Fwd: [Sustainable DC Energy] - Community Energy Solutions in DC (incl micro grids, district energy, combined heat/power)

[Nina Dodge]

FYI ...

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Nina Dodge <ndod...@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Mar 8, 2012 at 11:39 AM
Subject: [Sustainable DC Energy] - Community Energy Solutions in DC (incl micro grids, district energy, combined heat/power)
To: "Updike, William (DDOE)" <william...@dc.gov>, Sustainable DC Energy <sustainabl...@googlegroups.com>, "Yambrach, Michael (DGS)" <michael....@dc.gov>, "Joseph Andronaco (j...@accessgreen.com)" <j...@accessgreen.com>

Dear Energy Group,

Regarding the potential in Washington, DC, for community energy efficiency solutions (incl. MicroGrids/DistrictEnergy/Combined Heat & Power/ Co- and Tri-Generation*):  

• I have copied the link below to the two Dec.'11 consultant reports commissioned by Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) in 2011, and
• I have attached the two reports.

As you'll remember, our Energy Working Group has listed such communal structural approaches to energy efficiency in our top picks.

*You will find up front definitions in these documents for:  District Energy (DE) ..........Combined heat and power (CHP) ...........Microgrids..........Integrated Community Energy Solutions (ICES) ...........Community Energy Systems (CES) ........Eco‐Districts

Best wishes,

Nina Dodge

Politics & Prose Climate Action Project

Washington, DC

(202) 577-1939

http://www.mwcog.org/committee/committee/documents.asp?COMMITTEE_ID=265

Excerpt from Executive Summary:

Executive Summary

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) recently launched a new initiative in the region to advance district energy systems, combined heat & power (CHP), and microgrids. Deployment of these technologies, which we refer to collectively as Community Energy Systems (CES) has the potential to: cut emissions of criteria pollutants and greenhouse gases (GHG); reduce peak power demand; enhance energy security by providing local and more reliable sources of energy; reduce energy cost volatility; and strengthen the local economy by spending more energy dollars locally.

Local governments have a range of potential opportunities to facilitate implementation of CES through zoning, regulations, ordinances, policies and programs. This report describes current policies and regulations in the COG region, summarizes examples of policies elsewhere, and recommends best practice strategies for consideration by COG jurisdictions.

The report describes fundamental characteristics of CES and the resulting challenges faced in implementing these systems, including those relating to:

  Awareness, Information & Education
  Leadership
  Price Signals
  Capital Costs
  Air Emissions Permitting
  Land Use
  Lack of Integrated Planning
  Siting
  Grid Access

Internationally, CES activity is greatest in countries and provinces which have established strong energy efficiency and GHG reduction goals, with taxation, financing assistance, portfolio standards and other policies and programs that provide price signals that encourage CES implementation. Given the overall political and legal framework in the US generally and the COG region specifically, COG region jurisdictions cannot rely on this type of broader policy support.
However, local jurisdictions can help facilitate development of CES in a number of ways, depending on specific state and local laws and policies... 

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