Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout6/6/2001 - STAFF REPORTS (26) a DATE: June 6, 2001 TO: City Council FROM: Director of Economic Development FUNDING REQUEST TO COMPLETE PALM SPRINGS ELECTRIC LOAD/COST REDUCTION PROGRAM RECOMMENDATION: That City Council approve an expenditure in an amount not to exceed $12,000 to implement the Palm Springs Electric Load/Cost Reduction Program. The expenditure will be paid from the Economic Development Department 2000-01 budget, account number 1400-43200. SUMMARY: The objective of the Program is to provide complimentary energy audits to 200 businesses in the City of Palm Springs, to determine load reduction, retrofit and behavioral changes, to reduce their energy usage and therefore their electric bills. Target businesses include hospitality (restaurant), small industrial/commercial and retail trade businesses. BACKGROUND: This program began as part of CVAG's effort to identify strategies for the Coachella Valley to deal with the energy crisis. This program is part of a targeted load reduction strategy adopted by CVAG. The City of Palm Desert funded the pilot program which was administered by the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership (CVEP ) and the Palm Desert Chamber of Commerce targeting 100 businesses in Palm Desert. The results of the pilot (report attached)were so encouraging that the City of Palm Desert immediately appropriated funds for another 300 businesses. The City of Desert Hot Springs and the County of Riverside have also recently joined the effort and added funding for another 300 businesses. Total funding for the program currently stands at $42,000 for 700 targeted businesses. Since other communities have found the energy audit program to be an important business retention tool, Palm Springs should develop a Business Energy Audit/Conservation/Efficiency Program. In this valley wide effort, we propose that the City of Palm Springs partners with the Coachella Valley Association of Governments, the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership, the Palm Springs Economic Development Corporation, and Southern California Edison, to develop the program in Palm Springs. (Note: This energy audit program fits with our Business Retention and Expansion Program.) Representatives from Southern California Edison will provide energy audit training to temporary employees of the Palm Springs EDC. CVEP Officials will work with the City of Palm Springs Economic Development Department to identify target al businesses from the Palm Springs Business Retention and Expansion Program and other sources. PSEDC will make mail and phone contact with the identified group to schedule individual times for audits. PSEDC will provide office space. Upon arrival at the business, PSEDC will be provided a copy of the business' last two energy bills to provide base line numbers. PSEDC will then complete the audit, providing specific recommendations regarding retrofits, load conversion and behavioral changes. PSEDC will provide businesses audited with immediate feedback at the conclusion of the site visit. Feedback will be in the form of specific recommendations (in writing) including referrals to persons(companies)that can complete retrofits that are outside the ability of most business operators. Where possible, written recommendations shall include estimates of proposed energy savings, both in cost ($) and usage (kWh), for each suggestion provided. PSEDC will provide follow-up via phone to businesses within 30 days after completion of the audit to help determine which recommendations have been completed. A final report or tally for each business will be provided back to the project coordinator(CVEP)for each business audited to monitor overall effectiveness of the program. From acceptance of this proposal, training can occur within 10-15 days. Contact with companies and field audits can be completed within 30 days thereafter with follow up and final reporting within 75 days. With Palm Springs Council acceptance June 6, auditors could be on the street as soon as June 15, audits complete by mid July and final report in August 2001. The proposed budget is $12,000 to be provided by the City of Palm Springs through the overall program coordinator, the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership. Total funding will be passed-through to the PSEDC which will administer the outreach to businesses. PSEDC will be paid $60 for each audit/follow-up completed. Any unused funds will be refunded to the City in total. Dire for onomic vefbpment APPROVED ` City Manager Attachments: 1) Minute Order 2) Energy Audit Pilot Program REVIEWED BY DEPT.OF FINANCE F f e' P 73-710 Fred Waring Drive, Suite 114 41 a Palm Desert,California 92260 CI iAMRER in COMMERCE Phone (760) 346-6111 •Fax (760) 346-3263 www.pdcc.org•e-mail: info@pdcc.org ENERGY AUDIT PILOT PROGRAM REPORT April 24, 2001 OVERVIEW This was a cooperative pilot electrical energy load/cost reduction program undertaken by the Coachella Valley Association of Governments, Coachella Valley Economic Partnership, the City of Palm Desert, Southern California Edison and the Palm Desert Chamber of Commerce. The goal was to provide complimentary energy audits to 100 businesses in Palm Desert in an effort to help them reduce their usage and energy costs. IMPLEMENTATION The Palm Desert Chamber of Commerce implemented the pilot program with the assistance of Southern California Edison who provided 2-days of intense training to six (6) auditors. PRELIMINARY RESULTS CONTACTS 205 businesses were randomly selected. Of those, 109 energy audits were completed (53%) 59 businesses declined to be audited 32 no response (no returned calls after repeated attempts) 5 miscellaneous (out of business,no shows,misc.) TARGETED There were 14 items targeted for evaluation by the auditors. Of RECOMMENDATIONS the 109 businesses audited, the percentage of businesses that were recommended to address the specific targeted items are as follows: 95% Replace fluorescents with Tas&electronic ballasts 85% Clean cooling coils & condenser coils 81% Maintain AC filters, belts & bearings 72% Reduce wattage or install energy efficient lamps 63% Clean lamps, fixtures &diffusers 61% Install window covering (including window film) 56% Turn off unused lights 56% Set thermostats to 78 or higher 31% Cool only occupied rooms 30% Install motion switches for conference rooms,banquet rooms 25% Install higher rated AC unit 22% Replace/change location of thermostat 21% Install AC tlmeclock for shutdown for non-business hours 7% Install pre-coolers on AC unit asIA3 OTHER The other top recommendations to the 109 businesses audited, RECOMMENDATIONS and the percentage with that recommendation, include: 22% Retrofit exit signs with LED kit or replace with new LED 21% Install motion sensors or timers for restroom lights &fans 18% Remove burned out lamps & ballasts (they still consume energy) 15% Close doors 10% Clean intake & outflow AC registers 6% Paint walls and/or ceiling lighter color Other recommendations include: Install programmable thermostat Replace gaskets on refrigerators and/or coolers Use fans and/or pre-cool building with early morning air Use T10s lamps instead of T12s Use reflective roof coating Move heat producing equipment from under thermostat(i.e. coffee pot,photocopier,etc.) REBATES Of the 109 businesses that were audited, 17 have already applied for Southern California Edison rebates. ESTIMATED LOAD According to Southern California Edison, those businesses REDUCTION audited used 11,217,558 kwh of energy during the last 12 months. Edison estimates that if the businesses follow through with the recommendations of the auditors, a 15% reduction in energy consumption will be realized. This calculates to a total reduction of 1,682,633 kwh for the 109 audited businesses. ESTIMATED COST Based upon the current blended rate of$.11 kwh, the REDUCTION recommendations will result in the following dollar savings: 100% follow through results in $185,089 savings 90%follow through results in $166,581 savings 75%follow through results in $138,817 savings 50%follow through results in $ 92,545 savings 25%follow through results in $ 46,272 savings Based upon the upcoming blended rate of$.15 kwh, the recommendations will result in the following dollar savings: 100% follow through results in $252,395 savings 90%follow through results in $227,156 savings 75% follow through results in $189,296 savings 50%follow through results in $126,198 savings 25%follow through results in $ 63,099 savings All participating businesses will be contacted by phone within 30-45 days in order to ascertain the recommendation follow through rate and to provide additional assistance and/or referrals as necessary. MINUTE ORDER NO. 6858 APPROVING THE FUNDING TO THE PALM SPRINGS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $12,000, TO IMPLEMENT AND COMPLETE A SMALL BUSINESS ELECTRIC LOAD/COST REDUCTION PROGRAM FOR BUSINESSES LOCATED IN THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS. ------------------ I HEREBY CERTIFY that this Minute Order, approving the funding to the Palm Springs Development Corporation, in an amount not to exceed $12,000, to implement and complete a small business electric load/cost reduction program for businesses located in the City of Palm Springs, was adopted by the City Council of the City of Palm Springs, California, in a meeting thereof held on the 6th day of June, 2001. PATRICIA A. SANDERS City Clerk