Agenda Item - 2015-05-18/
TO: City Council
FROM: Sustainability Advisory Board
SUBJECT: City Purchase of Clean Wind Power
DATE: May 18, 2015
Dear Mayor and Councilors,
The members of the Sustainability Advisory Board (SAB) would like to fully recommend to the Council that they support the initiative to purchase 100% Clean Wind from Portland General
Electric at a platinum level status. By purchasing clean wind, Lake Oswego will join the cities of Beaverton, Milwaukie, Hillsboro, Gresham and Wilsonville as regional leaders who invest
in Northwest produced wind energy.
We also urge the City to become an EPA Green Power Community again, which will be easily achievable thanks to the efforts of 39 businesses and many residents who already purchase enough
renewable energy from PGE to make the City eligible for certification. As residents, we feel it is time for the City to join the community momentum towards purchasing renewable energy
and to emerge as a leader.
In your consideration, please review these facts:
The proposed annual cost of $28,110 to purchase 100% Clean Wind is .02% of the over $1.3 million the City currently spends on electricity.
The City is lagging behind local businesses, such as Shorenstein Realty Services, Our Lady of the Lake, and New Seasons Market, who all currently purchase Clean Wind power from PGE.
These businesses recognize the economic advantage from the good publicity, marketing opportunities and community support that come with setting a positive example.
The Sustainability Action Plan for City Operations 2014 Update has a greenhouse gas reduction goal to reduce emissions 10% below 2000 levels by the year 2020. Purchasing Clean Wind will
lower City carbon emissions by 12,555,616 pounds of CO2, allowing the City to affordably reach this goal.
The City is already committed to lowering energy costs through LED streetlight replacements and LED lighting projects in several city owned buildings. The return on investment period
on these projects has been faster than expected and have resulted in
measurable energy cost reductions. The cost for purchasing Clean Wind will continue to drop as the City simultaneously reduces the amount of energy that is used.
Since the City last participated in the Clean Wind program, the cost to participate has decreased from $.12/kWh to $0.03/kWh. Therefore, we urge the Council to once again participate
in this program, but at a 100% level that demonstrates a desire to lead by example. The cost to participate is a small percentage of total energy expenditures by the City, while the
opportunity benefits are so numerous.
The SAB understands that purchasing Clean Wind from PGE does not give the City carte blanch to increase spending on energy. We applaud the City for its efforts to lower lighting costs
and integrate renewable options into the plan for the Water Treatment Plant, the City’s biggest consumer of electricity. We hope that with future high performance buildings, the City’s
energy demands and costs will continue to decrease, resulting in smaller annual investments for Clean Wind and compliance with the City greenhouse gas emission reduction goals.
Thus, the SAB urges the Council to use this opportunity to set an example for the community that our Northwest environment and renewable energy economy matters to the City of Lake Oswego.
Your citizens and businesses and surrounding communities have already demonstrated this- now it is time for the City to join them.
Respectfully Submitted,
Gary Hanifan, Co-Chair; Mary Ratcliff, Co-Chair; Lisa Adatto, Sarah Asby, Richard Canaday, Vidya Kale, Priya Judge, Youth Member; Meghana Mysore, Youth Member