Around the Arch Blog

Big news for those of us that care about the environment, which should include everyone since we all share this planet.

Thanks to the Reno City Council appproval, dozens of projects will be underway that will create jobs, reduce the City’s energy use, and move towards more renewable forms of energy, without using money from the City’s general fund. I say that’s a positive!

So how can this be that money from taxpayers isn’t going to be used? Good question. Funding comes from rebates, federal grants, and bonds paid by energy savings.  The projects provide many environmental benefits plus help in getting Reno recognized as a city “going green.” I must say I always love when my city is positively recognized.  

Ok, so here are some details that will explain the specifics:

The Reno City Council approved a contract with APS Energy Services that provides for furnishing and installing improvements to achieve energy savings. Financing for the projects will be through guaranteed energy savings, Clean Renewable Energy Bonds (CREB’s), Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants (EECBG), Qualified Energy Conservation Bonds (QECB), Recovery Zone Economic Development Bonds (RZED), NV Energy Solar Generations Rebate, and NV Energy SureBet Rebates.

The renewable energy projects include two solar energy projects; a 90 kilowatt (kW) photovoltaic system at the Evelyn Mount Northeast Community Center and a 30 kW photovoltaic system at the Men’s and Women’s Drop In Center. The energy efficiency projects include various lighting and mechanical equipment upgrades including Reno City Hall, Community Development Annex, various Parks and Recreation facilities, various Reno Fire Department stations, the Public Works Corporation Yard, and other City owned and operated facilities. The projects where chosen based on an energy audit conducted by APS Energy Services for all facilities having more than $5,000 per year in energy expenses.

The guaranteed annual cost savings for the projects is $880,702 which totals an energy savings of 5,430,204 kilowatt-hour (kWh).

The $16,457,625 of energy saving projects is Phase II of Reno’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Initiative, bringing the total to more than $20 million.

In June 2009, Council approved the start of Phase I energy efficiency projects at a total cost of $4,059,051. Projects included two solar energy projects; a 180 kW photovoltaic system on the Downtown Events Center and a 30 kW photovoltaic system at the Downtown Parking Gallery, energy efficiency lighting projects at the Downtown Parking Gallery, Reno Arch, Vaughn Middle School ball field, and RPD Evidence Locker; energy efficiency air handling improvements at Fire Station 7; renewable wind installations at City Hall, Mira Loma Park, Stead Wastewater Treatment Facility, and Downtown Parking Gallery. As with Phase II, Phase I projects are completely funded through energy savings, grants, and rebates.

Reno’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Initiative projects help to save money in the City’s general fund by replacing aging mechanical systems with new energy efficient projects, saving money with lower utility bills.

I know that’s a handful of information but it’s great news for all of us! Go green!

Tags: council, energy, green, solar, wind

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 24th, 2009 at 4:51 pm and is filed under City Council, Green Priority, Public Works. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.