3 minute read
Penfield Advances CCA
The Town of Penfield has long been a leader in innovative sustainability projects, earning recognition in March’s Rochester Business Journal. In 1999, while other municipalities continued to lease streetlight fixtures from RG&E, the Town decided to purchase the fixtures directly and replace inefficient mercury vapor lights with more efficient high pressure sodium (HPS) fixtures, ultimately saving tax payers thousands of dollars in equipment charges and reduced energy cost. These streetlight fixtures were updated once again starting in 2018 with even more efficient LED lights, and a complete transition to LED lights is anticipated in the early 2020s.
In 2012, the Town of Penfield installed the first public Electric Vehicle charging station, located at the Penfield Community Center. It was soon followed by an EV charging station at the Penfield Town Hall and another in Harris Whalen Park. In 2020-2021, the Town is installing four more EV charging stations in the southeast corner of the Four Corners Public Parking lot.
The Town of Penfield has also taken great strides in switching to renewable solar energy. The Town’s first venture into solar power was a small self-sufficient sewer pump station that went online in 2012. Next, a solar powered crosswalk signal was installed on Scribner Road at Scribner Road Elementary School in 2013. That was followed in March 2014 with a solar panel array on the roof of the Harris Whalen Lodge that offsets nearly half of that facility’s annual electric use. Most significantly, in 2019, the town completed installation of a solar photovoltaic array at its DPW complex. The energy produced by this array is directly connected to RG&E’s utility grid and is expected to offset approximately 75% of the Town of Penfield’s overall electrical usage at its main facilities.
The sustainability focus of 2020-2021, is Penfield’s new Community Choice Aggregation (CCA), a
PENFIELD ADVANCES CCA FOR A SUSTAINABLE, GREEN FUTURE
municipal energy procurement model which allows Town Supervisor Tony LaFountain. Penfield residents local government “clean” power on behalf of their and local businesses, which would be automatically qualified residents, businesses, and municipal accounts enrolled in this option, would also be able to opt out as from an alternative supplier while still keeping their the CCA cannot guarantee cost savings to consumers. existing utility provider. CCAs are an attractive option for communities that want more local control over their electricity sources. They allow communities to gain leverage to negotiate better rates with competitive suppliers and choose greener power sources. On October 7th, the Town of Penfield requested a proposal for a Program Administrator (PA) in hopes of selecting one by the end of 2020. The PA will pursue and inform the Penfield Community on its anticipated CCA win-win in which customers are credited with
On May 20, 2020, the Town Board took a required using clean energy at a lower rate than they could first step towards CCA by adopting Local Law No. have purchased independently, and the environment 2 of 2020, known as “A Local Law to Authorize benefits from a shift to more demand for renewable Establishment of a Community Choice Aggregation energy sources. The PA will seek a combination of the (Energy) Program in the Town of Penfield.” This lowest costs and the highest percent of renewable action, which allows the town to pursue establishing energy resources. Based on what is presented, the a CCA, which is aligned with the Energy and Town Board will determine if it will continue to pursue Environmental Advisory Committee’s (EEAC) 2016 a CCA for Penfield. Meanwhile, the Town will continue decision to explore a Clean Energy Communities to do its due diligence, conduct public education, and (CEC) designation for the Town. seek substantial public input before making its decision.
“If we each go out individually, we are limited to “It is important to look at everything from cost commonly available pricing, but if we take our entire management to environmental impact as we move community with its approximately 40,000 residents, forward,” states Supervisor LaFountain. “Our 14,000 parcels and numerous local businesses and commitment is to continue being a sustainability leverage that power, we have the opportunity to get an leader while doing everything we can for our residents even better price and more ‘green’ power,” explained and businesses.”
