Climate Action Task Force Discusses Solar Energy, Electric Cars By Staci Matlock The New Mexican Community solar power, electric vehicle charging stations and a Santa Fe-owned power company were all among the actions proposed by the city’s Climate Action Task Force and Mayor Javier Gonzales at a “climate summit” Monday at the Genoveva Chavez Community Center. About 100 people attended the gathering to hear proposals that the task force, the mayor and city staff hope to bring to the City Council for consideration in the next few months. “People were jazzed about moving the planning from the last few years into action,” Gonzales said. John Alejandro, the city’s renewable energy planner, said one goal in the next year is to identify places to install 22 solar electric vehicle charging stations around the city. Two will be rapid-charge stations capable of recharging an electric vehicle in less than half an hour, one at the Genoveva Chavez center and the other at the Railyard, Alejandro said. Four of the stations will be devoted to the city’s motor pool for administrative vehicles. Public Service Company of New Mexico is working with the city on the project. City officials hope the charging stations will encourage residents to buy electric vehicles and they could help the city with developing an electric vehicle car-sharing program. “Like Zipcar but with EVs [electric vehicles],” Gonzales said. “It is another way to put transportation in the hands of people who really need it.” Gonzales said shifting the city’s administrative fleet to electric vehicles will help reduce maintenance costs in the long run and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which scientists blame as the primary culprit behind climate change. Gonzales said the city is looking for every way possible to shift away from dependence on fossil fuels like gas and oil. City Councilor Peter Ives, who co-chairs the climate task force with former mayor David Coss, said Monday he will propose a resolution for the city to study options for creating its own power company. If the council approves the resolution, staff would be directed to study all the options for how Santa Fe could run its own electric utility, similar to the way the city currently manages its own water utility. Gonzales also will ask the council to consider hiring a contractor to develop a way that Santa Fe can promote community solar projects. Community solar allows people who rent or otherwise can’t put solar panels on their roofs to purchase space on a solar photovoltaic system that is tied to the electric grid but produces most of the power for their home or business. Alejandro and Gonzales said the city has discussed community solar with PNM for two years, but wants to move forward with projects regardless of the power company’s participation. The two believe low-wage earners and small businesses would benefit from community solar. Alejandro said another goal rolled out at Monday’s climate summit is to launch a pilot bike-share program similar to one used in several cities. “The Climate Action Task Force will continue to meet regularly to work on goals and report back to the community on an annual basis,” Alejandro said. He said the next climate summit will be held sometime in the spring to discuss ideas for food security, waste management and recycling. Contact Staci Matlock at 986-3055 or smatlock@sfnewmexican. Follow her on Twitter @stacimatlock.
Posted on: Tue, 04 Nov 2014 13:34:18 +0000
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