710,000
Energy Savings: 14.2 million kWh
Jobs Created: over 100
Environmental Benefits:
NOx emissions avoided: 9,096 lbs.
CO2 emissions avoided: 12,780,000 lbs