2020_01-28_PWETCpacket - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

Because these types of appliances are long-term investments (e.g. a new boiler can have a 20 to 30-year life - cycle), there are few opportunities within the 2040 timeframe to replace them with electric options. The shift to alternative fuels would need to begin to occur in the early 2020s and ramp up toward the end of the decade. A challenge to achieving widespread fuel switching is that in many cases natural gas is cheaper than electricity and it may not make economic sense for people to switch to electricity. However, there may be opportunities to combine fuel switching with solar energy systems and storage to minimize or eliminate the cost difference. Pathways to Deep Decarbonization - This report, completed by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and the Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI) examines the technical and economic feasibility of such a transition in the United States, evaluating the infrastructure and technology changes required to reduce U.S. GHG emissions in the year 2050 by 80% below 1990 levels, consistent with a global emissions trajectory that limits the anthropogenic increase in earth's mean surface temperature to less than 2°C. E. CARBON OFFSETS The city may wish to consider carbon offsets to meet its goals. Carbon offsets can include the purchase of renewable energy credits or the promise of carbon sequestration (i.e., the storing of carbon dioxide) through tree planting. The city has a goal to receive 100% of its energy from renewable sources by 2030; it may wish to expand that goal to produce more electricity than is consumed and set a goal to achieve 120% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030. The additional electricity can be used to offset travel emissions or natural gas consumption. Renewable Energy Credits can be purchased through utility programs or through a RECs broker. The city is planning to implement an aggressive tree planting project. The city can use iTree to inventory trees in its urban forest and calculate current and future carbon sequestration. F. EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES It is in an exciting time for advances in energy technologies. Tesla continues to advance the EV market, storage, and integrated rooftop solar. New companies start up with frequency and bring innovation to the market that can transform the way we use energy in impactful ways. The city should continue to be aware of technologies as they emerge, pilot innovations, and encourage further deployment. G. SCOPE 3 EMISSIONS Carbon accounting is measured across three categories of emissions which are referred to as "scopes'. Scope 1 emissions are those that occur within the boundary of a city. For example, all transportation emissions, industrial processes, or cooking with a gas range within a city are Scope 1. Scope 2 emissions include all grid - supplied energy. Electricity is used in homes and businesses, but the emissions are often outside a city's boundary at a centralized power plant. Scope 1 and 2 emissions are included in this plan. A consideration for the city in future, is to study its impact on Scope 3 emissions — indirect, out -of -boundary emissions — and determine if and how it wants to address them. These emissions include travel by residents and businesses