Archive for the ‘going green’ Tag

The Delivery of Alternative Energy – The Next Great Debate

The pursuit of alternative energy as a source for our power needs has clearly become an important public policy issue.

Despite the contentious global warming debate, most people would agree that – all other things being equal – it would be beneficial to get all of our energy from environmentally clean sources.

But here lies the problem, all things are not equal. Alternative energy has not flourished because it is much more expensive than traditional sources of power. Therefore, the free market model and the traditional electrical utility mission of providing reliable and cost-effective electricity have not provided an opportunity for alternative energy.

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The Carbon Footprint Numbers

With all the talk about carbon footprint, and with the City of Tallahassee moving aggressively toward reducing our already low carbon footprint through energy conservation, it is time to define carbon footprint in terms everyone can understand. 

First, we have reported here that due to the use of natural gas we have one of the lowest carbon footprints in the country. But what does that mean in terms that we can understand?

For each kilowatt hour of electricity generated, approximately 1.2 pounds of CO2 emission is created. A home that uses 1,000 kwh per month would generate approximately 1200 pounds of CO2 emissions per month.

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City Hoards Millions During Recession, While Leon School Board Cuts 150 Teachers

So you think the City of Tallahassee spends millions on electric utility conservation programs? Wrong! The City of Tallahassee collects millions for conservation programs.

A data request by Tallahassee Reports indicates that the City of Tallahassee budgeted close to $15.5 million to various conservation programs for fiscal year 2008, which began on October 1, 2007.

At the end of fiscal year 2008, the City of Tallahassee had expended less than $1 million on conservation programs. This left approximately $14.5 million that rolled over to fiscal year 2009.

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City Budgeting – a Tale of Perverse Priorities

Our recent analysis of spending on “green” programs has documented the clear priority of city leadership in achieving the “living green” dream.

Green expenditures in the fiscal year 2009 budget include $10 million for smart meters, $7 million for energy conservation, and $300,000 for the creation of the green department. These 3 programs total $17,300,000 in spending in fiscal year 2009.

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Video of Commissioner Lightsey Going to Bat for Consumers

Last week TallahasseeReports.com posted an article about the City Commission meeting on April 7, 2009 at which there was a discussion regarding Tallahasse’s carbon footprint. TallahasseeReports.com has obtained a video of Commissioner Lightsey’s comments.

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Commissioner Lightsey’s comments during last
week’s City Commission meeting.

Commissioner Lightsey commented that the City should wait and conduct further research into the various options available, as well as consider any possible future taxes and offsets before launching into an RFP process for any new energy projects.

She defended the customer base saying that the customers already pay higher rates because of the various carbon reducing programs and that adding any further projects without some sort of offset would be “a very very hard sell.” She would later say that City is “already very clean” and that at some point “someone’s got to speak for the customer base.”

The video showcases her comments in their entirety.

The Facts Behind Tallahassee’s Carbon Footprint

On Tuesday, April 7, 2009, the Tallahassee City Commission heard a presentation from the head of EPER (the Green Department) entitled “Carbon Footprint Reduction Plan.”

You can view the slide presentation here.

Among the facts revealed are:

City Officials Knew Conservation Programs Would Increase Electric Rates

The City of Tallahassee recently ignored a cost effectiveness analysis which indicated that all 191 proposed measures to save electricity through conservation would increase electric rates.

Instead of relying on the analysis as a guide, the City Commission voted to ignore the results and approve an alternative methodology that would allow the City to move forward with conservation programs.

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Is the Tallahassee Democrat Becoming Irresponsible?

On Thursday, March 12, 2009, a front page article featured a picture of Jack Diestelhorst,  the founder and co-owner of Notary Public Underwriters in Tallahassee, Florida standing on the roof of his office building  next to a 25-kilowatt solar system.

The Democrat caption boldly states ” the rooftop solar system is projected to cut firm’s annual power bill by $5,000.” The news article had no information on the cost of system. 

Here is what was omitted:

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Is City Parking Program Another Green Program?

Tallahassee Reports continues to get a number of emails from those affected by the new City of Tallahassee parking program. Most of these emails focus on the fairness issue and the money involved. Click here to see an application for the City Employee Parking program.

A review by Tallahassee Reports indicates that one reason the parking program may be implemented is because it qualifies as a green program.

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Green Era Priorities Trump Child Safety Programs

In the 2009 budget, the Tallahassee City Commission cut $50,000 from the elementary school crossing guard program and cut another $30,000 by eliminating the DARE program. However, in November of 2008  the City of Tallahassee found $89,000 to donate to the Leon County School system for the “Schools on Solar Program.”

Why?…In a letter, responding  to the concerns of Jackie Pons, Leon County School Superintendent, Mayor Marks wrote:

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