Commission struggles to engage greater number of residents; outreach ‘critical component’ of efforts
Benicia’s Community Sustainability Commission and Alex Porteshawver, Climate Action Plan coordinator, have been promoting the city’s efforts to reduce water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions and increase the popularity of renewable energy sources.
But some outreach efforts have appealed only to a small portion of the city’s population of about 28,000. So during Monday’s meeting, Porteshawver will recommend additional approaches the commission might take.
“Education and outreach are critical components of climate protection planning, because of the changes in citizen behavior and business practices that are needed to meet the city’s emission reduction targets,” Porteshawver wrote July 1 in a report to the commission.
In May, Benicia City Council authorized Porteshawver’s work plan for 2014-15 that includes developing an effective market plan that would promote the city’s sustainability efforts through a website, social media and other online outlets.
Porteshawver wrote that the SustainableBenicia.org website, launched in May 2013, provides information about how the city is putting its Climate Action Plan into play through programs, events and practices.
But the website, developed along guidelines provided by CSC members, “is somewhat cumbersome to maintain,” Porteshawver wrote. She loads documents by a separate file transfer protocol site and is unable to make any structural or design changes to the site.
“This site is not mobile-enabled, does not have a search function, cannot embed video and does not link to any social media sites,” she wrote.
Commission Chairperson Constance Beutel frequently records CSC- and CAP-related events, but puts them on YouTube for public viewing, Porteshawver noted.
From May 31 to June 30, the website had 169 users, 227 sessions and 619 page views, she wrote. The average session lasted 2:44 minutes, involving 2.73 pages, and 67.4 percent of the sessions were new, she wrote.
The site had a “bounce rate” of 51.54 percent, which Porteshawver noted, too.
“This means that just over two-thirds of the visitors are new visitors instead of returning, and of all visitors, over half visit the home page and then leave the site.
“This is a very high rate of people who leave the site without learning more about the city’s efforts,” she wrote.
She also has worked with Diablo Solar Services and Ally Electric to create a direct mailer that explains Benicia’s rebate program and the steps needed to obtain a rebate.
“Diablo Solar sent out approximately 2,300 mailers targeted at specific home size (and other criteria [were] used) and received 15 calls that all led to a sale and system installation,” Porteshawver wrote.
She wrote that Benicia is collaborating with Rising Sun to canvass the city in hopes more residents will request no-cost energy and water assessments, but the results of that outreach haven’t been tabulated.
About 20 people attended the city’s solar workshop, in which Pacific Gas and Electric, Diablo Solar, Ally Electric and Solar, Verengo Solar and Bright Current provided information on financing solar photovoltaic panels and solar thermal equipment.
Porteshawver and CSC members promoted the event through newspapers, emails, the city’s community television channel and City Manager Brad Kilger’s newsletter, and the CAP coordinator expressed disappointment in the turnout.
“Ideally, the event would have been attended by many more residents, she wrote.
Of the commission’s workshops, the best attended has been the 2013 Clean Tech symposium, which drew from 700 to 1,000 attendees, a significant increase from the previous year, when 400 people attended.
Of other workshops, 175 attended the CSC’s “Stewards of Our Children’s Future,” 39 and 22 attended green business events, 134 attended an educational symposia and 25 attended a workshop on community choice aggregation, which described alternative energy sources to PG&E.
YouTube videos of the workshops have been viewed 2,400 times, she wrote.
Porteshawver wrote that she has promoted solar rebates and the city water incentive program at the Benicia Certified Farmers Market.
But no one with whom she spoke completed the applications for either program, she wrote. “Residents often attend the market to shop and relax, and are not interested in engaging with staff about various programs,” she wrote.
She wrote that commission and CAP information also is included in the city manager’s twice-a-month newsletter that is posted in several places on the city website, ci.benicia.ca.us, and to other websites; emailed to subscribers of the GovDelivery service; available on paper at the Benicia Public Library; and sent to other city advisory panels, city employees, Valero Benicia Refinery, Benicia Chamber of Commerce, Benicia Main Street, Downtown Benicia Alliance, Benicia Community Action Council and representatives of Solano County Supervisor Linda Seifert and state Assemblymember Susan Bonilla.
“No resident has indicated that they learned of a program or projects via the city manager’s newsletter,” Porteshawver wrote.
She explained that she doesn’t have an email distribution list herself, because there has been no signup capability on the sustainability website. Instead, she counts on Beutel’s email list.
“Chair Beutel has indicated that the response is good from her mails because they inform interested people in what’s happening and generate action (attendance or participation).”
Porteshawver wrote that she has met with representatives of other cities as well as marketing professionals, and has heard their recommendation of using the U.S. Postal Service “every door delivery” method of sending postcards to each deliverable address in Benicia’s zip code. She wrote that $8,000 would cover the cost of monthly mailings, and El Cerrito employees wrote that response from a single mailer was 1 to 2 percent.
She wrote that she has learned about EngagingPlans, a website package from Urban Interactive Studio that would allow the creation of an “interactive, place-based website with a broad range of capabilities to enable truly effective online public involvement.” BrightPages Light has a system that can handle embedded videos, animated charts, interactive maps, quizzes and interaction with social media sites, she wrote.
The two programs would cost $3,280, though there are optional signup incentives that would add to that price.
She wrote that such social media sites as Twitter, Facebook, Meetup, Next Door, Nixle, Google Plus and LinkedIn were other options, as would be a monthly or quarterly newsletter.
Porteshawver wrote in a separate report that no new funding sources have been found that would let Benicia continue its solar rebate program. Though she wrote that the city has applied for grants, those were awarded elsewhere.
In the meantime, she wrote, Benicia City Council did agree to join a Property Assessed Clean Energy financing district, the HERO program for residents interested in installing solar panels and other energy-saving equipment.
In a July 3 report about another matter, Porteshawver wrote that she has been working with the Economic Development Department and the NRG Energy Center of San Francisco to offer a Combined Heat and Power Research and Demonstration Project.
To participate, a company would undergo a 20-minute analysis of natural gas usage and provide a year’s worth of utility data.
“Combined Heat and Power (CHP) involves the production of on-site electricity so that the heat by-product from the generation process can be recovered and used for steam production or processing and space heating, rather than being wasted,” she wrote. “There are many different CHP technologies, including waste heat-to-power generation and fuel cells.”
However, despite a mailing to every company that has participated in the Business Resource Incentive Program and sending contact information directly to NRG, no company responded, Porteshawver wrote.
She wrote that she expects to speak to the Benicia Industrial Park Association about the program, and that she welcomes other ideas about how to reach business owners.
In other matters, the commission will choose a representative to the Benicia Urban Waterfront Enhancement and Master Plan Community Advisory Committee. Larry Lamoreux had been the representative, but he did not seek reappointment after his term expired.
The panel also will chose a representative to the Benicia Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Plan Stakeholder Group, that will meet at least twice until August 2015.
The commission will hear Porteshawver speak about the economic risks of climate change.
It also will review its grant process and funding recommendations in anticipation of its next grant funding cycle, and will talk about the relationship between the panel and the Council.
The Community Sustainability Commission will meet at 6 p.m. Monday in the Commission Room of City Hall, 250 East L St.
Bob livesay says
I believe the Climate Action Plan Co-ordinator has her hands full. She is up against and working with a group in this city meaning the CSC that has no respect from the resuidents. Not because their mission is not correct but because of the group itself and its leadershop. When you get the feeling that what the residents are doing is wrong and we have the answers to all the enviro problens. That appears to be be dictatorial and not engaging for a positive responce. My advise is keep these folks out of everyones hair and let the co-ordinator carry the ball. You will get a much better responce by the friendly approach that the co-ordinator has. She is very good at what she does and can gain the confidence of the residents. Keep the entire CSC group out of the picture. They do turn folks off. Good job Alex.
Stan Golovich says
I am interested in more information regarding the NRG Energy Center’s CHP Research and Demonstration Project. CHP is another term describing what is also known as “combined cycle” power generation, such as Valero has on-site. Where would this demonstration project be located? This is not something that is built to demonstrate efficiency and later dismantled. This type of power generation also uses a lot of water. The dependence on combustion fuel and water to operate are in direct contradiction to the concept of sustainability.
Although our Strategic Plan and Climate Action Plan reference a “micro-utility” of our own to help power the Benicia of the future, a CHP approach is not feasible due to the water required, in my opinion.
There is yet to be any council level discussion regarding exploiting the powerful winds that rip across our location. A wind turbine research and demonstration project would be be a more fitting technology to evaluate than one that burns fuel and uses water.
Stan Golovich says
The energy production portfolio of NRG is weighted towards natural gas projects. However, they are involved in wind energy projects. This would be a better, and greener, project than a combined cycle project. I won’t hold my breath waiting for council discussion on a project swap.
http://sustainability.nrg.com/full-report/go-green/#Wind
JLB says
The reason people are not interested is because global warming, climate change or what ever you want to call it these days is a hoax. It is a solution looking for a problem by a group of big money investors looking to further grow their coffers. And as time marches on, there is more information and more reports pointing to that reality and more and more people are waking up too that reality.
A little research will disclose that the concept of sustainability, does not have anything to do with sustaining resources for mankind but rather in spite of him. Learn about Agenda 21 and the ICLEI organization and what they want to accomplish under the cloak of sustainability. You will find that our little city of Benicia, Solano County and many other cites and counties around the bay area are also members of ICLEI.
There is huge public outcry in some of these cities because of and against these concepts when it is learned what they are all about.
Got to YouTube and search for Agenda 21 for dummies and that will get you started down a trail for many hours of various videos that will cause you great concern. If you think this may sound conspiracy theorist, check it out for yourself. George H W Bush signed onto Agenda 21 and the whole sustainability concept back in 1995 long before we ever started hearing about the concept of sustainability and the push for climate change and renewable energy. That is not what it’s really all about. It is merely a means to an end.
Wake up! Done be fooled!
Stan Golovich says
The NRG group uses Siemens 2.3mw turbines. Personally, I would put two of those up on Sky Valley Ridge. People could see the “Benicia Twins” 50 miles away and be drawn like flies. We could buy power at a flat rate for 20 years at a time, instead of buying PG&E electricity exclusively. We pay surcharges on top of established tariff rates for municipalities depending on time of use grid demand.
Hydro-electric output is falling due to the drought, so more natural gas plants are expected to come on-line. I have no problem with natural gas generators, but only as a preferred alternative. Wind is without dispute our strongest natural resource in this area, yet the discussion of exploiting it remains protected, in my opinion. Regardless of what people think about the concept, my issue is that it does not get discussed. We paid for a study a few years ago that demonstrated the efficiency of wind turbines to provide power to both water processing plants.
Hopefully, the door has been opened for public discussion of wind turbines in Benicia.
Bob livesay says
I like natural gas. Stan wqould you support natural gas wells instead of turbines. They both could be considered ugly.
Stan Golovich says
Yes, somewhere else, there are no natural gas formations under Benicia, anyway.
DDL says
Stan Golovich stated: This would be a better, and greener, project than a combined cycle project.
And a better, greener alternative project would be Hydro Alternative energy derived from ocean or river currents. Systems such as this are in use in Africa, the Caribbean, the Galapagos Islands and other areas. Benicia has a 365/24/7 steady flow of water right off shore. Such systems can be bi or unidirectional (though the HAE system is unidirectional).
Wind turbines are an eyesore, and despite some claims to the contrary, do slaughter thousands of birds on a regular basis.
If the sustainability committee is not looking into these then they are not current with best available technology.
Stan Golovich says
All major environmental groups support properly sited wind turbines to reduce avian mortality.
Here is a link to avian mortality causes.
http://www.sibleyguides.com/conservation/causes-of-bird-mortality/
I support a hydro-electric project offshore. I won’t hold my breath for public discussion on this topic either.
Thomas Petersen says
The bird mortality data has been linked in these pages at least three or four times. I’m pretty sure it goes mostly ignored.
Stan Golovich says
It’s an odd contradiction that the federal government not too long ago approved killing or injuring the most protected raptors in the nation in the name of pursuing more green energy.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/wind-farms-that-kill-bald-eagles-are-now-protected-from-prosecution/
However, even the Audubon Society backs wind energy projects that are sited to eliminate or at best minimize avian strike incidents.
We have no idea as to the volume of the wind resources on Sky Valley ridge because they’ve never been measured. I’ve been up there and you can lean into the wind stream and just hang there for a while. We do not have current data on avian populations that may or not be in the area.
The first step of a wind energy project is to measure the resource. If we are going to partner with NRG Energy Center, it should be to install the meteorological towers on both our properties North of Lake Herman Road. Knowing the volume and speed of the wind over a year’s time or so could be extrapolated into kilowatt- hours of production for a given turbine size, times a value per kilowatt-hour. This can be compared to what we pay now for a year’s worth of electricity from PG&E.
Real time data could be linked to classrooms and available at the Benicia web page.
I believe the political leadership and CSC have fallen short on their efforts to promote sustainability without examining all the potentials for future energy production. We are out of land for a utility-scale solar project, that leaves only wind and hydro power.
Thomas Petersen says
The argument regarding the aesthetics of wind generators is also a bit anemic. Many folks, including myself, think they look great.
John says
A couple of comments. I remember the proposal a few years back to site a wind mill farm offshore from Cape Cod. Generated quite a bit of uproar from BIG backers of wind energy, just not in their backyard.
Second point – is it possible that the CSC cannot get enough attention because the vast majority of the citizens of Benicia do not care, like, agree with their mandate? It sounds to me like “attention” has been used in place of “make you do what we want”
Thomas Petersen says
I don’t know if this is directed at me. If so, I fail to see the relevance to what I have stated.
DDL says
Good information, Stan Thank you. It does appear to match information supplied previously.
There are more current wind turbine designs which are more ‘bird friendly’ than those used in the past. It is important that new and developing technology be applied equally to all industries, that is what BAT (Best Available Technology) is all about. I am sure that you would concur that the laws should apply equally to all.
Unfortunately, that appears to not be the case, as the killing of birds, including Bald Eagles is permissible for some industries, but not others. The number of deaths is not relevant to the legal principle in question.
Here are a couple of articles you may find of interest:
American Bird Conservancy Sues Feds Over 30-Year Eagle Kill Rule
Obama administration says some firms can kill eagles to spur green energy investment. (sub headline from USA Today)
Bob livesay says
I have looked at these things for over 50 years. Thhey are ugly. Find natural gas and drill for it. I love the look of those horses. What a pretty picture they make.
Bob livesay says
The CSC has a big identity issue. I am not against the Climate Action Plan. I am against their authoritarian and condesending attitude. I was against the close to 200 thou that has been given to the CSC for A co-ordinator at first. I would now support the City taking on that responsibility bec ause of one thing and one thing only. I do believe Alex has done an outstanding job of presenting goals and issues. I f she can remain the co-ordinator or clone someone I would be for the continuation of this job. I do believe it has worked and keeps the CSC members out of the city’s hair with their constant requests. The co-ordinator can put those requests in order and get all the answers in a very timely manor. If that does not happen I would say combine CSC with Econ Dev and move forward with assignments completely controlled by the Econ Dev. I think the CSC must step back and look to improve their image. I see the problem as that they do not see the problem. They appear to get the feeling that this was the Mayors major and only accomplishment so it gives them clout. Not so. Continue on your present path and I do believe you will see very little support from the coincil. Let the co-ordinator carry the ball and let the CSC just act as they should. Just a commission/committee with no authority. Alex is a valuable asset. Use that asset.
Stan Golovich says
Here is an interesting article about Texas oil barons transitioning to wind and solar, using existing derricks and platforms to mount turbines and start making $$$.
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/story?id=7063769&page=1
DDL says
From the linked article: Later, a friend and eventual partner from New Mexico, a physicist, suggested using the wells to generate geothermal energy.
Interesting information, thank you.
Good for the Texas oilmen, nice to see them being creative and repurposing existing equipment. Wind energy certainly has a high probability, especially because the wind blows almost all the time on the west Texas border.
Geothermal though differs greatly, as you need the right set of circumstances (high temp ground water relatively close to the surface). This set of circumstances is relatively rare and isolated.
In California there are a few locations: The geysers above Calistoga, an area south of Mammoth and another area near Calexico and El Centro.
A leader in this field is an Israeli Company – Ormat, a company I have done business with for over 20 years.
Geothermal, may be renewable, but it is not cheap for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the high wear and tear on the groundwater pumps used. There are only two or three companies that make those pumps: Sulzer-Johnston and Goulds. Other tried and failed: Ingersoll Rand. Others will not even attempt to go after those pumps.
Ormat’s website has a map of their plants and you can see they are in pockets of areas with high geothermal activity:
Ormat Geothermal Projects
DDL says
From the linked article: Later, a friend and eventual partner from New Mexico, a physicist, suggested using the wells to generate geothermal energy.
Interesting information, thank you.
Good for the Texas oilmen, nice to see them being creative and repurposing existing equipment. Wind energy certainly has a high probability, especially because the wind blows almost all the time on the west Texas border, as Joe Ely tells us in song.
Geothermal though differs greatly, as you need the right set of circumstances (high temp ground water relatively close to the surface). This set of circumstances is relatively rare and isolated.
In California there are a few locations: The geysers above Calistoga, an area south of Mammoth and another area near Calexico and El Centro.
A leader in this field is an Israeli Company – Ormat, a company I have done business with for over 20 years.
Geothermal, may be renewable, but it is not cheap for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the high wear and tear on the groundwater pumps used. There are only two or three companies that make those pumps: Sulzer-Johnston and Goulds. Other tried and failed: Ingersoll Rand. Others will not even attempt to go after those pumps.
Ormat’s website has a map of their plants and you can see they are in pockets of areas with high geothermal activity:
http://www.ormat.com/global-project