Study gives city ideas on reducing energy costs

Mar 21 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Andrew Dowd The Leader-Telegram, Eau Claire, Wis.

For the first time, Eau Claire's city government has a complete tally of energy it uses to power buildings, run vehicles and keep utilities going.

Down to the last city-owned light bulb, Eau Claire uses the equivalent of 164,109 million British thermal units in an average year, and it has pledged to cut that total by 25 percent by 2025, reaching the "25x25" benchmark set by former Gov. Jim Doyle.

Eau Claire's associate planner Ned Noel today will present the fruits of a $55,000 grant that allowed the city, Eau Claire County and Altoona to study their energy use and devise ways to cut back.

"Each one of us -- the city, county and Altoona -- now know what we use," Noel said.

Based on environmentally friendly practices already in place and planned utility upgrades, Eau Claire expects to reach that goal well before the 2025 deadline.

Xcel Energy already provides 15 percent of its energy from renewable sources in western Wisconsin, thanks to higher green energy quotas set on the provider in Minnesota, Noel noted.

And the city expects the final 10 percent will be accomplished through upgrades to its wastewater treatment plant, which will be complete in a couple years.

"The lion's share of how to get there was through our wastewater treatment plant," Noel said. "That's really our star."

The plant generates natural gas and generates from its anaerobic digester, which removes energy-rich gases from sewage.

The city's been capturing methane gases from its wastewater treatment plant for three decades, council President Kerry Kincaid said, but upgrades to the plant will boost that by 35 percent.

With fuel prices forecast to continue rising this year and most government operations based on paying about $2.80 a gallon, Kincaid said energy efficiency is a major concern for all levels of government.

"Our country is not set up for $4 gas," she said.

And that's why the city is looking into sustainable practices in the 25x25 Plan, she said.

Beyond meeting the goal through wastewater plant upgrades, Noel said the city also could consider projects using solar power and biofuels.

In May 2009, Eau Claire agreed to meet the governor's challenge of reducing energy use by a quarter, a voluntary pledge other local governments also have made.

"Over 100 have pledged to do it so it's become a legitimate thing," Noel said.

Dowd can be reached at 715-833-9204, 800-236-7077 or andrew.dowd@ecpc.com.

City Power

A study of Eau Claire city government's energy usage revealed the following facts:

- Electricity used to run city buildings, outdoor lighting and water utility averaged 76,900 kilowatt hours per year from 2006 to 2009.

- The city uses an average of 318,700 therms of natural gas in a year.

- Running city vehicles uses about 144,000 gallons of unleaded gasoline annual.

- About 249,800 gallons of diesel fuel is used per year.

- Including all sources, the city's total energy use is equivalent of 164,109 million British thermal units in an average year.

- Renewable energy measures could save the city 61,459 million Btus.

Source: Chippewa Valley Partnership's 25x25 Plan

- The Eau Claire City Council will meet at 7 p.m. today and 4 p.m. Tuesday in the council chamber at City Hall, 203 S. Farwell St.