Park City, UT
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Release: Utah Communities Celebrate Landmark Renewable Energy Legislation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 22, 2019
Contacts:
Matthew Rojas, Salt Lake City Corporation
385-228-2365 - matthew.rojas@slcgov.com
Emma Prysunka, Park City Municipal
435-731-7275 - emma.prysunka@parkcity.org
Krachel Murdock, Summit County
435-336-3044 - kmurdock@summitcounty.org
Spencer Hall, Rocky Mountain Power
801-885-5584 - spencer.hall@pacificorp.com
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Utah Communities Celebrate Landmark Renewable Energy Legislation
Rocky Mountain Power partnered with local governments to support passage of the Community Renewable Energy Act which authorizes a path to net-100% renewable electricity
Representatives from numerous Utah communities along with Rocky Mountain Power will join Governor Gary Herbert at a ceremonial signing this afternoon for the Community Renewable Energy Act (HB 411). The legislation was sponsored by Representative Steve Handy and enables next steps towards a net-100%* renewable electricity portfolio by 2030 for Utah communities with ambitious clean energy goals.
Park City, Salt Lake City and Summit County worked with Rocky Mountain Power for over three years leading up to the passage of HB 411 to envision this first-of-its-kind legislation. The bill authorizes future regulatory filings at the Utah Public Service Commission that will define rules, rates and expectations for the community renewable energy program.
“House Bill 411 is groundbreaking legislation, not just for our state, but for the country. It also represents the biggest breakthrough ever in Salt Lake City’s pursuit of clean energy,” said Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski, who also serves as co-chair of the Sierra Club’s Mayors for 100% Clean Energy Campaign and is the Chair of the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ Alliance for a Sustainable Future. “Powering all of our homes and businesses with renewable energy by 2030 will cut our community carbon footprint in half and create a replicable roadmap for others across the country.”
“We're in the midst of what some are calling ‘The New Energy Economy,’ which is both exciting and challenging,” said lead bill sponsor Representative Steve Handy. “When I first heard about the concept of what eventually became HB 411, the Community Renewable Energy Act, I immediately recognized it as groundbreaking. And when it comes to ‘The New Energy Economy,’ I believe that it's the role of government to remove barriers and let market forces take over, which is exactly what HB 411 does.”
Rocky Mountain Power will facilitate the transition to a net-100% renewable electricity portfolio and the utility will continue to provide all of its standard services for customers. The financial costs and benefits of the program will be isolated to participating communities so that no costs are shifted to other utility customers. Additionally, individual customers in participating communities have the ability to stay on standard Rocky Mountain Power rates through an opt-out process after the program is established.
“Park City residents deeply value their natural environment, so it’s exciting to partner with other Utah communities and our utility to further our climate goals,” said Park City Mayor Andy Beerman. “HB 411 has created a pathway for communities to work together with their utility to develop a new energy economy. We are excited to be a leader in this collaboration and show other communities that renewable energy is not just possible, but also affordable and practical.”
Goals to achieve 100% renewable energy are becoming more commonplace across the country and some cities have made major strides towards this ambition. The unique innovation with H.B. 411 is the partnership it embodies between communities and an investor-owned utility such as Rocky Mountain Power that is willing to tailor an electricity generation portfolio to meet community clean energy targets.
“This bill represents the next step in over three years of great collaboration between forward-looking Utah communities and their electricity provider, Rocky Mountain Power,” said Gary Hoogeveen, Rocky Mountain Power CEO. “We look forward to continuing our partnership with these Utah cities and counties to help power their greatness and achieve their community goals.”
Many local non-profits played a supporting role in helping shape and support this landmark legislation. HEAL Utah, Utah Chapter of Sierra Club, and Utah Clean Energy were among the stakeholders supporting robust development of renewable energy resources for participating communities.
A rulemaking process to define next steps for the Community Renewable Energy Act is underway at the Utah Public Service Commission. The legislation identified a deadline of December 31, 2019 for Utah communities to adopt a local resolution and formalize their interest in a net-100% renewable electricity portfolio by 2030.
“The Community Renewable Energy Act allows Summit County to expand and sustain our work at the forefront of the renewable energy movement,” Summit County Councilman Glenn Wright said. “Our county’s goals to transition to net 100 percent renewable energy operations by 2030 would not be possible without this victory.”
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Salt Lake City has posted answers to FAQs about the Community Renewable Energy Act on its SLCgreen webpage. One example response regarding the term “net-100% renewable electricity" is included below:
* The term “net-100%” is used to denote that new renewable energy resources will provide enough power to meet all net-annual community electricity needs by 2030. Renewable energy projects will be integrated into the broader regional electric grid over time and power provided to participating communities will not always be directly related to renewable projects as electricity is managed for customers throughout the whole system. More details are available in the online FAQ.
Home: Energy Myths
Following are some common home energy myths that may be costing you.
1. Setting the thermostat higher or lower will heat or cool the house faster.
Many a homeowner has come home to an uncomfortable house and set the thermostat higher or lower than necessary, thinking it will warm or cool faster. In reality, a furnace or air-conditioner works at the same speed, no matter what the thermostat setting. A home will warm up to 68ºF just as quickly if the thermostat is set at 68ºF as it would if the thermostat was set at 80ºF. In such instances, energy may be wasted as the heating or cooling system continues to run after it reaches your desired set point.
2. A heating and cooling system "works harder" to reach a comfortable temperature after setback or set forward.Many people do not adjust their thermostat at night or while the home is unoccupied because of the common misconception that the heating or cooling system must "work harder" or use more energy to reheat or re-cool the house. This is not how a thermostat works. The system turns on to reach a set level and then shuts off when that level is reached. It can be likened more to a switch that shuts on and off, rather than a gas pedal that accelerates faster the more you step on it.
3. Energy efficiency and energy conservation are the same thing.
Efficiency refers to using less to perform a specific task. Examples include replacing traditional lighting with LEDs (light emitting diodes), or installing a high performance appliance. Conservation refers to reducing your need for energy through changes in behavior, such as setting the thermostat lower or riding a bike to work.
4. When an appliance is turned off, it is off.
Many appliances and electronic devices—such as coffee makers and cell phone chargers—in the home continue to use power after they have been switched off. Sometimes as much as if they were on! This is known as standby power or “phantom load.” The only way to stop the power usage by these devices is to unplug them.
5. Leaving lights, computers and appliances on uses less energy than turning them on and off.
In most cases, the small surge of power needed to start a device is much less than the power that is wasted by leaving it on when it is not needed.
6. Duct tape is the best choice for sealing ducts.
Duct tape has very low durability when used to seal ducts, according to laboratory research. On new installations duct tape will not last long without extensive surface preparation, especially in dirty or dusty locations. Over time, duct tape will fall off as the adhesive dries out and the tape starts to wrinkle. Mastic or metal-backed tapes—available at your local hardware or do-it-yourself retailer—are better choices for duct sealing.
7. Purchasing an efficient air-conditioner or furnace will automatically reduce energy bills.
This is true to some extent, but optimal savings will not be achieved unless the system is sized and installed correctly. Installing an efficient, but over-sized, system can negate much of the potential savings, while a poorly designed duct system can also have an impact on efficiency and comfort. Windows, doors, and insulation also play a factor in heating and cooling efficiency.
8. Dimming lights by 50% will cut lighting costs in half.
In reality, the relationship is not quite direct and the savings may be less than expected. Dimmed lights do use less power, but when lights are dimmed, the voltage drops and the filament becomes cooler. This causes a loss in overall efficiency.
9. Closing off vents will help to lower heating and cooling costs.
Closing or covering up vents is typically not a good way to save on energy costs. Heating and cooling systems balance their load throughout the duct system. If one vent gets closed off, it throws the system off balance. Pressure can build up in the duct work, causing leakage and less air circulating in your home. This reduces system efficiency and home comfort.