The URL can be used to link to this page

2021-03-22 EC Agenda Packet7800 Golden Valley Road I Golden Valley, WIN 55427 763-593-8027 � TTY 763-593-3968 1 763-593-8198 (fax) I www.goldenvalleymn.gov Environmental Commission REGULAR MEETING AGENDA city of goldvall� Y March 22, 2021— 6:30 pm This meeting will be held via Cisco Webex in accordance with the local emergency declaration made by the City under Minn. Stat. § 12.37. The public may monitor this meeting by calling 1-415-655- 0001 and entering the meeting code 177 393 4642. For technical assistance, please contact support staff at 763-593-8007 or webexsupport@goldenvalleymn.gov. If you incur costs to call into the meeting, you may submit the costs to the City for reimbursement consideration. Additional information about for monitoring electronic meetings is available on the City website. 1. Call to Order 2. Roll Call 3. Approval of Agenda 4. Approval of February 22, 2021 Regular Meeting Minutes (5 min) 5. Old Business A. EC/HRC Environmental Justice Collaboration (5 min) B. Partners In Energy — Energy Action Plan (25 min) C. Recycling & Organics Update (25 min) D. 2020 Annual Report and 2021 Work Plan (25 min) (Action requested) 6. New Business A. Council Updates (5 min) B. Other Business 7. Adjournment This document is available in alternate formats upon a 72-hour request. Please call 763-593-8006 (TTY: 763-593-3968) to make a request. Examples of alternate formats may include large print, electronic, Braille, audiocassette, etc. 7800 Golden Valley Road I Golden Valley, MN 55427 763-593-8027 � TTY 763-593-3968 1 763-593-8198 (fax) I www.goldenvalleymn.gov Environmental Commission REGULAR MEETING MINUTES city of go ldvall� Y February 22, 2021— 6:30 pm This meeting will be held via Cisco Webex in accordance with the local emergency declaration made by the City under Minn. Stat. § 12.37. The public may monitor this meeting by calling 1-415-655- 0001 and entering the meeting code 177 393 4642. For technical assistance, please contact support staff at 763-593-8007 or webexsupport@goldenvalleymn.gov. If you incur costs to call into the meeting, you may submit the costs to the City for reimbursement consideration. Additional information about for monitoring electronic meetings is available on the City website. 1. Call to Order The meeting was called to order by Chair Seys at 6:30. 2. Roll Call Commissioners present: Scott Seys, Tonia Galonska, Jim Stremel, Dawn Hill, Shannon Hansen, Wendy Weirich, Felix Fettig Commissioners absent: Debra Yahle Council Members present: Larry Fonnest Staff present: Eric Eckman, Environmental Resources Supervisor; Drew Chirpich, Environmental Specialist; Story Schwantes, Green Corp Member; Carrie Nelson, Administrative Assistant. 3. Approval of Agenda MOTION by Commissioner Hill, seconded by Commissioner Galonska to approve the agenda for February 22, 2021 and the motion carried. 4. Approval of January 25, 2021 Regular Meeting Minutes MOTION by Commissioner Stremel, seconded by Commissioner Hansen to approve the minutes of January 25, 2021 as submitted and the motion carried. 5. Old Business A. Recycling and Organics i. The RFP was issued Feb 1 to all haulers in the Metro Area who are licensed with the state. ii. Bids were accepted until Feb 26. iii. The top 2-3 will be brought to the commission in March. iv. The City prefers to award both the Recycling and Organics to one hauler but will consider going with two different haulers if it's in the best interest of the City. B. Partners in Energy Update i. All workshops are complete. ii. Next steps: This document is available in alternate formats upon a 72-hour request. Please call 763-593-8006 (TTY: 763-593-3968) to make a request. Examples of alternate formats may include large print, electronic, Braille, audiocassette, etc. City of Golden Valley Environmental Commission Regular Meeting 2 November 23, 2020 — 6:30 pm 1. Draft, review, edit, and revise the plan in Feb -March 2021. 2. Share plan with EC in March 2021. 3. Present plan to the City Council in April 2021. 4. Begin the 18-month implementation after the Council meeting. C. EC/HRC Environmental Justice Collaboration i. Dr. Mark Seeley spoke on Jan 28 ii. Next, the sub -group will take a look at the maps to find areas to improve tree equity. D. 2021 Work Plan Ideas i. Go with the Work Plan in the Agenda with these Focus Areas: 1. Pollinators— Develop more plots and habitats at underutilized properties in the community. Add in more education. 2. Promote & develop clean, renewable energy. 3. Support habitat restoration in the Briarwood Nature Area. 4. Additional involvement in the downtown redevelopment. 5. Expanding transportation options in GV 6. Collaboration and Community Outreach. 7. Encourage student involvement through a possible competition with a specific challenge. Possibly work with the school to implement a project or service in the City. 6. New Business A. Metro Blooms Workshops and Programs i. MOTION by Commissioner Hill, seconded by Commissioner Stremel to hold a L2L Pollinator Gardens Metro Blooms workshop in late April/Early May and the motion carried. B. Green Step Cities — Step 5 Action Metric 6.2 i. MOTION by Commissioner Hill, seconded by Commissioner Weirich to confirm 32.2 miles driven by City employees daily during COVID and the motion carried. C. Program/Project Updates D. Council Updates i. None E. Other Business i. None 7. Adjournment MOTION by Commissioner Galonska, seconded by Commissioner Hansen to adjourn the meeting at 8:52 pm and the motion carried. ATTEST: Carrie Nelson, Administrative Assistant Scott Seys, Chair try of�,� golden alley l`� y Date: March 19, 2021 MEMORANDUM Physical Development Department 763-593-8030 / 763-593-3988 (fax) To: Environmental Commission From: Eric Eckman, Environmental Resources Supervisor Subject: Xcel Energy's Partners In Energy Update — Draft Energy Action Plan In order to achieve the energy goals identified in the Resilience & Sustainability chapter of the City's 2040 Comprehensive Plan and continue to advance in the GreenStep Cities program, the City applied for and was accepted into the Partners In Energy (PIE) Community Collaboration Program in February 2020. The City assembled a team of community members to work with PIE staff to develop the energy action plan. The milestone schedule follows: ✓ Project kickoff meeting April 2020 ✓ Assemble energy action planning team - spring/summer 2020 ✓ Workshop 1 August 2020 - vision statement ✓ Workshop 2 September 2020 -focus areas ✓ Workshop 3 November 2020 - goals and strategies ✓ Workshop 4 December 2020 - strategies and tactics ✓ Workshop 5 January 27, 2021— finalize goals, focus areas, plan content ✓ Draft, review, and edit the plan Feb -March 2021 • Share plan with Environmental Commission March 2021 • Complete edits and revisions to plan March 2021 • Present plan to City Council April 20, 2021 • Implement energy action plan 2021-2022 The first draft of the plan was sent to Commission members ahead of the March meeting and is included in the agenda packet. Commission members are asked to review the plan and come to the meeting with any questions, comments, or proposed edits they may have for the project team's consideration. Energy Action Planning team member Tonia Galonska and City staff will be present to answer questions and help guide the discussion. GAEnvironmental Commission\Memos\Monarch Pledge & Bee City 1 f� Tiok Akil -aV n� Abo AV AM 1- �.. f' ... \ . �C'_KNC)WI FnC..FMFNTS Thank you to the following individuals who contributed many hours of service to developing this Energy Action Plan. The content of this plan is derived from a series of planning workshops hosted by Xcel Energy's Partners in Energy. Xcel Energy is the electric utility serving Golden Valley. Partners in Energy is a two-year collaboration to develop and implement a community's energy goals. For more information about the planning workshops, see Appendix C - Xcel Energy's Partners in Energy Planning Process. Andrea Bishop Resident, Education Representative Andy Snope Resident Ben Lehman Resident Emma Schoppe CenterPoint Energy Eric Eckman Environmental Resources Supervisor, City of Golden Valley Jeff Curtes Resident, Owner of Auer Steel, Plymouth, MN Julianne Laue Mortenson, Golden Valley Kade Arms-Regenold Resident, Youth Representative Larry Fonnest Golden Valley City Council Member Linden Weiswerda Golden Valley Open Space and Recreation Commission Marte Byrne Allianz Life, Golden Valley Michelle Ness Prism, Golden Valley Nick Thielen General Mills, Golden Valley Story Schwantes Green Corps Member Tonia Galonska Commissioner, Golden Valley Environmental Commission Brady Steigauf Partners in Energy Community Facilitator Jenny Edwards Partners in Energy Community Facilitator Michelle Swanson Community Relations Manager, Xcel Energy Mike Holsinger Partners in Energy Community Facilitator Tami Gunderzik Manager of Partners in Energy, Xcel Energy Yvonne Pfeifer Community Energy Efficiency Manager, Xcel Energy XcelEnergy- PARTNERS IN ENERGY An Xcel Energy Community Collaboration This Energy Action Plan was funded by and developed in collaboration with Xcel Energy's Partners in Energy. Golden Valley Energy Action Plan TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements.................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction................................................................................................................................ 4 Our Engagement & Outreach Process................................................................................... 5 Why We Want an Energy Action Plan.................................................................................... 5 WhereWe Are Now................................................................................................................... 7 EnergyUse............................................................................................................................ 7 Greenhouse Gas Emissions................................................................................................... 9 RenewableEnergy................................................................................................................10 Program Participation & Savings...........................................................................................11 WhereWe Are Going................................................................................................................13 EnergyVision Statement.......................................................................................................13 FocusAreas..........................................................................................................................13 Fighting High Energy Burden............................................................................................14 ImprovingEnergy Efficiency..............................................................................................15 SupportingClean Energy..................................................................................................16 Goals........................................................................................................................................17 How We Are Going To Get There.............................................................................................18 Focus Area: Reducing High and Severe Energy Burden .......................................................18 Strategy 1: Locate High Energy Burden Households.........................................................18 Strategy 2: Educate Clients...............................................................................................21 Strategy 3: Coordinate Service Delivery............................................................................22 Focus Area: Improving Energy Efficiency..............................................................................23 Strategy 4: Conduct Residential Outreach.........................................................................23 Strategy 5: Conduct Business Outreach............................................................................25 Focus Area: Supporting Clean Energy..................................................................................27 Strategy 6: Subscription Options.......................................................................................27 Strategy 7: "Near -Site" and On -Site Renewable Energy Support.......................................30 Strategy 8: Preparing for Electric Vehicles........................................................................33 EnergyAction Plan Elements................................................................................................34 EnergyAction Plan Impact....................................................................................................35 Energy Action Team Commitment.........................................................................................37 HowWe Stay On Course..........................................................................................................38 Dataand Reporting...............................................................................................................38 Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 2 Project Management and Tracking........................................................................................38 Appendix A - Baseline Energy Analysis....................................................................................39 Electricity and Natural Gas Premises....................................................................................39 Electricity and Natural Gas Consumption by Sector..............................................................40 Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Trends...............................................................................40 226,042 MTCO2 e is equivalent to....................................................................................41 EnergyCosts........................................................................................................................41 Program Participation and Savings.......................................................................................43 RenewableEnergy Support..................................................................................................44 Appendix B -Methodology for Measuring Success....................................................................45 Reducing High and Severe Energy Cost Burden Focus Area Goals......................................45 Strategy 1: Locate High Energy Burden Households.........................................................45 Strategy 2: Educate Clients...............................................................................................45 Strategy 3: Coordinate Service Delivery............................................................................46 Improving Energy Efficiency Focus Area Goals.....................................................................46 Strategy 4: Conduct Residential Outreach.........................................................................46 Strategy 5: Conduct Business Outreach............................................................................46 Supporting Clean Energy Focus Area Goals.........................................................................46 Strategy 6: Subscription Options.......................................................................................46 Strategy 7: "Near -Site" and On -Site Renewable Energy Support.......................................47 Strategy 8: Preparing for Electric Vehicles........................................................................47 Appendix C - Xcel Energy's Partners in Energy Planning Process............................................48 About Xcel Energy's Partners in Energy................................................................................48 PlanDevelopment Process...................................................................................................48 Appendix E - Renewable Energy Overview...............................................................................50 Appendix F - Glossary of Terms................................................................................................58 Appendix G - Centerpoint Energy overview of greenhouse gas mitigation projects ...................61 Appendix H - Implementation Memorandum of Understanding.................................................63 Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 3 INTRODUCTION Figure 1 - Skating rink, hockey rink, and sledding hill at Scheid Park, Golden Valley Golden Valley is a first -ring suburb of Minneapolis just minutes west of downtown. With its desirable location, ample parks and nature areas, diverse neighborhoods, flourishing business, and award -winning schools, Golden Valley is proud to support its claim of being one of the best places to live in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. In fact, Golden Valley's destination marketing association promotes the area as "Minnesota's Sweet Spot." Golden Valley has made great progress planning a healthy, sustainable, and resilient future. The City's 2040 Comprehensive Plan details significant initiatives in the areas of land use, housing, transportation, water resources, parks and natural resources, resilience and sustainability, and economic competitiveness. More specifically related to energy and sustainability planning, Golden Valley has actively been engaged in several initiatives, including: • GreenStep Cities program • B3 Benchmarking program • SolSmart program • City 10-year CIP for Buildings, Equipment, Utilities • Planned Unit Development Zoning District • Solar Energy Systems • Wind Energy Conversion Systems • Outdoor Lighting Separate from the initiatives planned by Golden Valley's Energy Action Team, the city has been engaged in several energy efficiency projects that are also contributing to a sustainable, resilient energy future for the city. As these initiatives and ideas become more concrete, we will add their contributions to our greenhouse gas elimination results. Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 4 These programs are summarized below in Table 1. Table 1 - Additional Energy Efficiency Initiatives Supported by Golden Valley Hennepin County Efficient Buildings Collaborative This initiative will help owners of large buildings to understand the efficiency of their buildings in depth and identify opportunities to improve efficiency and save money. Updates to the Statewide Commercial Building Energy Code For new commercial and multi -family construction, adopted every 3 years, until net zero in 2036. Green Building Guide Considering ways to Incentivize the use of Green Building Guide techniques/materials on residential building permits. Sustainable Building Policy For new developments involving city support or financial resources There are also several new ideas that have been generated by the Golden Valley Energy Action Team that are being researched to assess feasibility and projected contribution to our plan's goals. These ideas are listed below in Table 2 - Additional Ideas Under Uonsideration Incentivizing Golden Valley car dealers to sell more EVs Incentivizina businesses to add EV Charaers Incentivizing businesses to add solar Increasing the number of solar/wind permits issued in GV per year over ten years Facilitating a community solar garden for residents and others to buy into. Analysis of offsite solar subscription options for the City. Mir FnnanPmPnt R& nutrPar_h Prnr_Psr- Creating this Energy Action Plan was a 5-month process involving support to help characterize our energy use, identify our energy -related goals, and develop engaging strategies to help us achieve our vision. A series of 5 online workshops began on August 25, 2020 and ended on January 27, 2021. Our planning team committed to representing local energy priorities in collaboration with City of Golden Valley and Xcel Energy's Partners in Energy. By the numbers, we engaged 13 participants, representing large and small businesses in Golden Valley, a service organization, longtime residents, and community members active in several complementary boards and commissions. We were also fortunate to have a representative from CenterPoint Energy attend our workshops and offer valuable insights at each step of the process. See for more information about the planning process and Xcel Energy's Partners in Energy. Why We Want an Energy Action Plan While Golden Valley's 2040 Comprehensive Plan established a clear vision for the city's future, no specific numerical targets or goals for energy were set in the plan. In addition, the City has limited resources and expertise to implement its energy initiatives and engage with residents, businesses, and other stakeholders in the community without the knowledge, tools, and assistance from partners like Xcel Energy. Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 5 The team was asked early on about why they believed an energy action plan was important. Here are some of their perspectives. • The sustainability of our communities and the larger economy depend on re - imagining clean energy production and conservation. • A plan will allow the whole to be greater than the sum, meaning the individual work being done towards sustainability and resiliency will have greater resources to create greater change. • People want to save energy and save money and don't always know where to start. Finding examples and roadmaps are helpful. • In the span of current generations all of us will have to work together to solve climate change for good, we are out of time. • Because educating the community as a whole regarding wise energy use will create more good than sporadic individual efforts. • To help set an example and provide a template for business and residents to use the tools available to become more efficient and sustainable energy users. • It would be irresponsible for us to ignore energy in our efforts to reduce carbon emissions and create a more resilient and sustainable future for our community. • To create a future where all stakeholders benefit, we need to bring in all stakeholders at the planning stage. Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 6 WHERE WE ARE NOW Figure 2 - Golden Valley City Hall An integral part of the Partners in Energy planning process is reviewing historic energy data that informs our community's energy baseline. Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy provided data on energy use, participation counts, and utility energy conservation program savings for Golden Valley as detailed in the following sections. See Appendix A - Baseline Energy Analysis for a comprehensive picture of Golden Valley baseline energy data. Also, see Appendix E - Glossary of Terms for any needed clarifications on energy vocabulary. Pnernv Use Golden Valley's electricity and natural gas are consumed by 9,872 residential premises and 990 commercial or industrial premises.' There are also a small number of municipal premises, the impact of which is minimal by comparison. Municipal premises are not included for analysis in the plan moving forward. While there are far fewer commercial and industrial premises in Golden Valley compared to residential, their share of energy consumption is quite high. Commercial and Industrial premises account for less than 10% of all premises in Golden Valley, but they use 76% of all electricity and 58% of all natural gas Figure 3 Golden Valley Premises by Type Municipal; 88 Residential; IV 9,872 Commercial and Industrial; 990 Total Premises: 10,950 ' A "premise" is defined as a unique combination of service address and meter. More detail is available in Appendix E - Glossary of Terms Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 7 consumed, demonstrating their crucial role in improving energy efficiency and avoidance of greenhouse gas emissions. Figure 4 - Golden Valley Natural Gas Consumption by Sector 2019 Natural Gas by sector Residential 41% Commercial and Industrial 58% Municipal 1% Figure 5 - Golden Valley Electricity Consumption by Sector 2019 Electricity by sector Residential 23% Commercial and Industrial 76% Municipal 1% Using British thermal units to consider energy use by sector with an equivalent measure, the commercial and industrial sector clearly consumes most of the energy in Golden Valley. Accomplishing the goals of this plan will require a team effort, with consistent effort to reduce energy consumption among residents and businesses alike. Relying solely on one sector for progress is simply not feasible. Also, while municipal consumption is small by comparison, it will remain critical for the City to demonstrate leadership, continuing to capitalize upon efficiency opportunities, reduce consumption, and promote and develop renewable energy where possible. Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 8 Figure 6 - Golden Valley Baseline Energy Consumption (MMBtu) Energy Consumption by Sector Baseline Average, 3,170,047 MMBtu Total Residential 1,089,269 34% Municipal Commercial and 20,215 Industrial 1 % 2,061,002 65% Greenhouse Gas Emirs;^nr- During the 3-year baseline period (2017, 2018 and 2019), greenhouse gas emissions resulting from Golden Valley's consumption of electricity and natural gas averaged 226,090 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2e) annually. 2 The balance of residential compared to commercial and industrial sources of greenhouse gas emissions reflect the commercial and Figure 8 - Baseline Greenhouse Gas Figure 7 - 2019 Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Emissions by Energy Type. Premise Type. 250,000 235,723 219,982 222,422 200,000 N 0 U) 150,000 c 0 H L 100,000 m 50,000 2017 2018 2019 Natural Gas Electricity 1% Residential Commercial / Industrial ■ Municipal 2 See Appendix E - Glossary of Terms for more detail on the MTCO2e abbreviation. Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 9 industrial sector's substantial energy consumption and vital importance to efforts to successfully reduce emissions and improve efficiency. Many factors influence changes in greenhouse gas emissions from consumption of electricity and natural gas from year to year, such as changes in weather impacting the demand for cooling and heating each year. Most notably, Xcel Energy has set a goal to serve customers with 100% carbon -free electricity by 2050. As Xcel Energy adds more carbon -free energy sources to the fuel mix, including wind and solar energy, greenhouse gas emissions generated from the production of the electricity consumed will decline. See Figure 9 showing how Xcel Energy's emissions reduction plan through 2050 and visit xcelenergy.com/carbon to learn more. Figure 9 - Xcel Energy's Carbon Reduction Plan Longer term, CenterPoint Energy is also addressing greenhouse gas emissions with several promising areas of research. See Appendix F - Centerpoint Energy overview of greenhouse gas mitigation projects for more information. menewable r-neryy Support for renewable energy in Golden Valley is represented in several different ways. Subscription programs offer the opportunity to support renewable energy and avoid the expenses of equipment, installation, maintenance, and depreciation. On -site and community solar offer a different menu of benefits, and Golden Valley residents also see value in these options. Table 3 illustrates how Golden Valley residential and commercial and industrial premises support renewable energy. Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 10 Table 3 - 2019 Golden Vallev Renewable Enerav Utilization3 Windsource® Subscriber Count 570 8 Total Annual Electricity Subscribed (kWh) 1,996,338 9,203,491 Percent of Sector Electricity Use 3% 4% Renewable*Connect® Subscriber Count 48 1 Total Annual Electricity Subscribed (kWh) 373,934 104,532 Percent of Sector Electricity Use 1 % <1 % Solar*Rewards®** Participant Count 52 71 Total Annual Electricity (kWh) 268,253 338,484 Percent of Sector Electricity Use <1 % <1 % Solar*Rewards Community®** Participant Count 259 11 Total Annual Electricity (kWh) 1,501,667 9,226,027 Percent of Sector Electricity Use 2% 4% Total Renewable Energy Support Subscriber / Participant Count 929 91 Total Annual Electricity (kWh) 4,140,192 18,872,534 Percent of Sector Electricity Use 6% 8% Importantly, these data do not reflect any purchases of renewable energy from outside of Xcel Energy's service territory, which accrue to the benefit of large enterprises headquartered in Golden Valley. We are aware anecdotally of this behavior but, since data privacy regulations only allow analysis of aggregated data, it's not feasible to identify the extent to which this arrangement exists. �MA/YMA w. nartirrinatinn k -Qnwinnc Residential and commercial and industrial premises in Golden Valley participate in several efficiency programs offered by their utilities. Most usage of efficiency programs, and most of the savings, are concentrated in a small number of the many available options. Of the nearly 40 residential energy efficiency programs offered by Xcel Energy, there are five which account for 94% of annual electricity efficiency improvements. Similarly, six programs targeted at commercial and industrial premises account for 88% of energy efficiency improvements in the sector. 3 Data note: 2019 participation, Xcel Energy programs only, classification done by community facilitators Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 11 Table 4 - Baseline Average Annual kWh Savings by Residential Program Residential Heating 116,146 Residential Cooling 67,534 Home Energy Squad' 52,038 Refrigerator Recycling 47,528 Multi -Family Energy 12,389 Savings "Big 5" Average Annual 295,635 Savings % of Total Annual kWh 94% Savings Table 5 - Baseline Average Annual kWh Savings by Commercial and Industrial Program Commercial and Industrial Program-• Lighting Efficiency �W 2,870,039 Energy Design Assistance 893,642 Small Business Lighting 827,721 Efficiency Controls 686,558 Recommissioning 487,853 Data Center Efficiency 452,552 "Big 6" Average Annual 6,218,365 Savings % of Total Annual kWh 88% Savings Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 12 WHERE WE ARE GOING Figure 10 - Basset Creek, Golden Valley Energy Vision Statement During the planning process, the Energy Action Team created a vision statement for this Energy Action Plan. This statement helped guide the planning process and reflects the intention of the community. Golden Valley will be a more sustainable and resilient community where the benefits of using and sourcing energy wisely accrue equitably to every resident, business, and visitor. Focus AreaE To achieve a community -wide commitment to energy stewardship, the Energy Action Team identified the following focus areas to prioritize strategies and resources: • Reducing high energy cost burden • Improving energy efficiency • Supporting clean energy These focus areas are the most logical choices to reflect the team's priorities as stated in the energy action plan vision. They are broad in scope largely due to challenges and opportunities that Golden Valley is facing, and the strategies we use to support them will deliver focused results designed to accomplish our goal. Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 13 Fighting High Energy Burden The US Department of Energy defines energy burden as the percentage of gross household income spent on energy costs. The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) defines percentages of gross household income that constitute high or severe energy burden at 6% and 10%, respectively.4 According to the Department of Energy's 5-year running average data, Golden Valley has more than 750 households experiencing an energy burden of 15%.5 Another 1,271 households are reported experiencing 5% energy burden, nearly at ACEEE's high -burden benchmark. Perhaps the easiest approach to putting this in perspective is that roughly one in five Golden Valley homes are either very close to high energy burden or well past it. It should be noted that these data were collected prior to the global COVID-19 pandemic. As the Department of Energy updates this information, we can expect the pandemic's influence on household income to come into sharper focus. Figure 12 - Golden Valley Energy Burden by HH Figure 11 - Golden Valley Number of % of State Median Income Households by % of State Median Income 16 cc 12 L CO >, 8 L N c W 4 15% 0% - 30% - 60% - 80% - 100%+ 30% 60% 80% 100% ■Avg. Gas Energy Burden ■Avg. Electricity Energy Burden 100%+MMMM 5,849 80% -100% 658 60% - 80% ■ 732 30% -60% = 1,271 0% - 30% ■ 762 2000 4000 6000 8000 While Figure 12 above illustrates the average energy burden per household, the issue comes into clearer focus looking at the number of households in each of these income segments. As Figure 11 illustrates, Golden Valley is fortunate in that severe energy burden is faced by a relatively small percentage of all households in the City, but the fact remains that likely more than 1,000 Golden Valley households are experiencing high or severe energy burden today. 4 https://www.aceee.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/ACEEE-01%20Energy%20Burden %20-%20National. pdf 5 https://www.energy.gov/eere/slsc/maps/lead-tool?mapSearchIn put=Golden+Valley# 6 Ibid Ibid Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 14 Improving Energy Efficiency The notion of wise, thoughtful energy use in the vision statement has been a key element motivating Golden Valley's Energy Action Team. Using energy efficiently is crucial to making meaningful progress toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions over the next 10 years. In fact, it is the most cost-efficient greenhouse gas mitigation method available. Figure 13 below illustrates that residential energy efficiency savings have been at a steady state for two of Golden Valley's baseline years, while commercial and industrial energy savings have varied year to year. This is a common condition due to the greater variety of commercial and industrial energy users and their unpredictable usage of available energy efficiency programs. Figure 13 - Golden Valley Total Energy Savings by Sector Total Energy Savings MMBTU 40,000 35,575 30,000 24,050 830 Cn 20,000 10,000 2017 2018 Commercial and Industrial Residential Commercial and industrial energy users in Golden Valley will be crucial to accomplishing our energy efficiency goals. Figure 14 illustrates the large share of total energy consumed in the sector. While commercial and industrial users are difficult to predict, even modest improvements in efficiency program utilization can deliver impressive results. Most savings in this sector are driven by participation in a relatively small number of programs. See Table 5 above on page 12. These few programs also tend to deliver the greater savings per premise than 15.976 1.209 14,767 Figure 14 - Golden Valley Energy Consumption by Sector I 2019 Total Energy Consumption (3,224,227 MMBtu) Residential 35% 0 Commercial and Industrial 64% Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 15 their less popular counterparts. By focusing on these programs, we'll be able to increase utilization while maximizing energy savings. Attempting to improve participation in less popular programs runs the risk of improving activity levels at the expense of maximizing savings. Supporting Clean Energy While the subjects of sustainability and resilience are far broader than the scope of this energy action plan, our team understood a clear connection between those ideas and support for clean energy in Golden Valley. Clean energy supports sustainability and resilience whether it's considered in a broad context or one more limited to the boundaries of Golden Valley. Xcel Energy has made commitments to reduce carbon -based fuels and increase its use of clean energy sources for electricity generation, ultimately pledging to be 80% carbon -neutral by 2030 and 100% carbon -neutral by 2050.$ This historic change in the way electricity is generated contributes significantly to mitigation of the impacts of greenhouse gasses in our atmosphere, helping to create a more sustainable climate well into the future. Closer to home, as Golden Valley homes and businesses embrace clean energy by supporting renewable sources of generation, each one adds not just to a sustainable climate, but also to a more resilient community. Whether via subscription, on -site, or in proximity as with solar gardens, using renewable energy builds resilience, reducing our commitment to finite fuel sources, and creating a resilient power source, more capable of delivering energy in the event of disruption of our infrastructure. 8 Learn more at https://www.xcelenergy.com/carbon_free_2050 Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 16 i k-- Eliminate 65,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions through electricity and natural gas savings in Golden Valley in the next 10 years — exclusive of Xcel Energy's grid decarbonization efforts. Add an estimated $8.8 million in first year energy savings to Golden Valley's economy in 10 years with savings that residents and businesses will see from more efficient use of energy. Help Golden Valley households most severely impacted by the costs of energy. We will a) make certain that these households are aware that help is available, and b) help them to navigate the steps necessary to get the help they need. HOW WE ARE GOING TO GET THERE Figure 17 - Electric Vehicle Charging in Golden Valley Focus Area: Reducing High and Severe Energy Burden Strategy 1: Locate High Energy Burden Households Description Our first challenge is to locate households in Golden Valley who are confronting high and severe energy burden. We will use a variety of tactics to develop a profile identifying households with a high propensity to be energy burdened: II` • Outreach to school social workers in Golden Valley will allow us to send messaging home with students receiving free or reduced meal benefits. • Analysis conducted by Golden Valley's mapping specialist has identified homes in Golden Valley valued at $200,000 or less that are at least 60 years old and have not been issued a building permit in 30+ years. • Early outreach to social service organizations in Golden Valley has also indicated that language barriers may be substantial. In addition to English and Spanish, we have learned that a number of these organizations' clients speak Russian as their primary language. Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 18 Target Audience As we learn more about the demographics of those facing high and severe energy burden in Golden Valley, our target audience definition will become clearer. These key facts are the foundation of our demographic understanding. High energy burden household income High energy cost burden is defined as home energy costs amounting to more than 6%, but less than 10% of monthly household gross income. As Figure 18, below, indicates, average energy burden for the 1,271 households in the 30% - 60% of State Median Income (SMI) cohort is 5%. Presuming a standard distribution, we can hypothesize that close half of that group is at or above 6% energy cost burden (636 homes). Since the 60% - 80% cohort in Figure 18 shows an average energy burden of 4%, we presume that few, if any, in this group are experiencing high energy cost burden. In 2019, Minnesota's median household income was $74,593.9 Thus, we expect household income among high energy cost burdened households to be no more than $44,756 (60% of $74,593). Figure 18 - Golden Valley Energy Burden and Housing Counts 18% 762 c 12% m 2) L 1,271 LC j 6% 732 2% 658 5,849 2% 1 /o o - 2% 2% 0% - 0% - 30% 30%-60% 60% - 80% 80% - 100% 100%+ % State Median Income Avg. Electricity Energy Burden iAvg. Nat. Gas Energy Burden Housing Counts • Severe energy burden household income Similarly, Figure 18 indicates that severely energy cost burdened households will have annual income less than 30% of the state media income, or $22,378 — which is $1,865 monthly ($11.65 per hour for 4 forty -hour weeks). 9https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=Minnesota%2OState%2OMedian%201ncome&tid=ACSST1 Y2019. S1901 &hide Preview=false Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 19 Scope As illustrated in Figure 18, the US Department of Energy estimated 762 severely energy - burdened households in Golden Valley in 2018. Another 1,271 were at or approaching high energy burden10. While the overall average energy burden in Golden Valley is typical of similar communities, this data illustrates that over 10% of Golden Valley households are confronting the challenges of high or severe energy burden. Apart from objective demographic measures, there are also likely to be conditions in these households that will complicate this task. The lifestyle of a home in poverty has differences that more fortunate residents may not have considered. Low -paying employment may mean that adults are working more than one job at odd hours. Just simply finding decision -makers at home can be a challenge. Additionally, we expect that cultural barriers may inhibit some residents from asking for assistance. One surprising result from the Department of Energy's research has been that half of the households experiencing energy burden are owner-occupied' 1. Given our understanding of the age distribution in Golden Valley (21.7% over 6512), we hypothesize that some in this category may be long-time residents who have lived in their home a very long time but may now be struggling to keep things together on a fixed income. See Figure 19 below. Figure 19 - Golden Valley Energy Burden: Housing Counts, Renter vs. Owner -Occupied 1,200 M, 0 0 a) 600 0 73 0 2 300 Energy -Burdened Homes Renter vs. Owner -Occupied 405 0-30% SMI 30-60% SMI ■ Renter Occupied ■ Owner Occupied 10 https://www.energy.gov/eere/slsc/maps/lead-tool 11 https://www.energy.gov/eere/slsc/maps/lead-tool US Dept. of Energy Low -Income Energy Affordability Data (LEAD) Tool Data (housing only) comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 2018 Public Use Microdata Samples. 12 2019 ACS5-year Estimates Subject Tables Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 20 Desired Outcomes Our short-term goal is to build a reliable process for locating households likely to benefit from the resources available. During the first 18 months of implementation, with assistance from Xcel Energy's Partners in Energy, we will build a process to identify likely energy -burdened households using: • Data analysis (such as the mapping exercise illustrated above in [PLACEHOLDER: There will be a map added above to illustrate the number of homes being targeted in this process] • Outreach to social service organizations serving this community in Golden Valley. • Partnering with organizations delivering energy -related resources to these households (e.g., Hennepin County Community Action Partnership). • Local publicity. Resources City of Golden Valley's current Minnesota GreenCorps member, Story Schwantes, has been a valuable resource already, beginning the hard work of contacting organizations, building relationships, and partnering with city resources for assistance. Her engagement with the City ends this summer. Further development and maintenance of this initiative requires full-time focus that cannot be accomplished by volunteers. Roles and Responsibilities Partners in Energy will provide communication materials to help familiarize stakeholder groups with this initiative and motivate their support. Should Golden Valley's Communications group lack bandwidth to support local social media and other publicity tasks, Partners in Energy will provide support in this area as well. As the restrictions of the pandemic ebb, the City of Golden Valley and the Energy Action Team anticipate opportunities to conduct tabling events in high -likelihood neighborhoods and will identify volunteer support to implement this tactic. Timeline Beginning in June 2021, the City and Partners in Energy will begin implementing a publicity plan to facilitate this strategy. Success will be measured by requests for information from potential clients during the first six months of the plan. We will also supplement ongoing publicity with concentrated outreach at the beginning of heating season, when energy burden becomes most apparent and applications begin to be accepted for winter energy assistance. Moving into 2022 we will develop process steps to help identify candidate households on an on -going basis to build a pipeline of likely clients. Strategy 2: Educate Clients Description This strategy will raise awareness of the resources that are available to help households struggling with energy burden in Golden Valley. Once identified via Strategy 1, these households will need outreach to make them aware, and to address any misgivings or reluctance they may have about asking for help. Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 21 Target Audience We also need to prepare for language barriers that likely exist for some of these households, which will become particularly relevant as we begin the process of reviewing somewhat complicated assistance options. Early research conducted by Golden Valley's Minnesota GreenCorps member indicated that a surprising number of Russian speakers are among clients of social service organizations. Desired Outcomes The desired outcome of this strategy is to effectively communicate with energy burdened households. Our standards for effective communication will be based on percentage of the energy burdened population reached in any manner, percentage of the population counseled individually, and percentage of those counseled who take advantage of some or all of the help available. Resources Outreach will use several different techniques, including targeted mailings in high likelihood neighborhoods, publicity channels available through city government, and partnering with local social service organizations. Printed materials will be needed to support outreach available in English, Spanish and perhaps additional languages. Given the characteristics of many of these households, we expect that this will be a lengthy process, requiring volunteers and city staff to dedicate time to conduct effective outreach. Roles and Responsibilities Partners in Energy will provide communication materials for flyers, social media and in -person events, as needed. City of Golden Valley will coordinate volunteers and/or staff to adequately conduct outreach to this population. Timeline We expect to begin this process as a natural progression from Strategy 1, above. As opportunities present themselves, we will begin educational outreach, with progress seen before heating season begins in fall of 2021. One on one education offerings will likely be replaced by small group meetings as the pandemic subsides and awareness of this offering spreads. Strategy 3: Coordinate Service Delivery Description The purpose of this strategy is to help energy burdened households follow- through and actually receive the help that is available. In addition to the Energy Assistance Program administered by the Hennepin County Community Action Partnership, clients will be encouraged to take advantage of the Home Energy Savings Program or Multi -Family Energy Savings Program via their landlords. Target Audience More of a psychographic than demographic insight, we hypothesize that many potential beneficiaries may not be able to successfully navigate the processes necessary to receive help. Whether it's work schedules, language barriers, or other limited capabilities, one of the largest impediments to getting help can be the process of asking for it. Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 22 Desired Outcomes Our desired outcome is to facilitate the process of asking for and receiving help, so that no one who asks for help fails to receive it because of barriers that could be overcome with the assistance of someone to navigate the process with them. Resources/Communication Channels This is "high -touch" strategy, that will require tenacious follow-up and advocacy on the part of a designated individual or group within city government, supported by a small group of volunteers. Roles and Responsibilities Partners in Energy will help to develop training materials that will list all the resources available to energy burdened households. The City of Golden Valley will determine how best to staff and manage this strategy and assure that assistance is delivered consistently. Timeline This will be an on -going initiative that begins as education efforts begin to become productive and motivate these households to get help. Focus Area: Improving Energy Efficiency Strategy 4: Conduct Residential Outreach Description ❑ This strategy will prioritize outreach with energy efficiency opportunities to the homes in Golden Valley most likely to benefit. Over time, outreach will extend to additional homes in the order of the benefits to be gained. Target Audience Homes in Golden Valley will be prioritized based upon age. With so many homes built long before energy efficiency initiatives were included in building codes (61 % built before 1970), there is ample opportunity to help homeowners make changes and improvements that will have a significant impact on their energy usage, energy costs, and comfort at home. Figure 20 - Golden Valley Homes: Percentage Built by Decade 37% 24% 15% 9% 8% 6% 1% 1959 or earlier 1960 to 1969 1970 to 1979 1980 to 1989 1990 to 1999 2000 to 2009 2010 or later Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 23 Desired Outcomes This strategy, and most in the energy efficiency focus area, uses historical participation rates in various utility -sponsored efficiency programs as a baseline from which to set goals and desired outcomes. We also have analyzed those programs that have the greatest efficiency potential and prioritized them for greater activation. Figure 21 - Highest potential residential energy efficiency programs Residential Programs • Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy Home Energy Squad • Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy Low - Income Home Energy Squad • Xcel Energy Refrigerator Recycling • Xcel Energy Residential Cooling • Xcel Energy Residential Heating • CenterPoint Low -Income Weatherization • CenterPoint Home Insulation Rebates • CenterPoint Home Efficiency Rebates • CenterPoint DIY Home Efficiency We are targeting each the programs listed above for 2.5% growth in annual participation between 2021 and 2031. Our plans presume participation in other residential energy efficiency programs at baseline average rates. Table 6 - Key Residential Efficiency Programs - Annual Participation Targets moor Home Energy 21 41 42 43 44 45 46 48 49 50 51 Squad Low -Income Home Energy 2 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 S uad Refrigerator 31 61 63 64 66 67 69 71 73 74 76 Rec clin Residential 96 191 196 201 206 211 21 222 22 233 239 Cooling Residential 87 173 177 182 186 191 196 201 206 211 216 Heating CenterPoint Low -Income i 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Weatherization CenterPoint Home 8 16 16 17 17 18 18 19 19 19 20 Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 24 Insulation Rebates CenterPoint Home Efficiency Rebates CenterPoint DIY Home Efficiency Resources 184 367 376 386 395 405 415 426 436 447 458 53 105 108 110 113 116 119 122 125 128 131 Targeted communication, focusing on the residents most likely to benefit from each program will be important to delivering our desired participation rates. Additionally, the City may want to consider incentivizing participation in Home Energy Squad as a number of other communities have done recently. This is a very effective technique for creating more interest and participation. Inexpensive communication channels with broad coverage, such as Golden Valley's social media capabilities, can be used as a foundation for the communication plan, but there will need to be focused outreach to build awareness among several subgroups. Groups less likely to use social media, or groups that use social media in a limited context, may miss Golden Valley's digital outreach altogether. Analog media (newsletters, post cards, handouts, flyers, tabling, etc.) will be a necessary element of the communications plan to adequately publicize these efficiency opportunities to less digitally engaged residents. Roles and Responsibilities Partners in Energy will create materials to be used in these outreach initiatives, both for digital and analog media opportunities. City of Golden Valley will be responsible for adequately engaging with residents who are difficult to reach. Timeline Outreach can begin shortly beginning the implementation phase. Since interest in residential energy efficiency peaks during heating season, outreach will focus on concentrated messaging during three periods (Heating season kickoff, Holidays at home, and "Worst of Winter") These initiatives will continue annually, expanding to more recently built neighborhoods throughout the duration of the plan. Efficiency messaging and opportunities to participate in a variety of efficiency and rebate programs will be scheduled during spring, summer and early fall. Strategy 5: Conduct Business Outreach Description This strategy will prioritize outreach with energy efficiency opportunities to the businesses in Golden Valley that may not have been able to maximize energy efficiency in the same ways that many larger businesses in Golden Valley have. When commercial and industrial premises reach a threshold level of energy consumption, they gain access to additional services from their utilities to help them use Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 25 energy efficiently. Additionally, many large enterprises have full-time staff fully dedicated to maximizing operating efficiency. Relatively smaller firms still use a substantial amount of energy and can benefit from efficiency programs offered by utilities. In many circumstances, greater use of these programs is simply limited by lack of awareness. We see strong opportunity to improve efficiency for this cohort, which offers benefits not simply in terms of energy efficiency but also in enhanced profitability for participants as well. Target Audience Like many communities, there is a wide disparity between the largest and smallest commercial and industrial energy users. Looking at these premises by quintile, clustering commercial and industrial premises into five groups from the largest to the smallest, shows that the largest users are currently using, and saving a disproportionate share of energy in this sector. Figure 23 - Top 20% of Golden Valley C/I premises use 90% of sector electricity Golden Valley Commercial / Industrial Electricity Usage 2019 (kWh) U) 225,000 215,262 M 150,000 75,000 Y Top Quintile 22,726 All Others Figure 22 - Top 20% of Golden Valley C/I premises benefit from 90% of sector electricity savings Golden Valley Commercial / Industrial Energy Savings 2017 — 19 (kWh) Cn 30,000 22,181 20,000 10,000 Y J_r__M� 2,561 0 Top Quintile All Others The remainder of users represent 830 of the 1,038 commercial and industrial premises in Golden Valley. While we expect that the largest quintile will continue to deliver savings over time at rates similar to their past behaviors, we see great potential to improve efficiency among these "all others." Desired Outcomes This strategy also uses historical participation rates in various utility -sponsored efficiency programs as a baseline from which to set goals and desired outcomes. We also have analyzed those programs that have the greatest efficiency potential and prioritized them for greater activation. Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 26 We are targeting each the programs listed below for 2.5% growth in annual participation between 2021 and 2031. Our plans presume participation in other commercial and industrial energy efficiency programs at baseline average rates. Figure 24 - Targeted Business Programs Business Programs Xcel Energy Cooling Efficiency Xcel Energy Lighting Efficiency Xcel Energy & CenterPoint Energy Multi -Family Building Efficiency Xcel Energy Small Business Lighting CenterPoint C&I Rebates Resources We will leverage relationships with community connectors such as the Golden Valley Business Council and TwinWest Chamber of Commerce, and Rotary Club of Golden Valley to facilitate communications with our target audience. Outreach in the form of newsletters via the Chamber and any other available lists of businesses in Golden Valley will create reliable channels for publicizing opportunities and celebrating beneficiaries of these programs. Roles and Responsibilities Partners in Energy will prepare communications materials for use during outreach in support of this strategy. Xcel Energy may be able to email appropriate customers for this initiative as well. The City of Golden Valley and Energy Action Team volunteers will be responsible for conducting outreach, hosting meetings, and building relationships with local businesses through the organizations listed above in the Resources section. Timeline Outreach will begin as soon as the implementation plan is approved. The Energy Action Team was quite clear about the long lead times that often are associated with a business's capital improvements. We expect to build some "quick wins" with concentrated efforts to publicize business efficiency programs to many who may simply be unaware of their opportunities, paired with longer -cycle activities as well. Focus Area: Supporting Clean Energy Strategy 6: Subscription Options Description Encouraging residential and business support of renewable energy is foundational to the success of this plan, and promoting renewables is likely to be the most easily adopted way to do so. We will leverage the advantages of renewable subscriptions including the simplicity of joining programs like Windsource° and more significantly, the participants' ability to avoid the upfront expense of purchase and installation of on -site alternatives, along with on- going maintenance and eventual replacement of equipment. Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 27 Target Audience Residents will be encouraged to make a small monthly commitment to Golden Valley's Energy Action Plan goals by purchasing some or all their home electricity via Windsource°. For as little as an additional $5 per month, families can join their neighbors in making real progress toward a clean energy future. Small and medium sized businesses in Golden Valley will be encouraged to participate in Windsource as a part of either their brand reputation strategies or simply as a tangible goodwill investment in their reputation as valuable members of Golden Valley's business community. There is ample evidence that support for renewable energy is fast becoming an attractive brand attribute. During our workshops, we learned that many new apartment complexes use rooftop solar arrays, not only because they may save money, but because they appeal to potential renters. Tactics under consideration During brainstorming activities conducted as part of Partners in Energy Workshops, Energy Action Team members contributed the following ideas. These will be included in our implementation plans. • Conduct an outreach campaign promoting the benefits of renewable energy subscriptions. Use city communication channels and social media and consider a neighborhood -based challenge to hit target signups. To help promote, the City could consider paying the first month of the subscription up to a cap or offer a gift card for every 10 other Golden Valley residents you refer. • Launch a student video contest to promote the benefits of clean energy. Work with schools and other clubs within the city to engage youth in promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency. • Conduct a green business award and recognition program. Work with the Golden Valley Business Council and TwinWest Chamber of Commerce, and Rotary Club of Golden Valley to promote the local businesses and investigate financial opportunities. • Consider hosting or locating a one -stop technical assistance resource for businesses looking to get started in renewable energy. • Start a business mentoring program, inviting large businesses using renewables to mentor a smaller local firm who's unfamiliar with how to get started using renewable energy. Desired Outcomes The plan presumes an annualized 2.5% growth rate for renewable energy used in Golden Valley. Goals are predicated on baseline usage rates. Since this plan will commence mid -year 2021, we've budgeted half the baseline rate for 2021, a return to baseline in 2022, and 2.5% growth thereafter. Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 28 Also, while Renewable*Connect is currently closed to new subscribers, we anticipate that it will re -open at some point.13 Its popularity may compensate for any delays in additional subscriptions and so we're assuming a normal growth rate over the 10-year period. Figure 25 - Golden Valley Renewable Energy Subscription Plan Golden Valley Renewable Energy Subscription Plan 2021 - 2031 16,000 14,585 _ — cc: 14,000 — — — cn 0 12,000 — — — — ~ 10,000 m CO 8,000 3 5,839 C 6,000 — aD 4,000 '0�_ 2,000 _ 7 r , 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 ■Total residential Windsource subscription, kWh ■Total residential Renewable*Connect, kWh ■ Total commercial Windsource subscription kWh ■ Total commercial Renewable*Connect, kWh Resources In addition to any existing Windsource°or Renewable*Connect° promotional materials being used by Xcel Energy or within Partners in Energy's archive, consistent additional outreach to Golden Valley residents and businesses will be critical. This should be a broad reach messaging plan (perhaps using direct mail) supported by in -person education and advocacy publicity opportunities, such as tabling at Golden Valley events, neighborhood "captains" communicating one-to-one. This will also require close liaison with the business community either through regular association meetings, stand-alone events, or "business blitz" events — in which Energy Action Team volunteers target a business corridor and conduct drop -in visits to publicize renewable opportunities and their value. Roles and Responsibilities Partners in Energy will assist in creation of any needed promotional materials as requested and will provide leadership and best practice advice on business outreach based on previous experience in similar communities. Golden Valley will coordinate volunteers for local outreach 13 Note: Renewable*Connect° is currently fully subscribed and unavailable for new subscriptions. This condition may change in the future, and if it does, Renewable*Connect°will be included in this initiative. Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 29 initiatives, use existing community newsletters and other proprietary communication vehicles (e.g., Twitter and Facebook presence) to consistently support the initiative. Volunteers may be sourced from the Golden Valley Energy Action Team or from the business and fraternal organizations with whom we will partner to execute these initiatives. Timeline Planning and execution will begin as one of the early priorities of plan implementation. Activities will be concentrated around quarterly efforts to build subscriptions, using a combination of digital and analog communications, events and tabling (as feasible with regard to Covid-19 protocols). Strategy 7: "Near -Site" and On -Site Renewable Energy Support Description Some residents and businesses in Golden Valley may prefer on -site or "near - site" renewable energy opportunities to the subscription model described in %0- strategy 6, above. On -site solar, in particular, is attractive to many because it offers a resilience advantage in the event of a major disruption to the power grid. As mentioned previously, many businesses also appreciate the fact that on -site solar can enhance their brand reputation. There are cost premiums associated with on -site solar in the form of purchase, installation, maintenance, and eventual replacement expense. For residents and businesses willing to invest, there is good news in that costs have been decreasing and payback periods are shorter than they were just a few years ago. In addition, at the time of plan approval, federal tax credits were available for on -site solar systems. Experts in the field on Golden Valley's Energy Action Team have cautioned that payback periods are still far longer than what is deemed acceptable under general practice by most large enterprises. If an enterprise can value the reputation enhancement that accrues to its brand because of its investment in on -site solar, that value can be added to the payback calculation and may tip the balance in favor of the investment. "Near -site" renewable options are facilitated by third -party organizations who offer a variety of contractual arrangements to customers in return for a share of the generated electricity's value. These "solar gardens" offer convenience and low initial cost advantages to on -site alternatives but may not allow the customer to retain the renewable energy credits that represent the "green" attributes of the generated electricity. Xcel Energy offers support to residents and businesses who wish to participate in solar gardens or to install on -site solar with the programs listed below. i aoie i - xcei tnerav Kenewaoie tnerav rroarams Solar*Rewards® Solar*Rewards® is your opportunity to have solar for your home or business. It's an incentivized program, so monthly payments are made to the owner of the solar system in exchange for Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) for the energy produced by the solar system. Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 30 If you produce more than you need, the extra energy is added to the grid, and any excess energy will be credited to your bill. Solar*Rewards Community° Xcel Energy electric customers can engage directly to a third - party owned community solar garden located in their current or adjacent county. Once enrolled with an active garden, customers will begin receiving bill credits on their monthly Xcel Energy bill equivalent to the solar energy that their share of the solar garden contributes to the Xcel Energy grid. Customers who chose this arrangement may or may not save money by participating in a solar garden — agreements are between customers and the Garden Operator. Credit for production of renewable energy may stay in the community if the solar garden operator chooses not to sell their Renewable Energy Credits. See Appendix D - Renewable Energy Overview for more detail on Renewable Energy Credits. Net Metering This program is non-incentivized, so you retain the renewable attributes of renewable energy that your solar energy generating system produces. You have the choice to then register and/or claim the Renewable Energy Credits (RECs), with each REC certifying the generation of one megawatt -hour (MWh) of renewable energy. Owning your own system provides the benefit from net metering. This allows you to "credit back" excess generation onto your bill to ensure you receive the full value of all your generation. If excess energy generation exceeds energy consumption, you will receive payment for the excess.14 Renewable Energy Credits are an important part of each of the options described above and have implications for deciding which program will best support Golden Valley's clean energy goals. A renewable energy credit (REC) represents the green attributes of renewable energy, with each REC certifying the generation of one megawatt -hour (MWh) of renewable energy. RECs are used to measure renewable energy produced and used to meet renewable energy goals. If the renewable program allows the participant to own the RECs, they can claim that they are offsetting your energy use, or that they are using renewable incentive energy. If Xcel Energy keeps the RECs under the renewable program in which you participate, you are unable to claim that you offset energy use with renewable energy.15 14 xcelenergy.com 15 https://www.xceIenergV.com/staticfiles/xe/PDF/REC%20CIaims%20-%20Net%20Metering%20P03.pdf Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 31 Additional detail on renewable energy credits is available in Appendix D - Renewable Energy Overview The claims that one can make vary substantially from program to program because of each one's handling of RECs. Table 8 - Acceptable claims for use with Xcel Energy renewable energy programs16 Solar*Rewards° • By participating in Solar*Rewards, I help supply electricity to our utility in order to meet its renewable energy goals. • I help increase the amount of solar energy on Xcel Energy's grid by installing onsite solar. Solar*Rewards Community° • My subscription supports community solar. • By subscribing to community solar, I help grow solar gardens. • I support solar development. Net Metering • I use solar energy. • I have reduced my carbon emissions. • I offset my carbon footprint with the solar panels on my property. Net Metering is the option that will allow residents and businesses in Golden Valley to claim that their use of on -site solar contributes specifically to reducing greenhouse gas emissions attributable to Golden Valley's use of electricity. Incidentally, Windsource and Renewable*Connect both retire renewable energy credits on behalf of the subscribers, so they also qualify as reducing greenhouse gas emissions attributable to Golden Valley's use of electricity. Target Audience Businesses will be approached with a range of renewable options from which they may choose. Should they choose on -site installation, net metering will be recommended as a way for them to enjoy the benefits of renewable energy and enhance their reputation as a contributor to the Golden Valley Energy Action Plan. Desired Outcomes To best support Golden Valley's goal of using clean energy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions directly attributable to the community's use of electricity, our hope is to influence current on -site solar homes not participating in Solar*Rewards or contract -restricted independent programs and businesses to adopt net metering. Additionally, we will work to influence owners of new on -site installations to consider net metering as an alternative to other options. Resources By partnering with the building permit office in Golden Valley, materials can be provided to applicants for on -site solar installation permits. Analysis of past permit applications will be the 16 xcelenergy.com Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 32 best resource for building a contact list of current Golden Valley on -site solar users. This list can then be used to target communications recommending adoption of net metering. Roles and Responsibilities Partners in Energy will assist in development of promotional materials for outreach efforts targeted to current and prospective owners of on -site solar energy systems. These will be used in combination with promotional materials supporting Windsource° and Renewable*Connect°. Golden Valley will work to partner with relevant departments within municipal administration to develop a process for outreach to residents and businesses requesting on -site solar installation permits. Timeline Process development followed by creation of appropriate communication materials can begin early in the implementation process. Ideally, the first major publicity for this program would be a special event in Golden Valley during the longest day of the year — the summer solstice on June 21. Strategy 8: Preparing for Electric Vehicles Description Numerous sources have indicated that rapid growth is anticipated in the acceptance of electric vehicles (EV's) as replacements for internal combustion vehicles over the next 5 — 10 years. Studies indicate that most electric vehicle charging will occur at home overnight, but the availability of convenient 0—� charging locations can reduce range anxiety among prospective electric vehicle buyers, thereby accelerating adoption of this clean energy transportation option. While it's unrealistic to assume that any individual community can address every objection hindering more rapid acceptance of EV's, it is possible to play a role at the local level. Target Audience We will target the retail business community with an effort to make it easier to drive an electric vehicle in (or to) Golden Valley. Golden Valley can become known as a preferred shopping and entertainment destination for the EV "community." Turning to Golden Valley's substantial concentration of car dealers, we are also interested in strategies that can help make it easier to sell EV's in Golden Valley. Tactics Under Consideration During brainstorming activities conducted as part of Partners in Energy Workshops, Energy Action Team members contributed the following ideas. These will be included in our implementation plans. Highlight Golden Valley residents who drive electric vehicles. Through local news and/or social media, highlight the early EV adopters in Golden Valley and how they use their vehicles. Use the stories to address common barriers to EV adoption (e.g. where they charge, where they bought the vehicle, costs of ownership and maintenance, etc.) Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 33 Host an EV parade or ride and drive event. Work with local EV owners or other resources to conduct a ride and drive EV event in Golden Valley Desired Outcomes We would like to see every workplace, shopping, and/or entertainment destination in Golden Valley install and promote EV chargers. Additionally, we would like to see Golden Valley electric vehicle sales increase faster than neighboring communities. Resources/Communication Channels Partnering with the business community is at the core of this initiative. The Golden Valley Business Council and TwinWest Chamber of Commerce, and Rotary Club of Golden Valley will be valuable community connectors in this outreach. Golden Valley may want to consider a pilot test with local car dealers offering a modest incentive to the dealership and individual salespeople on a per EV sold basis. Such incentives are often very successful, even at modest cash values. Roles and Responsibilities Partners in Energy will assist with creation of promotional materials to be used for outreach to retail locations as well as local car dealers. Golden Valley will need to consider incentivizing retail location EV charger installations as well as the mechanics of an auto dealership pilot. Along with developing incentives for new installations, the city will want to consider recognition of existing EV charger installations to avoid unintended resistance to the initiative among those who have installed chargers without incentives. Timeline This initiative will be far more welcome after retail business conditions improve post -pandemic. We plan to start this initiative early in 2022, developing an outreach plan with a specific incentive supported by partnering with an electric vehicle charger installation firm while continuing to look for grant opportunities and other funding sources. Outreach to local car dealers would be most effective just before introduction of new electric vehicle models. In early 2022, the Energy Action Team will network with local car dealers to gauge interest and solicit feedback on timing and details of the pilot. -nerav Action Plan Element - The chart below was reviewed and endorsed by the Golden Valley Energy Action Team as a summary of the major initiatives in the plan. This represents a balanced approach to the activities recommended in the plan, recognizing that urgent priorities, such as reducing high energy cost burden, should not be delayed. Similarly, activities that have longer development periods may begin in the near term, with results expected later in the plan. Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 34 Finally, support for electric vehicle adoption will gain traction as more manufacturers introduce and promote them. Golden Valley's local role can begin ahead of (and assist) rapid adoption. Figure 26 - Energy Action Plan Summary Reduce Energy Cost Burden Build energy burden process Improve Energy Efficiency Residential - Target oldest homes - Multi -Family Commercial - Focus on smaller businesses Embrace Clean Energy Support residential adoption - Subscription options - Assistance w/ on -site Build a business pipeline - Outreach to businesses whose brands can benefit - Begin long-term -A i fl— ini#io#iioc Combat Energy Burden Add capabilities - Languages, advocacy, team with non -profits Improve Energy Efficiency Residential - Extend initiatives to newer homes - Consider support for larger projects Commercial - Maintain outreach pace - Extend to medium businesses Embrace Clean Energy Maintain residential activity Use testimonials among similar businesses Consider municipal programs to help facilitate adoption Fnerav Action Plan Imnact Combat Energy Burden - Assess process, add capabilities as indicated o More languages, predictive analytics Improve Energy Efficiency Residential Re -contact early users with new incentives Promote new technologies Commercial - Re -contact early users with new incentives Embrace Clean Energy Maintain residential and business pace Extend municipal programs Support EV adoption The combined strategies outlined in this plan will deliver on each of the goals that we have set forth. By the end of 2031, assuming that annual participation targets have been met, over 1,900 Golden Valley residents and more than 375 businesses will have participated in programs. The results of our achieving our goals include: Eliminating 65,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions Successful implementation of this plan will help avoid greenhouse gas emissions from electricity and natural gas. This will include avoiding over 65 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent by the year 2031. 39 million of those will be the result of our energy efficiency efforts and 26 from meeting our renewable energy targets. Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 35 During the same period, Xcel Energy's electricity generation will also avoid over 77,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions used to produce electricity for Golden Valley because Figure 27 - Golden Valley Greenhouse Gas Mitigation 2021 - 2031 70,000 Greenhouse Gas Mitigation 65,470 2021 -2031 60,000 50,000 a� CN 40,000 U 30,000 75 20,000 10,000 3,710 , 0 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 ■ Renewables ■ Commercial Residential of their plan to reduce emissions by 80% as compared to 2005 levels by 2030. Add inq $8.7 million in first year energy savings to Golden Vallev's economy in 10 years with savings from more efficient use of energy. Accounting standards mandate that the measure for energy savings is the amount saved in the first year of the efficiency improvement. Since individual efficiency actions may last different periods of time, there is no way to forecast the longevity of each one. Actual savings for individual customers may be greater than those reported as first -year savings, meaning the positive financial impacts for our community may exceed those noted in this plan. Money otherwise Figure 28 - Golden Valley First Year Dollar Savings From Efficiency Activities $9,000,000 Total first year dollar savings $8,733,610 $6,000,000 1 $3,000,000 $482,508 ' 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 36 needed to pay for energy can stay with residents and businesses in Golden Valley, helping contribute to the local economy. Helping Golden Valley households most severely impacted by the costs of energy. We will a) make certain that these households are aware that help is available, and b) help them to navigate the steps necessary to get the help they need. Over 1,000 Golden Valley households will benefit from this portion of the plan, delivering the resources they need to better provide for their families and assure the comforts that electricity and natural gas offer in every home. Overall, achieving near -term targets laid out in this plan will deliver a strong head start to implementation of the plan through 2031. From July of 2021 (our targeted implementation start date) to December of 2022, here are some of the results we anticipate: June 2021 — December 2022 Anticipated Results • First year energy savings of $1.4 million ($375,470 in 2021 plus $1,126,410 in 2022) • 11,501,938 kilowatt hours of energy saved (2.875,485 in 2021 plus 8,626,454 in 2022) • 806,306 therms of natural gas saved (201,576 in 2021 plus 604,729 in 2022) • 14,480 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent greenhouse gasses avoided (3,710 in 20221 plus 10,679 in 2022) Energy Action Team Commitment The Energy Action Team formed to create this plan will support implementation by volunteering time and advice as they are able to activate these initiatives. Additional resources will be needed from Golden Valley staff to maintain momentum and administer initiatives, particularly after the Partners in Energy relationship ends after the initial 18-month initiation period. Partners in Energy shared that successful implementation of energy action plans in other communities was the result of dedicated staff support. City of Golden Valley estimates that approximately 25% of a dedicated staff member's time plus another 0.5 FTE may be needed to implement the plan on an annual basis. Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 37 HOW WE STAY ON COURSE This Energy Action Plan is a living document. Goals and strategies will be assessed and refined as needed based on data and community staff capacity. Data and Reportinc Partners in Energy will provide biannual progress reports with metrics of success and overall progress towards goals for Xcel Energy rebates and programs. These reports will be available publicly and shared with both the community and Energy Action Team. CenterPoint Energy will also provide annual updates to the City of Golden Valley. These results will be shared with the team and Figure 29: Actions and Tracking included in year-end reports. If available, ad -hoc participation reports for specific programs (e.g., Home Energy Squad) can be provided to measure success of campaigns and to determine if we need to change course. Proiect Wnaaement and Trackina Partners in Energy will host regular project management check -in calls with staff to ensure we stay on course to achieve our strategies. If desired, an implementation check -in meeting with the Energy Action Team can be convened to assess progress towards goals and discuss strategy refinement. Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 38 APPENDIX A - BASELINE ENERGYANALYSIS Data was provided by Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy for all Golden Valley premises for 2017-2019. Xcel Energy provides electric and CenterPoint Energy provides natural gas service to the community. The data helped the Energy Action Team understand Golden Valley's energy use and opportunities for energy conservation and renewable energy. Data included in this section establishes a baseline against which progress toward goals will be compared to in the future. Aectricity and Natural Gas Premises Like many "first ring" suburbs in the Twin Cities, Golden Valley is a well -established residential community. New home construction peaked in the 1950's and 60's. The city counts several large commercial and industrial sites as well, but it remains primarily residential in its nature. Figure 30 - Golden Valley Premises by Sector 2019 Golden Valley Premise Count 11,139 Municipal 90 1% I Commercial and Industria 983 9% Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 39 Electricity and Natural Gas Consumption by Sector Commercial and industrial premises play an out -sized role in terms of actual energy consumption in Golden Valley. While they constitute less than 10% of actual premises in Golden Valley, they consume 76% of all electricity used in Golden Valley and 58% of all the natural gas used in Golden Valley. As we work to improve energy efficiency, this imbalance points to the strategic importance of effective outreach to our business community. Engaging with businesses in Golden Valley will be crucial to achieving savings of the scale that we want to achieve. Figure 31 - Golden Valley Electricity Consumption by Sector 314,110,537 kWh Municipal 2,338,159 1% Commercia and Industri� 237,988,550 76% --sidential 3,783,823 23% Figure 32 - 2019 Golden Valley Natural Gas consumption by sector Residen 8,842,8 41% Municipal 136,553 1% Try---�- 21,524,822 therms ;.ommercial and Industrial 12,545,414 58% Total greenhouse gas emissions in Golden Valley averaged 226,042 tons of Carbon Dioxide equivalent across the 3 years of our baseline average. The Environmental Protection Agency provides a tool to help people understand the magnitude of greenhouse gas emissions. Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 40 226,042 MTCO2 a is equivalent to" Greenhouse Gas Emissions from 48,000 passenger vehicles driven for one year 26,000 passenger vehicles driven for one year 20 -� ��lft� 3.7 million tree seedlings grown for 10 years Again, it is important to understand the role that commercial and industrial premises play in Golden Valley's greenhouse gas emissions. Golden Valley's business sector energy consumption is responsible for more than double the greenhouse gas emissions than residential premises. GHG Emissions (MT CO2e) 2017, 2018, 2019 Average Commercial and Industrial 153,419 68% Residential 71,134 32% Energy Costs Total energy costs in Golden Valley amounted to an average of just over $46 million dollars annually during the baseline period. Commercial and industrial and residential spending are at 2 17 https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator 18 Photo by Michael Tuszynski from Pexels 19 This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY -SA 20 This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY -NC -ND Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 41 to 1 ratio when measuring total spending but looking at the costs per premise illustrates a different relationship. Figure 33 - Golden Valley Average Annual Total Energy Costs Golden Valley Average Annual Total Energy Costs Baseline Average $50,000 $46,659 U) $45,000 c� u=), $40,000 0 F- $35,000 $29 894 $30,000 $25,000 $20,000 $16,421 $15,000 a $10,000 $5,000 $344 L, $o .1 Residential Commercial and Municipal Total Industrial Electricity Costs ($) Natural Gas Costs ($) Total Energy Costs ($) Average spending per premise among commercial and industrial premises is 18 times higher than per -premise residential spending Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 42 Figure 35 - Golden Valley Average Annual Figure 34 - Golden Valley Average Monthly Energy Costs per Premise Energy Costs per Premise Golden Valley Annual Golden Valley Monthly Energy Costs per Premise Energy Costs per Premise Baseline Average Baseline Average $35,000 $30,206 $3,000 $2,517 $30,000 $2,500 $25,000 $5, 950 $496 $2,000 $20,000 $1,500 $15,000 $10, 000 $24, 256 $1, 000 $2, 021 $5,000 $1,663 $500 $139 $0 $0 Residential Commercial and Residential Commercial and Industrial Industrial Average Monthly Natural Gas Costs per Natural Gas Costs per Premise Premise Electricity Costs per Premise Average Monthly Electricity Costs per Premise Program Participation and Savings Golden Valley's participation in the many programs offered by both Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy follows a largely traditional Pareto distribution with a handful of programs accounting for the majority of activity. Savings also accrue in this manner for residential premises, while commercial and industrial premises tend to see more variability due to the unique characteristics that distinguish various business settings. During the baseline period, residential premises in Golden Valley participated in an average of 1,270 programs each year, saving just over 5,000 MMBtu of energy annually. Fully two-thirds of all participation was driven by 5 of the over 40 programs available. For commercial and industrial premises in Golden Valley, participation averaged 222 per year during the baseline period, with just 3 programs, (Lighting Efficiency, Small Business Lighting, and CenterPoint Commercial & Industrial rebates) accounting for over 85% of all participation. Our assumptions for the plan, target the most productive of all programs, budgeting a 2.5% annual growth rate, while we presume that others will maintain baseline average performance. Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 43 Renewable Enerav Sunnort Residents and businesses in Golden Valley currently participate in a variety of renewable energy programs, ranging from on -site solar to subscription and incentivized programs. The table below summarizes renewable energy program participation. Table 9 - Golden Valley 2019 Renewable Energy Summary Golden Valley Renewable Energy Summary 2019 Estimates Renewable Energy Program Windsource® Subscriber Count Total Annual Electricity Subscribed (kWh) Percent of Sector Electricity Use Renewable*Connect® Subscriber Count Total Annual Electricity Subscribed (kWh) Percent of Sector Electricity Use Solar*Rewards®** Participant Count Total Annual Electricity Subscribed (kWh) Percent of Sector Electricity Use Solar*Rewards Community®** Participant Count Total Annual Electricity Subscribed (kWh) Percent of Sector Electricity Use Total Renewable Energy Support Subscribers/Participants Total Annual Electricity Subscribed (kWh) Percent of Sector Electricity Use Residential Commercial & Industrial 570 8 1,996,338 9,203,491 3% 4% MOM! M 48 1 373,934 104,532 1% 0% M 52 71 268,253 338,484 0% 0% AA 259 11 1,501,667 9,226,027 2% 4% 929 91 4,140,192 18,872,534 6% 8% Our plan targets a 2.5% annual growth rate for renewable kilowatt hours for Golden Valley. Importantly though, we will be emphasizing Windsource°, Renewable*Connect°, and net metering over other options because those programs handling of Renewable Energy Credits will allow Golden Valley to be credited with the use of renewable energy more directly than others. Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 44 APPENDIX B -METHODOLOGY FOR MEASURING SUCCESS .ts As part of implementation support, Partners in Energy will provide biannual progress reports for Xcel Energy participation and savings data for Golden Valley. All goals will be measured against Golden Valley's 3-year baseline of 2017-2019 data unless otherwise noted. The following section defines the 3-year baseline against which progress is measured, including Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy program(s) included in the baseline. Reducing High and Severe energy Cost Burden Focus Area Goals Strategy 1: Locate High Energy Burden Households Goal Identify 20 candidate households per month (240 per year) who may be eligible for any of the programs servings energy -burdened households. Identification will constitute a request for information requiring a name, address, phone number or email address. Baseline The US Department of Energy estimates approximately 2,033 Golden Valley households at or below 60% of Minnesota's median household income, making them eligible for assistance. Over the 10-year span of this plan, we hope to reach at least that many households. Strategy 2: Educate Clients Goal Engage 20% of identified candidate households (from Strategy 1) in an education activity providing them with information about the resources and programs available to help them. Baseline Our strategy 2 baseline assumes that there will be a substantial challenge motivating candidates to reach out and ask for more information. By following up on every initial request for Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 45 information — multiple times — we hope to move 1 in 5 to the next step of actually learning about the help that is available. Strategy 3: Coordinate Service Delivery Goal Motivate half of the qualified candidates who seek out additional information (from Strategy 2) to move forward with the help of a Golden Valley or volunteer coordinator in seeking assistance or scheduling a home service (e.g. Low-income Home Energy Squad) Baseline Once Strategy 2 establishes a rapport and level of trust with candidates, we hope that it will be easy to turn them into clients and help them navigate the process of actually receiving services Improving Energy Efficiency Focus Area Goals Strategy 4: Conduct Residential Outreach Goal Consistent with the goals established in Table 6 - Key Residential Efficiency Programs - Annual Participation Targets accomplish annual 2.5% participation increases in key residential energy efficiency programs. Deliver more than half of all participants from Golden Valley residents living in homes built before 1970. Baseline Based on Xcel Energy and CenterPoint data, an annual increase in key program participation is needed to accomplish the plan's greenhouse gas avoidance goal. See Figure 21 - Highest potential residential energy efficiency programs for a recap of these high potential programs. Strategy 5: Conduct Business Outreach Goal Accomplish annual 2.5% participation increases in key commercial and industrial energy efficiency programs. Baseline Based on Xcel Energy and CenterPoint data, an annual increase in key program participation is needed (along with additional initiatives, listed below) to accomplish the plan's greenhouse gas avoidance goal. See Figure 24 for a recap of these high potential plans. Supporting Clean r-narcgy rucus Ared Godis Strategy 6: Subscription Options Goal Accomplish a 2.5% annual increase in kilowatt hours subscribed to either Windsource or Renewable*Connect each year between 2021 and 2031. Baseline Growth in annual kilowatt hour subscriptions at a 2.5% rate will be a critical element of our success reaching our greenhouse gas avoidance goal. Importantly, this goal applies equally to residential and commercial and industrial premises. Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 46 Strategy 7: "Near -Site" and On -Site Renewable Energy Support Goal Encourage growth in selection of net metering among Golden Valley homes and businesses using on -site solar. Motivate 50% or more of the new solar installations ion Golden Valley to use net metering. Baseline Accomplishing our greenhouse gas avoidance goals requires that we capitalize on Golden Valley residents and businesses retaining the renewable energy credits that they are eligible for under net metering. While other on -site solar programs have merit, only net metering keeps RECs in Golden Valley. Strategy 8: Preparing for Electric Vehicles Goal Support installation of EV chargers at every workplace, shopping, and/or entertainment destination in Golden Valley. Promote Golden Valley as an "EV friendly destination". Help Golden Valley electric vehicle sales increase faster than neighboring communities. Beginning in mid-2022, we will initiate a campaign to motivate businesses to install EV chargers, including clear direction and assistance as needed to facilitate installation. Baseline There are currently approximately 20 public electric vehicle chargers in Golden Valley, including one at City Hall. Many are concentrated at car dealerships along 1-394. Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 47 APPENDIX C - XCEL ENERGY'S PARTNERS IN ENERGY PLANNING PROCESS About Xcel Energy's Partners in Energy Xcel Energy is an electric and natural gas utility that provides the energy that powers millions of homes and businesses across eight Western and Midwestern states. Each community Xcel Energy serves has its own unique priorities and vision for its energy future. The energy landscape is dynamically changing with communities leading the way in setting energy and sustainability goals. To continue to innovatively support their communities, Xcel Energy launched Partners in Energy in the summer of 2014 as a collaborative resource with tailored services to complement each community's vision. The program offerings include support to develop an energy action plan or electric vehicle plan, tools to help implement the plan and deliver results, and resources designed to help each community stay informed and achieve their outlined goals. 'I�n Ilo�iol�r�mon+ Dr--�eo Creating this Energy Action Plan was a 12-month process involving support to help characterize our energy use, identify our energy -related goals, and develop engaging strategies to help us achieve our vision. Commitment to a significant outcome grew as we dealt with the delays and complexities caused by the global pandemic. Partners in Energy and the City of Golden Valley collaborated on a path forward, substituting online meetings for in -person workshops. A series of 5 online workshops began on September 29, 2020 and ended on January 27, 2021. Our planning team committed to representing local energy priorities in collaboration with City of Golden Valley and Xcel Energy Partners in Energy. By the numbers, we engaged 5 workshops with 13 participants, representing large and small businesses in Golden Valley, a service organization, longtime residents, and community members active in several complementary boards and commissions. We were also fortunate to Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 48 have a representative from CenterPoint Energy attend our workshops and offer valuable insights at each step of the process. Launch Energy P and Celeb Compile Plan Document Oul Implem Activities Keep Planning Team Establish Energy Vision Map Community Profile Identify Community :nergy Priorities Set Identify Energy Goals Strategies to Achieve Goals Partners in Energy Process for Success Resources from Xcel Energy for Implementation Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 49 APPENDIX D - RENEWABLE ENERGY OVERVIEW This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY -NC Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) are an often -misunderstood element of renewable energy, and they are the primary means by which the credit for the green attributes of electricity produced from renewable sources can be recognized. For every megawatt -hour of renewable electricity produced an individually numbered REC is created. A REC can be transferred to another entity or person one time. Some programs transfer the RECs to Xcel Energy for their use in pursuing their renewable energy goals. Others allow for the subscriber (or the owner of the solar generating system, in the case of net metering) to keep the REC21, allowing them to claim credit for the renewable energy's green attributes. This becomes an important differentiator for communities attempting to build their renewable energy locally and take credit for the green attributes of that energy. The following pages describe the renewable programs offered by Xcel Energy and explain claims that are allowable for each one. 21 Xcel Energy's Windsource® and Renewable*Connect° programs retire the RECs generated on behalf of the program's subscribers, allowing subscribers to claim the green attributes of the energy produced. Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 50 A Renewable Energy Credit IREM represents the green attributes of renewable energy. with each RFC certifying the generat€on of one megawatt -hour (MWh) of rene-vvable energy_ We buy RECs from Solar Rewards Projects to achieve our Renewable Energy Standard. Learn more about the goals for Our Energy Future. Renewable Energy Certificates (RE`) J _ { oil ••• irrir�i i EC 22 22https://www.xcelenergV.com/programs and rebates/residential programs and rebates/renewable ene rqy options residential/solar/available solar options/on your home or in your yard/solar rewards for residences Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 51 Figure 36 - Xcel Energy Renewable Claims Guide: Windsource23 Minnesota jo Xcel Energy RESPONSIBLE BY NATURE" Renewable Claims Guide: Windsource° Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) represent the environmental benefits associated with energy produced from a renewable source. When you participate in a renewable energy program, it is important to know when the RECs are included with the program, or when they are kept by Xcel Energy and used toward our company's renewable energy goals. The REC is the piece that determines the statements or claims you can make regarding your renewable energy participation. Windsource is an easy, low cost, low risk way to subscribe to clean wind energy and keep your RECs. In this program, the subscriber receives the RECs. • I use wind energy • Our system is powering our facility • I have reduced my carbon emissions with all renewable energy • I offset my carbon footprint with my • We have reduced tons of Windsource subscription carbon emissions annually • By using MWh of renewable energy, we have reduced our scope 2 emissions What are RECs and why are they important? Renewable energy certificates or credits (RECs) are considered currency used to measure renewable energy produced and used to meet renewable energy goals. If the renewable program allows you to own the RECs, you can claim that they are offsetting your energy use or you are using renewable energy. If Xcel Energy keeps the RECs under the renewable program, you are unable to claim that you offset energy use with renewable energy. 'The examples provided by Xcel Energy are not intended as legal advice. You should consult with your own attorney regarding claims that you may make regarding your subscription to Xcel Energy's Solar•Rewards Community. For more infomation on acceptable and unacceptable claims, additional resources include: www.Opa,gm/greenpower/solar-power-use-claims www.cleanen gyresourceteams.org/sites/default/files/REC-BestPmcticesClaims.pdf xcelenergy.com 102019 Xcel Energy Inc. I Xcel Energy is a registered trademark of Xcel Energy Inc. 1 19-02-609 23 https://www.xcelenergV.com/staticfiles/xe/PDF/REC%20CIaims%20-%2OWindsource%20PO4.pdf Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 52 Figure 37 - Xcel Energy Claims Guide: Renewable*Connect° Minnesota Xcel Energy RESPONSIBLE BY NATURE' Renewable Claims Guide: Renewable*Connect° Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) represent the environmental benefits associated with energy produced from a renewable source. When you participate in a renewable energy program, it is important to know when the RECs are included with the program, or when they are kept by Xcel Energy and used toward our company's renewable energy goals. The REC determines the statements or claims you can make regarding your renewable energy participation. Renewable*Connect is a low-cost, easy way to subscribe to up to 100-percent solar energy, and keep the RECs. The REC determines what a subscriber can claim about their renewable energy use. • I use renewable energy • Our system is powering our facility • I have reduced my carbon emissions with all renewable energy • I offset my carbon footprint with my • We have reduced _tons of Renewable*Connect subscription carbon emissions annually • By using MWh of renewable energy, we have reduced our scope 2 emissions What are RECs and why are they important? RECs measure renewable energy produced and used to meet renewable energy goals. If the renewable program allows you to own the RECs, you can claim that they are offsetting your energy use or you are using renewable energy. If Xcel Energy keeps the RECs under the renewable incentive program you participate in, you are unable to claim that you offset energy use with renewable energy. 'The examples provided by Xcel Energy are not intended as legal advice. You should consuh with your own attorney regarding claim that you may make regarding your subscription to Xcel Energy's Solar•Rewards Community. For more information an acceptable and unacceptable claim, additional resources include: www.epa.gw/grmnpawff/solar-power-use-claim www.cleane—gyresoumeteams.ofg/sites/defauf/files/REC-BestPracticesClaims.pdf xcelenergy.com I ® 2019 Xcel Energy Inc. I Xcel Energy is a registered trademark of Xcel Energy Inc. 119-02-607 24 https://www.xcelenergV.com/staticfiles/xe/PDF/REC%20CIaims%20-%2OWindsource%20PO4.pdf Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 53 Figure 38 - Xcel Energy Claims Guide: Solar*Rewards° Minnesota Xcel Energy RESPONSIBLE BY NATURE' Renewable Claims Guide: Solar*Rewards° Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) represent the environmental benefits associated with energy produced from a renewable source. When you participate in a renewable energy program, it is important to know when the RECs are included with the program, or when they are kept by Xcel Energy and used toward our company's renewable energy goals. The REC determines the statements or claims you can make regarding your renewable energy participation. In the Solar*Rewards program, the RECs are transferred to and owned by Xcel Energy in exchange for incentives. Because the RECs are owned by Xcel Energy, there are limitations on what you, as a participant, can say about the RECs. • We have installed onsite solar and • I use solar energy traded our RECs to receive financial . We are using solar energy to reduce incentive from the solar energy % of our annual electricity produced. use/meet our goal of % • By participating in Solar*Rewards, renewable energy I help supply electricity to our utility . By participating in Solar*Rewards we in order to meet its renewable are powering our facility and reducing energy goals our carbon footprint • I help increase the amount of solar . By participating in Solar*Rewards, energy on Xcel Energy's grid by we have reduced emissions installing onsite solar What are RECs and why are they important? RECs measure renewable energy produced and used to meet renewable energy goals. If the renewable program allows you to own the RECs, you can claim that they are offsetting your energy use or you are using renewable energy. If Xcel Energy keeps the RECs under the renewable incentive program you participate in, you are unable to claim that you offset energy use with renewable energy. 'The examples provided by Xcel Energy are not intended as legal advice. You should consult with your own attorney regarding claims that you may make regarding your subscription to Xcel Energy's Solar•Bewards Community. For more information on acceptable and unacceptable claims. additional resources include: www.epa.gov/greenpomr/solar-power-use-claim www.cleanenergyresoumeteams.erg/sites/default/files/BEC-BestPracticesClaims.pdf zcelenergy.com I ® 2019 Xcel Energy Inc. I Xcel Energy is a registered tradernark of Xcel Energy Inc. 119-02-608 25 https://www.xcelenergV.com/staticfiles/xe/PDF/REC%20claims%20-%2OSolar%2ORewards P05.pdf Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 54 Figure 39 - Xcel Energy Claims Guide: Solar*Rewards Community° Minnesota jq Xcel Energy RESPONSIBLE BY NATURE' Renewable Claims Guide: Solar*Rewards Community Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) represent the environmental benefits associated with energy produced from a renewable source. When you participate in a renewable energy program, it is important to know when the RECs are included with the program, or when they are kept by Xcel Energy and used toward our company's renewable energy goals. The REC determines the statements or claims you can make regarding your renewable energy participation. In the Minnesota Solar*Rewards Community program, the RECs for all community solar gardens are transferred to and owned by Xcel Energy. Because the RECs are owned by Xcel Energy, there are limitations on what you can say about the RECs as a subscriber. • My subscription supports • I use solar energy community solar . We are using solar energy to reduce • By subscribing to community solar, % of our annual electricity I help grow solar gardens use/meet our goal of • I support solar development renewable energy • My solar garden subscription is powering our facility and reducing our carbon footprint • By subscribing to solar gardens, we have reduced emissions What are RECs and why are they important? RECs measure renewable energy produced and used to meet renewable energy goals. If the renewable program allows you to own the RECs, you can claim that they are offsetting your energy use or you are using renewable energy. If Xcel Energy keeps the RECs under the renewable incentive program you participate in, you are unable to claim that you offset energy use with renewable energy. 'The examples provided by Xcel Energy are not intended as legal advice. You should consult with your own attorney regarding claims that you may make regarding your subscription to Xcel Energy's Solar 'towards Community. For more information an acceptable and unacceptable claims, additional resources include, www.epa.gov/greenpomr/solar-power-use-claims www.cleanenergyresourceleams.org/sites/default/files/REC-BestPracticesClaims.pdf uelenergy.com I © 2019 Xcel Energy Inc. I Xcel Energy is a registered trademark of Xcel Energy Inc. 1 19-03-422 //www.xceleneray.com/staticfiles/xe/PDF/MN SolarRewardsCommunity ClaimsGuide P01.Ddf Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 55 Figure 40 - Xcel Energy Renewable Claims Guide: Net Metering Minnesota Xcel Energy RESPONSIBLE BY NATURE' Renewable Claims Guide: Net Metering Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) represent the environmental benefits associated with energy produced from a renewable source. When you participate in a renewable energy program, it is important to know when the RECs are included with the program, or when they are kept by Xcel Energy and used toward our company's renewable energy goals. The REC that determines what a participant can claim about their renewable energy use For net metering, you install your own solar, get credit for excess solar production and keep your RECs. • I use solar energy • Our system is powering our facility • I have reduced my carbon emissions with all renewable energy • I offset my carbon footprint with the • We have reduced _tons of solar panels on my property carbon emissions annually • By using _MWh of renewable energy, we have reduced our scope 2 emissions What are RECs and why are they important? RECs are used to measure renewable energy produced and used to meet renewable energy goals. If the renewable program allows you to own the RECs, you can claim that they are offsetting your energy use or you are using renewable incentive energy. If Xcel Energy keeps the RECs under the renewable program you participate in, you are unable to claim that you offset energy use with renewable energy. 'The examples provided by Xcel Energy are not intended as legal advice. You should consult with your own attorney regarding claims that you may make regarding your subscription to Xcel Energy's Solar 'Rewards Community. For more information on acceptable and unacceptable claims, additional resources include: www.epa.gov/greenpower/solar-power-use-claims —.cleanenergyresourceleams.org/sites/default/files/REC-BestPracticesClaims.pdf xcelenergy.cam 10 2019 Xcel Energy Inc. I Xcel Energy is a registered trademark of Xcel Energy Inc. 1 19-02-606 27 https://www.xceIenergV.com/staticfiles/xe/PDF/REC%20CIaims%20-%2ONet%20Metering%20P03.pdf Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 56 Figure 41 - Xcel Energy Renewable Program Comparison Guide o m �� C y 01 � NE O N V O N O a 4) a N N N N O C N N O O j 7 LL N O m 01 > > 0) .0 > O O. � O a d y0_,O C N C U E >. m ✓T N W 'O C d N V O N N O 21 N c U 0) 7 U N U - o O O Z U COof a V1 O_ 7 OTj 'O C C C O O C 0 V 3 .a W V w c 01 X 7oa L N Z O (n aO z _ rn L .0 > N > w 21 Y 7 c w N c � C W O. V 0 1] X O U U)o a ' ° CD a 10 a rn m C o v at 0 01 N 01 a N 3 N 3 w c c w m L O C N C c 7 C o O OTi W U O } OZ I V ONi n 3 C o O Uda 3 as > Oo 0 O U J Y d Z o Z Z o Z t 0) O1 U U �cp m m ' N.JEE m S C C U O 7 O lL C m C C U U OZ O} OZ 28 https://www.xcelenergV.Com/programs and rebates/residential programs and rebates/renewable ener qV options residential Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 57 APPENDIX E - GLOSSARY OF TERMS n 15 x 15: Xcel Energy's privacy rule, which require all data summary statistics to contain at least 15 premises, with no single premise responsible for more than 15% of the total. Following these rules, if a premise is responsible for more than 15% of the total for that data set, it is are removed from the summary. British Thermal Unit (BTU): the amount of heat needed to raise one pound of water at maximum density through one degree Fahrenheit Carbon -free: Carbon -free refers to sources of energy that will not emit additional carbon dioxide into the air. Wind, solar and nuclear energy are all carbon free sources but only wind and solar are renewable. Carbon -neutral: Carbon -neutral, also described as "net zero" could include carbon free sources but is broader and refers to energy that removes or avoids as much carbon dioxide as is released over a set period of time. Carbon -neutral is sometimes used to describe a site that produces an excess amount of electricity from a renewable energy source, such as solar, compared to what it consumes. That excess energy is put back into the grid in an amount that offsets the carbon dioxide produced from the electricity it draws from the grid when it is not producing renewable energy. Community Data Mapping: A baseline analysis of energy data in a geospatial (map) format across the community. Conservation Improvement Programs (CIP): Portfolio of approved utility energy efficiency and demand management programs. Minnesota electric utilities have a goal of saving 1.5% of their total energy sales each year via customer conservation efforts. Minnesota natural gas utilities have a goal of saving 0.5% of their total energy sales each year via customer conservation efforts. Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 58 Demand Side Management (DSM): Modification of consumer demand for energy through various methods, including education and financial incentives. DSM aims to encourage consumers to decrease energy consumption, especially during peak hours or to shift time of energy use to off-peak periods, such as nighttime and weekend. Direct Installation: Free energy -saving equipment installed by Xcel Energy or other organization for program participants that produces immediate energy savings. Energy Burden: Percentage of gross household income spent on energy costs. Energy Reduction: The result of behavior changes that cause less energy to be used. For example, setting the thermostat lower reduces the energy used in your home during the winter. Since energy reductions can be easily reversed, they are not accounted for when calculating changes in energy usage. Energy Savings: Comes from a permanent change that results in using less energy to achieve the same results. A new furnace uses X% less to keep your home at the same temperature (all things being equal), resulting in energy savings of X%. For accounting purposes, energy savings are only counted in the year the new equipment is installed. Greenhouse Gases (GHG): Gases in the atmosphere that absorb and emit radiation and significantly contribute to climate change. The primary greenhouse gases in the earth's atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone. Grid Decarbonization: The current planned reduction in the carbon intensity of electricity provided by electric utilities through the addition of low- or no -carbon energy sources to the electricity grid. Kilowatt-hour (kWh): A unit of electricity consumption. Million British Thermal Units (MMBtu): A unit of energy consumption that allows both electricity and natural gas consumption to be combined. Metric Tons of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent (MTCO2e): A unit of measure for greenhouse gas emissions. The unit "CO2e" represents an amount of a greenhouse gas whose atmospheric impact has been standardized to that of one unit mass of carbon dioxide (CO2), based on the global warming potential (GWP) of the gas. Megawatt (MW): A unit of electric power equal to 1 million watts. Premise: A unique combination of service address and meter. For residential customers, this is the equivalent of an individual house or dwelling unit in a multi -tenant building. For business customers, it is an individual business, or for a larger business, a separately metered portion of the business's load at that address. Renewable Energy Credit (REC): For every megawatt -hour of clean, renewable electricity generation, a renewable energy credit (REC) is created. A REC embodies all of the environmental attributes of the generation and can be tracked and traded separately from the underlying electricity. Also known as a Renewable Energy Certificate. Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 59 Resilience: The ability to prepare for and adapt to changing conditions and withstand and recover rapidly from disruptions. Resilience includes the ability to withstand and recover from deliberate attacks, accidents, or naturally occurring threats or incidents. Recommissioning: An energy efficiency service focused on identifying ways that existing building systems can be tuned -up to run as efficiently as possible. Solar Garden: Shared solar array with grid -connected subscribers who receive bill credits for their subscriptions. Solar Photovoltaic (PV): Solar cells/panels that convert sunlight into electricity (convert light, or photons, into electricity, or voltage). Subscription: An agreement to purchase a certain amount of something in regular intervals. Therm (thm): A unit of natural gas consumption. Trade Partner: Trade Partners, also known as Trade Allies or Business Trade Partners, are vendors and contractors who work with business and residential customers servicing, installing, and providing consulting services regarding the equipment associated with utility rebate programs. Their support for utility programs can range from providing equipment and assisting with rebate paperwork, to receiving rebates for equipment sold. Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 60 APPENDIX F - CENTERPOINT ENERGY OVERVIEW OF GREENHOUSE GAS MITIGATION PROJECTS News CENTERPOINT ENERGY: PURSUING A CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE November 11, 2020 I Brad Tutunjian As Minnesota's largest natural gas utility, delivering energy to more than 870,000 customers, CenterPoint Energy is committed to environmental stewardship as an integral part of our overall corporate responsibility, including support for organizations like Environmental Initiative. Earlier this year we announced a company -wide carbon policy to reduce emissions across our multi- state operations and supply chain. Our goals (based on 2005 levels) include a 70% reduction by 2035 in operational carbon emissions and a 20-30% reduction by 2040 in emissions attributable to natural gas used by our customers. In Minnesota, we've already made significant progress reducing emissions from our distribution system through infrastructure modernization and innovative technologies to prevent and detect methane leaks. For 25 years, our nation -leading Conservation Improvement Program (CIP) has also helped our customers improve their energy efficiency and limit their own carbon footprint. CenterPoint Energy is also pursuing several major new clean energy initiatives in Minnesota. RENEWABLE NATURAL GAS We're working to develop Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) as a new Made -in -Minnesota energy resource - produced by capturing and recycling biogas from farms, food waste, wastewater facilities and other sources. RNG has significant potential to reduce emissions and, depending on the source, it can even have a net negative carbon impact (taking more carbon out of the environment than it produces). By adding RNG to our system, we can diversify our gas supply away from fossil fuels while also improving waste management and supporting local economies, especially in rural areas. We currently have a proposal at the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission that would allow us to accept Minnesota -made RNG into our distribution system, and we're already in discussions with Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 61 prospective KNv proaucers and project aeveiopers interested in this opportunity. GREEN HYDROGEN We're exploring another Made -in -Minnesota clean energy resource - "green hydrogen" produced by separating hydrogen from water using electrolysis powered by renewable electricity. Because there are no carbon emissions from either its production or end -use, green hydrogen has the potential to be an important zero -carbon alternative or supplement to conventional natural gas. In Europe, green hydrogen projects are already attracting major public and private investments. Here in Minnesota, we plan to build a pilot demonstration project in 2021 to produce green hydrogen and blend it with the natural gas supply in our distribution system. NATURAL GAS INNOVATION ACT Earlier this year we proposed bipartisan legislation in Minnesota that would allow us to invest further in innovative technologies to serve our customers with new clean energy options. The Natural Gas Innovation Act would provide a natural gas utility like CenterPoint Energy with the opportunity to submit an "alternative resource plan" to the Public Utilities Commission. As part of this plan, we could provide our customers alternative fuels, such as RNG and green hydrogen, as well as new energy -efficiency and carbon -capture technologies to reduce or avoid emissions. The Minnesota Senate passed our legislation by a wide, bipartisan margin, but the House didn't take action before adjournment. We're hopeful it will pass and become law in 2021. Our gas distribution system is essential to meeting Minnesota's energy needs. (Just consider: During the 2019 polar vortex, we supplied energy to our customers that exceeded the state's total electric generation capacity.) Even as CenterPoint Energy pursues a clean energy future, our customers and the communities we serve can trust that we will continue delivering the reliable, affordable energy they depend on every day. Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 62 APPENDIX G - IMPLEMENTATION MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING Golden Valley Energy Action Plan 63 try of goldeno-gleir valley Date: March 19, 2021 MEMORANDUM Physical Development Department 763-593-8030 / 763-593-3988 (fax) To: Environmental Commission From: Eric Eckman, Environmental Resources Supervisor Subject: Recycling and Organics Update Golden Valley has provided residential curbside recycling collection since 1987. The current recycling contract with Republic Services ends on December 31, 2021. Upon recommendation by the Environmental Commission in 2020, the City Council directed staff to expand the recycling program to include organics collection beginning in January 2022. Staff worked with the Commission to draft a Request For Proposals (RFP) for Residential Curbside Recycling and Organics Recycling Services and proceeded to issue the RFP on February 1, 2021, reaching out to all residential haulers licensed to operate within the seven -county metro area. Four companies responded to the RFP: Curbside Waste, Republic Services, Vierkant Disposal, and West Central Sanitation. The RFP required each bidder to provide bi-weekly recycling collection and weekly organics collection for all customers and parks and city campuses currently served under the existing recycling contract. The RFP also required revenue sharing with no negative credit to the City (zero floor). Bidders were permitted to submit alternate proposals to allow for innovation or creative programs, and all proposals were considered. As requested in the RFP, Republic Services and West Central Sanitation submitted full proposals for both recycling and organics recycling services. Curbside Waste and Vierkant Disposal submitted proposals for organics recycling service only. According to information from Hennepin County and Recycling Markets.com, the commodity value for recycled material has decreased over time since our last RFP process several years ago, and has been impacted more recently by the restriction of recycling markets in China (2018) and the global pandemic (2020). As a result, there has been little to no revenue sharing, where a portion of the contractor's net revenue is paid to the City, in the past several years. GAEnvironmental Commission\Memos To account for the recycling commodity market variability, respondents to the recycling portion of the RFP included some form of market rate adjustment or alternate proposal. Republic Services submitted an alternate proposal with a fixed rate model, with fixed annual adjustments for five years with no processing fee or revenue share with the City. West Central Sanitation submitted an alternate proposal with a per household disposal fee on top of the household collection fee, a different revenue sharing formula than the one specified in the RFP (resulting in a negative revenue share at current commodity values), and dividing the city into 4 collection districts. All four companies submitted pricing for organics recycling collection with a full roll -out and delivery of carts to all customers. Republic Services and Vierkant Disposal also submitted alternate proposals for a targeted roll -out and delivery of carts, where carts only go to customers who sign up ahead of time. Factors considered in a full roll -out versus targeted roll -out of organics carts included: Full roll -out and delivery Targeted delivery Higher price per household Lower price per household Potential for higher participation Potentially lower participation More SCORE grant funds to offset costs Less SCORE grant funds Complaints about unwanted carts Less complaints about carts Potentially less staff time to set up, but Potentially more staff time to set up, but possibly more time to field calls More contractor cost/effort to return carts less time afterward Less contractor cost/effort to deliver, but potentially more effort to administer More education and future deliveries required to increase participation Below is a cost comparison summary of the proposals considered by staff. Residential Recycling and Organics Recycling Contractor's 2022 Proposed Price per Household per Month Recycling Organics 2022 Total Current Recycling $3.87 NA Contract (2021) Curbside Waste NA $10.50 Republic Services $4.80 $5.00 $9.80 (with full organics roll -out) Republic Services $4.80 $4.00 $8.80 (with targeted organics roll -out) Vierkant Disposal NA $6.42 (with full organics roll -out) Vierkant Disposal NA $6.05 (with targeted organics roll -out) West Central $3.90 $5.93 $9.83 Sanitation Note: Actual household recycling fees charged to residents are higher than the contractor's price per household per month listed above. Fees charged to residents also support other recycling programs (spring brush pick-up, fall leaf drop off, mighty tidy day, etc), education, supplies, staffing, and administration. Beginning in April 2021, the household recycling fee charged to residents will be approximately $5.66 per month ($17/quarter). Staff from multiple departments were called on to review the proposals. Staff evaluated proposals with respect to State and County waste reduction goals, responsiveness to provisions in the RFP, qualifications, performance, safety, vehicles, technology and innovation, price, market variability/revenue share, material recovery, education/tagging, commitment to racial and gender equity, environmental sustainability, and other factors. Based on these factors, staff developed a recommendation to select Republic Services (with full organics roll -out) as the top -ranked proposer to move forward in the RFP process. In addition to cost considerations, Republic Services demonstrated value and leadership in the following areas: • Wide range of collectable recyclable materials, owns and operates local MRF (Minneapolis) • Racial and gender equity, diversity and inclusion plans, goals, and commitment. o Launched a Black Employee Network, which is a business resource group that supports Republic's community of Black employees. This group promotes cultural awareness to support a more inclusive workplace. In 2020 and beyond, expect to launch additional business resource groups. o Republic's Mission of Supporting an Inclusive Culture (M.O.S.A.I.C.) is driven by their office of inclusion and diversity and supported by their M.O.S.A.I.C. Council, which is comprised of cross -functional leaders from throughout the company. o M.O.S.A.I.C. Council launched the Women of Republic business resource group, which was developed to provide a platform to empower members and enrich a diverse culture that values, develops and advances women in leadership. • Extensive sustainability plan and goals, CNG trucks, methane capture at landfills • Safe vehicles with more cameras and monitors, side loading vehicles • Industry low incident rate, comprehensive driver training program • More extensive tagging protocols for contamination, better educational materials • More extensive and frequent composition analysis Award of contract is scheduled for May 2021, with a major communication and education campaign to follow. The new recycling and organics collection services are scheduled to begin in January 2022. Before negotiating the terms of a proposed contract with Republic Services, staff is requesting input and feedback from the Environmental Commission. Commissioners are asked to come to the March meeting with any questions or comments they may have and to weigh in on the following: • Do Commissioners have strong feelings about the full roll -out and delivery versus targeted delivery of organics carts? What are your biggest factors? • If we roll -out organics collection in January, do we foresee any issues with cart delivery, especially with "snowbirds"? What are some potential options or solutions? • Should we explore a change in city code in 2021 to allow carts to be stored outside within 5 feet of a structure and visible from the street, or wait and see how the roll -out progresses in 2022 and revisit this item with our property maintenance staff? • Is the Commission still interested in exploring the back -hauling of nutrient -rich compost in this contract and/or pursuing a separate contract for delivery of compost for resident pick-up at a designated location in the City? city of go ldn� valley Date: March 19, 2021 MEMORANDUM Physical Development Department 763-593-8030 / 763-593-3988 (fax) To: Environmental Commission From: Eric Eckman, Environmental Resources Supervisor Subject: 2021 Draft Work Plan As stated in its bylaws, the Commission is required to develop an annual work plan for review and approval by City Council. The draft work plan for 2021 is based upon the City's 2040 Comprehensive Plan, GreenStep Cities Program, Council legislative priorities, the City's organizational priorities (including its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives), and the Energy Action Plan which is nearing completion. Links to relevant documents: • Resilience and Sustainability Plan • Natural Resources Plan • Water Resources Plan • GreenStep Cities Step 4 & 5 actions, https://greenstep.pca.state.mn.us/best-practices • https://www.flipsnack.com/goldenvalleymn/legislative-priorities-2021/full-view.html • Organizational priorities and 2021 action steps (attached) • Energy Action Plan (draft currently under review) Below is a schedule for development of the work plan. January Reviewed 2020 work plan and brought forth new ideas for 2021 February Additional idea generation and prioritization; Annual Joint Council - Commission Meeting March Review Draft 2020 Annual Report and 2021 Work Plan document (Commission must approve work plan for Council consideration) April Chair Seys presents work plan to Council at its April 13 Council/Manager meeting Attached is the Draft 2020 Annual Report and 2021 Work Plan for review by the Commission. The work plan attempts to include, at a high level, most of the ideas presented and discussed at the February meeting (also attached). While some of the more specific ideas may not be included in GAEnvironmental Commission\Memos the draft work plan, they will be brought back for discussion when the Commission digs into the details of each item during the year. After discussion, the Commission is being asked to consider making a motion to approve the City's Draft 2020 Annual Report and 2021 Work Plan and forward it to the City Council for consideration in April. ORGANIZATIONAL PRIORITIES , Strategic Effective Infrastructure Financial Community Development & Governance Maintenance& WOress Affairs Redevelopment Enhancement INITIATIVES & PROJECTS Affordable Housing Leash Law Bike and Pedestrian Debt Reduction Building A Better Plan Legislative Priorities Plan Plan Golden Valley Equity Downtown Study Minneapolis Park & DeCola Ponds Fiscal Disparities Forums Facilities Study Recreation Board Stormwater Project Formula Update GreenStep Cities Task Force JPA Hwy 55/Douglas Dr Just Deeds Police Commission Underpass Land Task Force Infrastructure Acknowledgment Public Facilities Renewal Plan Partners In Energy Naming Policy Metro Blue Line LRT Task Force School Resource Pavement Rising TIDES Officer (SRO) Review Management Plan Socially Just Speed Limit Banking Reduction STAR Program Website Redesign 2021 ACTION STEPS Continue HRA Consider Establish- Continue Transit Update Continue Diversity, Initiatives ment of a City of Initiatives Infrastructure Equity, and Inclusion Golden Valley Histor- Renewal Plan And Initiatives is Preservation Explore All Possible Commission (WPC) Financial Tools a "It 4 �lodmofljl ►*\ ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION 2020 ANNUAL REPORT AND 2021 WORK PLAN 1 Golden Valley Environmental Commission 2020 Annual Report 2020 Environmental Commission Commissioners Scott Seys, Chair (2021) Debra Yahle, Vice -Chair (2022) Tonia Galonska (2022) Shannon Hansen (2023) Dawn Hill (2021) Jim Stremel (2023) Wendy Weirich (2023) Felix Fettig, Student (2021) Note: Terms run May 1-April 30 Council Liaison Larry Fonnest City Staff Eric Eckman, Environmental Resources Supervisor Drew Chirpich, Environmental Specialist Carrie Nelson, Engineering Assistant Story Schwantes, MN GreenCorps Member Purpose and Mission The Environmental Commission has been established to advise and make recommendations to the City Council in matters relating to and affecting the environment and human health. Golden Valley Environmental Commission 2020 Annual Report Table of Contents 2020 Accomplishments page 4 2021 Proposed Work Plan page 6 Golden Valley Environmental Commission 2020 Annual Report 2020 Accomplishments GreenStep Cities • Made additional progress toward Step 5 of the GreenStep Cities Program, including metrics and measures in the following topic areas: o buildings and lighting o renewable energy o land use o transportation and fleet o surface water o green buildings A link to the summary of the Golden Valley's GreenStep Cities progress is located at https://greenstep.pca.state.mn.us/ citvinfo.cfm?ctu code=2394924 Energy Use VICCI1JlCfJ �.I�IC� www.m.IfftnStep.org 'I'l Council Member Gillian Rosenquist accepted Golden Valley's GreenStep Cities Step 4 designation. (Photo by GreenStep Cities) • Helped guide and develop a Draft Energy Action Plan as part of Xcel Energy's Partners In Energy community collaboration program. • Received updates and provided feedback on Hennepin County's Climate Action Plan. • Summarized the City's energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions reductions to date. Pollinators • Developed pollinator habitat on two remnant City parcels on Douglas Drive, based on the site prioritization matrix created by the Commission in 2019. • Completed a public inventory of maintenance practices and chemicals applied on City properties, as part of the City's resolution endorsing pollinator protection and promoting pollinator habitat. • Promoted numerous educational opportunities in cooperation with the Golden Valley Garden Club. Solid Waste, Recycling, And Organics • Explored options for organics recycling and provided a recommendation to the City Council to implement a City -contracted organics recycling collection service. Golden Valley Environmental Commission 2020 Annual Report • Assisted in developing the Request For Proposals for Residential Curbside Recycling and Organics Recycling Services set to begin in 2022 Environmental Justice • Formed subcommittee with Human Rights Commission members to work on community projects, events, and speakers. • Mapped and presented the inequities of trees, green space, and natural amenities in the City for Human Rights Commission review, analysis, and to identify opportunities for partnership and investment. Co -hosted a speaker event on Climate Justice with the Human Rights Commission in January 2020. Natural Resources Management • Hosted an educational workshop on sustainable yards and pollinator habitat. • Supported the Pennsylvania Woods Habitat Restoration Project made possible by a grant from the MnDNR. Researched and made recommendation on the Temporary Use of Goats for Vegetation Management (proposed code change coming to Council in 2021). Resilience And Sustainability • Developed a list of environmental goals and considerations for inclusion in the Downtown Redevelopment Study. • Drafted an environmentally -focused density bonus policy for the medium density (R-3) zoning district. • Assisted in creating a Green Building Guide providing environmental education and resources to residents and builders proposing new construction and renovation projects in the City. • Continued to provide support and feedback on the City's flood reduction and mitigation efforts through its projects, programs, and participation in the FEMA Community Rating System. Golden Valley Environmental Commission 2020 Annual Report 2021 Proposed Work Plan Proposed work plan priorities for 2021 are based on goals in the Resilience & Sustainability, Water Resources, and Parks & Natural Resources chapters of the 2040 Comprehensive Plan, the GreenStep Cities Program, Council legislative priorities, the City's organizational priorities (including its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives), and the Energy Action Plan which is nearing completion. • Curbside Recycling and Organics Collection: Assist in developing and implementing the new recycling and organics program scheduled for launch in January 2022. • Xcel Energy's Partners In Energy Program: Help guide and participate in the implementation of the City's Energy Action Plan including: o increasing participation in energy efficiency programs for residents and businesses o exploring options for promoting, supporting, and developing clean, renewable energy o advance building performance (supporting state and local efforts to update building codes or standards that advance energy performance in buildings) GreenStep Cities Step 5: Continue working on actions and metrics to address climate -related impacts, improve the environment, and reduce energy consumption and costs. o If awarded a MN GreenCorps Member in 2021-2022, work to complete GreenStep Cities actions related to Climate and Energy Action. • Community Outreach: Use the Commission's $3,500 budget toward one or more of the following efforts: o host an educational workshop on planting for pollinators (approximately $1,400 for Metro Blooms Workshop) in May 2021 o explore and develop a partnership with local schools to deliver a student project, product, or service in the City o host an environmental art show/contest o sponsor a recognition program for native plantings or buckthorn removal o fund a joint project, event, or speaker/conversation with the Human Rights Commission • Climate Justice and Environmental Justice: Continue to partner with the Human Rights Commission on a joint project, event, or speaker/conversation. Collaboration may include: o sponsoring one "green" infrastructure project in an area of the City with inequities of trees, green space, and natural amenities Golden Valley Environmental Commission 2020 Annual Report o enhancing an existing community or neighborhood event by planting trees, vegetation, or garden in an area of the City with inequities of trees, green space, and natural amenities o reducing the number of households experiencing energy cost burden by 20 by identifying, communicating, and connecting them with programs offered by the utility companies o hosting at least one speaker or community conversation on climate justice and environmental justice focusing on disparate impacts, adaptation, and resilience with respect to vulnerable populations, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color • Zero -Waste Community: Assist the City in hosting a zero -waste community event in 2021, potentially the Golden Valley Farmer's Market. Natural Resources Management Plan: Continue to assist in implementation of the plan, including: o supporting habitat restoration in the Briarwood Nature Area in 2021-22 with DNR Grant funds o explore ways to promote, improve, expand, and preserve remnant natural areas and open spaces in the City • Downtown Redevelopment Study: Continue to engage in environmental aspects of the study and plan. • Pollinators: Complete actions listed in the City's Pollinator Protection resolution, such as: o developing more plots and habitat in the community, especially near underserved areas o increasing pollinator education and promotion of programs and grants (such as Lawns 2 Legumes) in cooperation with the Golden Valley Garden Club, utilizing resources such as master gardeners and the U of MN Bee Lab • Transportation: o support and contribute to the City's Bus Rapid Transit efforts along Highway 55 o explore ways to reduce vehicle usage and expand transportation options in the City Golden Valley Environmental Commission 2020 Annual Report • Water Resources o Assist in updating the City's Stormwater Management Program (as part of the City's permit requirements with MPCA) o Look at long-range needs for stormwater storage and consider how to use those needs to improve recreation and conservation Should these items continue to be included in the 2021 work plan or reviewed in 2022? Air Quality: Review City code with respect to wood burning and update as needed to protect and maintain local air quality. • Recycling: Reduce single use plastics and containers. try of goldenlo-111ir valley Ideas added in January 2021: Water & Natural Resources MEMORANDUM Physical Development Department 763-593-8030 / 763-593-3988 (fax) • Supporting habitat restoration in the Briarwood Nature Area in 2021-22 with DNR Grant funds • Assist in updating the City's Stormwater Management Program (part of permit requirement with MPCA) Transportation • Some kind of goal for transportation — Bike/Ped, Bus Transport — Get people out of cars. Energy • Support PIE and the Energy Action Plan - Help guide the implementation. (this in included in the second bullet above) Collaboration/Community Outreach • Open to doing more joint work with other commissions. • Student outreach to get their ideas for environmental initiatives Pollinators • Do some work with/for butterflies. Ideas added via email in February: Energy Promote and Develop Clean, Renewable Energy o Solar companies can install panels, connect to Xcel Energy's grid and become part of the solar rewards program. Can the city do some pre -work and approve companies that have been vetted for this program. Can we recommend companies? Review and improve webpage and info. o Can the City coordinate solar on a bigger scale? If we had a solar array on the vacant property near Honeywell on Douglas for example (next to a retention pond), could that solar array feed the cities needs and then go back into the grid for credits? Scale seems to be something the city can achieve when it comes to solar. • Consider/plan for use of electric vehicles to supplement City fleet (batteries and fuel cell versions); there have been advances in EV since the last time we talked about this several years ago. • Develop a Net Zero project, perhaps a City project that is already scheduled for the future. • Develop a GV solar garden to benefit those who are in danger of utility disconnection &/or those who are energy burdened perhaps even GV nonprofit organizations. If this is not feasible yet, perhaps a community solar garden for GV residents as a paid subscription GAEnvironmental Commission\Memos and a certain percentage is donated to those who are in danger of utility disconnection. This could be a joint collaboration with the HS commission to help fund the project with an annual fundraiser. It could also be a joint collaboration with Open Spaces Commission (depending on location), the HR Commission &/or The RisingTides Task Force. Water & Natural Resources Protect and Enhance The Natural Environment o Removing buckthorn, planting higher quality plants that sequester carbon, retain flood water, etc. Can the city do a buckthorn collection streetside a couple times a year? Encourage folks to clear it off their own properties? Is there a recognition program for neighbors to recognize neighbors who are doing more with native plantings, etc? o As for equity issues, I favor focusing on tree cover for all - closing the canopy in Golden Valley! Tree Cover correlated to human health. Let's make sure we all have equal access to trees and the canopy. Work to identify and better characterize remnant natural areas in Golden Valley, how to improve, expand, and preserve Perhaps review if needed the Lilac Planting Project for environmental best practices including using natives & pollinator friendly replacement plantings vs non-native lilacs. Look at long-range needs for stormwater storage and consider how to use those needs to improve recreation (e.g., fishing) and conservation Downtown Redevelopment • Additional involvement in the downtown revitalization/small area plan Waste and Recycling • Develop a zero -waste project for the GV Farmer's Market. Transportation: • Work on having a local & affordable rideshare program specifically for low income households in GV that uses EV &/or hybrid vehicles. If this is not a true need due to i.e. not enough licensed &/or insured drivers perhaps a possible local shuttle (again EV &/or hybrid to a grocery store &/or Walmart/Target type store. This could be a joint commission project with HR &/or The Rising Tides Task Force • Work on having more bus routes in GV using EV &/or hybrid buses • EC support and contribute to BRT effort along 55. • Expanded transportation options in our city. • Busing for Loppet and MPRB events Collaboration/Community Outreach Continue the Environmental Equity subgroup in collaboration with the Human Rights Commission (and other commissions?) and explore whether a long-term group/effort is needed. Piggy back on Story's work of gathering contacts with community leaders for PIE & develop a program for the City to work with local nonprofits & community leaders that serve GV residents (i.e. PRISM, food shelves, faith based communities, schools) to determine the environmental needs/challenges their communities have and develop communications & education to best encourage/spark action on environmental issues that are relevant to those they service i.e. net zero, water conservation, cleaner water, zero waste, etc. Again, this could be a joint commission project with HRC &/or The RisingTides Task Force • Student environmental project contest where a project idea with an action plan is submitted. The winner would receive a predetermined amount of funds from the EC's small budget & a partnership with the City (department to be determined depending on project) to complete the project as well as the project being documented thru GV's media channels • Challenge? • Exploration exercise and develop program with schools what and how we could partner, to deliver product or service in city • Host an annual art show @ Brookview &/or City Hall with an environmental theme. If a contest the winner could receive a small prize from the EC small budget & an "article" communicated thru GV's media channels. Could be a possible joint venture with HRC. • Host an annual or perhaps seasonal art installation (this could also include a garden) contest where the contestants submit an environmental theme. Could be a possible joint venture with OSRC. o i.e. possible sites for the art install could be the pedestrian bridge across Hwy 55, City Hall, the HC Library campus, Brookview campus, one of GV's parks, an empty city lot, etc. • Work on installing a GV community vegetable garden &/or fruit orchard in or near an underserved community where a portion of one's bounty is donated to a local food shelf. This could be a pay for plot set-up and a certain percentage of plots are free of charge for those in need. We could even go so far as having a shared compost system and the garden could implement a best gardening practices in place that the gardeners need to adhere to i.e. no tilling, no chemical pesticides or fertilizers, include winter secondary crops to feed the soil &/or birds. Rain capture & would be encouraged vs using City water, perhaps solar lighting could be, etc. The garden(s) could even have contests for best overall gardening practices, largest vegetable, etc. and the garden could have a newsletter, Facebook page or bulletin with relevant articles provided by the People for Pollinators group, GV Gardening Club, GV staff (i.e. Green Corps member, Drew, Eric, Tim Kieffer, Al Lundstrom). • Host a Metro Blooms workshop. • Host webinars with GV staff as the speaker(s). I got this idea from Eric talking about the sludge in the ponds that get dredged up and how the EC has the privilege of hearing from a wide range of staff and the efforts GV takes to improve our environment. I believe Eric, Drew, our GreenCorps members, Tim Kieffer, Al Lundstrom, etc. would all be excellent candidates to give a workshop. It could be as simple as a live Facebook event or a series of YouTube videos posted on the GV Website &/or Facebook page. • Develop a GV Environmental website (or easy to find/access tab on the city of GV's website & Facebook page to share with the City's residents, businesses & visitors that would be extremely easy to navigate and find all the links to the upcoming PIE programs that will be offered, workshop(s), links to Hennepin County's environmental offerings, etc.