The ACC Library just lately celebrated the set up of a brand new photo voltaic array that may energy a big a part of their electrical energy wants yearly. The brand new photo voltaic panels will save not less than $25,000 yearly by decreasing energy payments and can stop the emission of 100 tons of carbon into the ambiance yearly.
This photo voltaic mission is considered one of many on the best way because the native authorities continues alongside the trail to 100% clear and renewable power by 2035.
The ACC Fee dedicated itself to this bold aim six years in the past once they handed the 100% Clear and Renewable Vitality decision on the request of 100% Athens, an area environmental group. These identical environmentalists efficiently advocated for practically $16 million in SPLOST 2020 for renewable power and one other $8.5 million in TSPLOST 2023, making certain that Athens has a funding supply to make these clear power objectives a actuality.
Since then, the ACC authorities has began transitioning their fleet to hybrid and electrical automobiles, they’ve up to date their sustainability coverage to make sure that all future authorities buildings are solar-ready, they’ve carried out power audits to seek out methods to enhance effectivity and so they’ve put in quite a few photo voltaic arrays like these on the ACC Library and the Akins Ford Enviornment.
Memorial Park is the subsequent authorities constructing in line to obtain photo voltaic panels. It will likely be adopted shortly by the Costa constructing in downtown Athens which ought to be prepared for a photo voltaic dedication ceremony in Could or June, in response to ACC Sustainability Director Mike Wharton. In future years, the brand new eastside public library will even have a photo voltaic array. In reality, will probably be designed from the bottom as much as get as near web zero carbon emissions as potential.
Commissioner Carol Myers, who was a co-chair of 100% Athens earlier than she grew to become a commissioner, instructed APN that she’s pleased with the progress the native authorities has made on this situation prior to now six years.
“We’re forward of the curve by far, even in comparison with different progressive cities, due to the cash we put in SPLOST 2020 and TSPLOST 2023,” Myers mentioned. “It’s good ethically, for the atmosphere nevertheless it’s additionally good for our pocketbooks.”
Commissioners just lately voted to spend $3.3 million from TSPLOST 2023 to buy 42 electrical automobiles and 36 charging stations. That’s sufficient to make 38 % of the native authorities’s mild car fleet both fully-electric or hybrid-electric.
Whereas electrical automobiles are about $1,000 dearer on common than their gasoline-powered counterparts even after factoring in rebates and incentives, they’ll every save about $850 a 12 months in gas prices, in response to Myers. Even so, the older fuel automobiles will probably be changed with electrical variations solely once they come to the tip of their lifecycle, one thing which Myers feels is a crucial level
“The factor with our renewable power spending, it’s not like we’re spending it on issues that don’t need to exist. We’re spending it on county automobiles, buses, heating and air techniques, insulation and energy sources for our buildings. These are all essential capital tasks that need to occur, whether or not or not they use renewable power or fossil fuels that contribute to local weather change, are dearer and have an effect on my grandchildren’s future,” Myers mentioned.
Commissioners Tiffany Taylor, Dexter Fisher and Stephanie Johnson voted towards shopping for the electrical automobiles though the acquisition was already paid for and authorised by the group within the TSPLOST referendum. Fisher defined his vote by saying that he anxious the federal authorities and the nation as a complete is perhaps shifting away from clear power after the election of President Donald Trump.
“I’m simply leery in regards to the [political] local weather proper now for electrical automobiles, what path it’s taking place. I’d hate for us someplace down the highway to get this stuff and get caught with them and never have any use for them,” Fisher mentioned.
Whereas most of his colleagues didn’t share this concern, there may be cause to imagine that Trump will make Athens’ clear power transition tougher.
On his first day in workplace, Trump eliminated the US from the Paris Local weather Settlement and froze funding that President Joe Biden had meant for renewable power. This included a $5 million grant Athens had obtained to buy one other 58 electrical car chargers, cash that’s now “held up within the black gap of the federal authorities,” in response to Wharton.
Whereas political winds could also be shifting away from renewable power and electrical automobiles on the federal stage, Cary Ritzler, one of many co-chairs of the 100% Athens Clear and Renewable Vitality Initiative, instructed APN that the 2019 decision was handed beneath very comparable circumstances.
“This initiative was developed beneath the primary Trump administration earlier than there was any discuss of what grew to become the Inflation Discount Act, which was the federal coverage that supported grants for electrical automobiles and charging stations. This plan was established for the native authorities,” Rizler burdened.
The ACC authorities spends over $6 million a 12 months on power, in response to Wharton, whereas Athens as a complete spends practically $500 million yearly in power prices, in response to the US Vitality Data Administration.
“If we are able to cut back these prices, that’s cash that goes straight again into our group,” Rizler mentioned. “The change within the federal administration doesn’t change the explanations for doing this.”
Whereas Georgia lags behind most different states when it comes to renewable electrical energy, each political events right here have burdened the financial significance of fresh power extra typically. Below the management of Governor Brian Kemp, a Republican, Georgia has grow to be one of many high electrical car producers within the nation. Electrical SUV producer Rivian will break floor on a brand new electrical car manufacturing facility close to Social Circle subsequent 12 months which is able to present 7,500 clear power jobs.
Georgia’s electrical grid continues to be powered primarily by fossil fuels nevertheless it has been rising slowly cleaner and extra renewable over time. The US Energy Data Administration lists Georgia’s grid as having been 12% renewable final 12 months, though 3% of this comes from biomass power, which the ACC authorities doesn’t think about clear.
After ending its photo voltaic installations this 12 months, the ACC authorities will produce about 8 or 9 % of its electrical energy in-house by solar energy, in response to Wharton. Meaning Athens can declare that about 17% of its electrical energy is each clear and renewable by subsequent 12 months.
That’s a big milestone, however removed from the aim of 100% by 2035 which is just ten years away.
Regardless of its greatest efforts, the native authorities might not obtain the bold power aim it has set for itself. Nonetheless, Ritzler feels that each step we take in direction of 100% clear and renewable power is helpful each regionally and globally, whether or not we attain the aim by 2035 or not.
“The nearer we get to 100%, the cleaner our air will get, the more cash we save and the much less carbon we emit,” Ritzler mentioned. “The stakes of failure as a rustic and as a world to deal with local weather change are extra dire than any of us need to face. I’ve family and friends in Asheville, NC who suffered excessive devastation from Hurricane Helene [which was made more intense due to climate change]. We’re fortunate in Athens, the hurricane missed us by a number of miles. We received’t all the time be fortunate. It’s my perception that something we are able to do to scale back emissions and protect a livable future is value it.”
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