Action Plan - FCM

Town of Banff Local Action Plan
Development Tasks would likely require allocation of 20% of a full-time manager position for two
Costs:
month period (at an approximate cost of $2000) (Low).
On-going/ In the short term, any purchases of green power would be approximately twice the price
Operational of non-green power. The price premium will decrease as the demand and production of
Costs:
green power increases. (High)
A negligible investment of staff time would be required for ongoing reporting of costs
and benefits. (Low)
Pay-back: The Town would be eligible for GHG emission reduction credits (ERCs) as a result of
this initiative. The details of emissions trading systems are currently being defined,
however an ERC is currently valued at about $10 per tonne of GHG. Thus by 2006, the
Town would be eligible for nearly $6000 in credits by converting 10% of its electricity
purchases to green power. If green power premiums are still at current levels by 2006,
the additional costs of purchasing this green power would be about $18,000.
GHG emission High: By 2006, green power purchases would result in an annual reduction of nearly 570
reduction tonnes of GHG emissions from municipal operations and by 640 tonnes in 2010.
potential:
Other Benefits: • The Town's contribution to air quality concerns relating to fossil fuel based
electricity will be reduced.
• The Town will support development of renewable power business in Alberta.
Funding
Opportunities:
Further
Information/
Case Studies:
There are no direct funding opportunities. Indirectly, though, the energy service provider
can obtain funding from various government programs in the development of green
power sources, which would then be reflected in lower green power premiums.
In addition, energy retrofits and energy savings conducted in municipal operations should
offset increased electricity costs from purchasing the green power. Therefore the total
municipal energy bills for electricity should not be significantly higher than they are now.
• A detailed list of renewable power projects in Alberta is available at:
www.climatechangecentral.com/alternative_energy/alt_alberta_actions.html
• The Alberta offices of Environment Canada and Natural Resources Canada became the
first institutional purchasers of 100% green electricity in Canada in 1997. (see:
www.foecanada.org/greenenergy/ge_buyersguide_chap2.htm)
• In 2001 the City of Calgary launched Ride the Wind! And Calgary’s C-Train became the
first wind-powered public transit system in North America. (see:
www.calgarytransit.com/environment/environment.html)
• In 2002, Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise began to purchase enough EcoLogo certified
green power to supply 40% of the hotel’s power requirements. (see: www.ewirenews.com/index.cfm?temp=archivedetail&D=0502
(May 2, 2002))
• The City of Aspen, Town of Vail, and Snowmass Village in Colorado all purchase a
portion of their electricity from green energy. For example, 5% the Town of Vail's energy
purchases are wind power. (see: web.vail.net/peep/news.cfm?id=18#article)
• For further information, see the Friends of the Environment (Canada) website, which
includes a Green Electricity Buyer’s Guide at
www.foecanada.org/greenenergy/ge_buyersguide_home.htm
The Sheltair Group Page
Sept 2003
64