HomeMy Public PortalAboutPublic Comment - Deirdre Henderson (3)r
Public Comment Form Truckee 2040
Please submit a separate public comment form for each Element/Document. Questions? Call 530-582-
7776 general plan + downtown specific plan
TRUCKEE2040
Click here to view the draft General Plan documents or visit truckee2040.com
Element/Document: (?) *
Climate Action Plan Element
First Name Last Name
Deirdre Henderson
E-mail
Instructions: Please use a separate public comment form for each Element/Document. Please select the item you are commenting on; if you have a
general comment, select general comment. Enter the reference number given in the document, if possible. Any comments are welcome. If you have specific
text changes you would like to propose, please provide the language. You may add as many additional item comments as you need.
Items for Comment (?)
You may add multiple comments by clicking "Add Additional Item for Comment" below
Type: (?) *
Policy
Comment*
Reference Number: (Example: CC -1.A) (?)
CAP -7.1; Action CAP 7.B; Appendix C, p. 13
I submit this comment with respect to the policy, action and portion of Appendix C relating to "renewable natural gas." I regret to say that the CAP's
treatment of "renewable natural gas" sounds like the greenwashing inserts on RNG that we receive in our Southwest Gas utility bills. Where to begin?
1. RNG is methane, like fossil gas, but sourced largely from decaying feedstocks and cleaned up to be suitable for transmission in gas pipes. Some RNG
is made synthetically from, for example, gasification of biomass. When RNG escapes from leaky gas pipes it adds to methane pollution in the
atmosphere. When it burns, it adds to carbon pollution. However, because it avoids the methane that the decomposing organic matter from which it
is sourced would have produced, it is net -net considered less harmful than fossil gas. It is not, however, benign.
2. There is simply not a big enough supply of RNG to replace all or even some of our fossil gas use. The estimates for RNG substitution for fossil gas in
Appendix C seem wildly optimistic. Many experts believe that the limited supply of RNG should be saved and used only for hard -to -decarbonize
industrial processes.
3. RNG is expensive to produce. Expect gas bills to rise significantly.
4. By greenwashing with RNG, gas companies get to continue to expand and maintain their infrastructure, which is where they make their profit.
As we move toward electrification and reduced fossil gas use, gas companies face a death spiral of an eroding customer base, requiring higher charges
to remaining customers who will tend to be those who cannot afford to electrify and are least able to bear higher costs.
At 100% Renewable Truckee we have been exploring an alternative pathway for gas companies which involves using their existing infrastructure rights
of way to install "geo grids"-- neighborhood loops of thermal energy derived from borings in the ground and connected to heat pumps in houses for
space and water heating. This is not a new technology and is currently in use in Europe, on university campuses in the U.S. and in a few U.S. housing
developments. Gas utilities in Massachusetts and New York are running geo grid pilot programs, and utilities in Colorado and Washington state are in
the planning process for pilots. By connecting geo grids as they develop, a gas utility can eventually transition to being a thermal utility. The good news
for consumers is that gas utilities have the engineering staffs, financing capability and sales forces to power this transition and save themselves in the
process. Some electrification of buildings would still be necessary (appliances, EV charging), but the PUD would be significantly relieved of the
challenge of assembling additional electricity resources to support broader electrification.
We believe that a conversation should be started with Southwest about geo grids. Truckee does not have the market importance to do this alone, but in
coalition with other municipalities and organizations in the SWG service area in eastern California and western Nevada, we could represent a stronger
stakeholder group to initiate the conversation.
A good basic introduction to geo grid technology and gas utilities is in this VOLTS podcast, interviewing Audrey Schulman and Zeyneb Magavi of HEET, a
climate solutions incubator that is partnering with utilities on geo grid pilot programs: https://www.volts.wtf/p/volts-podcast-audrey-schulman-
and#details
We suggest that the reference to RNG be removed in CAP policy 7.1. We further suggest that Action item CAP 7.8 be removed and that consideration be
given to an Action item along these lines:
"Seek to form a coalition of local governments and interested organizations in the eastern California and western Nevada SWG service area to initiate a
conversation with SWG about the feasibility and desirability of transitioning to geo grid technology for thermal energy."
Type: (?) *
Goal
Comment*
Reference Number: (Example: CC -1.A) (?)
CAP Goals 7 and 8
CAP Goal 8, dealing with Energy Efficiency in New Development contains actions regarding capacity building (8.D) and updating (hopefully reducing or
eliminating) permitting and inspection fees and streamlining the review process (8.B). Similar provisions should be incorporated in CAP Goal 7, Energy
Efficiency in Existing Development.
Type: (?) *
Goal
Comment*
Reference Number: (Example: CC -1.A) (?)
CAP Goal 7
In order to provide reliable knowledge and advice to consumers contemplating building decarbonization, we need a "One Stop Shop" where building
owners can get comprehensive consulting on their particular building and options for decarbonization. This should be incorporated into Action CAP - 7-
A.
According to Truckee's community GHG inventory, our greatest source of GHG emissions is our existing building stock. In order to decarbonize our
buildings, our most significant challenge, and the one
essential to achieving decarbonization, is financing. We cannot rely on local, state or federal funding for the financing necessary to do this. There will
simply not be enough government funding to decarbonize all the buildings in America, or even Truckee needing it. The City of Ithaca, NY has
committed to decarbonize all of its 6,000 buildings by 2030. The estimated cost of doing this for for this one small city is $2 billion.
However, American capital markets are among the largest and most creative in the world. Using private capital for decarbonization loans to building
owners is not only possible, but is being done in a handful of other municipalities. While private capital is, at the moment, looking for a 9-10% return
on its investment, public funding can be used to subsidize interest rates and provide credit enhancements (such as loan loss reserves) to make
decarbonization loans affordable for building owners (who will mostly recoup the cost of servicing the loan via energy cost savings) and manage the risk
for lenders. Financing of some sort will be necessary for the vast majority of buildings requiring decarbonization. Creating financing programs
utilizing private capital with publicly funded enhancements should be explicitly provided for in the actions for CAP Goal 7.
Do you have reference documents to upload?*
Yes
No