How do you switch to green energy without anyone noticing? Bay City can answer that question.
For several years, Bay City Electric Light & Power has been exceeding state expectations for changing over to renewable energy sources.
Adam Webster, Director of Bay City Electric Light & Power, says the current standards call for 15% of the city’s electricity to come from renewal sources. Bay City is ahead of the game, already producing 24% of its electricity from renewable sources.
“Bay City has always been a leader in innovation, and our commitment to renewable energy is no exception,” says Bay City Mayor Christopher Girard.
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Photo courtesy of Bay City Electric Light & Power“By investing in sustainable energy now, we’re ensuring a cleaner, more cost-effective future for our residents while setting an example for communities across Michigan.”
Now, the city is working on meeting the state’s next deadlines. Legislation enacted in November requires cities to produce 50% of their electricity from renewable resources by 2034. The number increases to 60% by 2035.
“We're looking at future renewable projects down the road,” Webster says. “We don't necessarily have to be at 50% until 2030, but we're going to start chipping away to get to that point.”
Webster says by negotiating now, the city can get better prices per megawatt hour.
“We're able to go in now and get a much more competitive price that would be very equal to, in some cases even lower than, coal prices.”
What does that mean to the 21,000 residents of Bay City connected to the electric utility? Webster says customers probably won’t even notice the changes.
“We buy small percentages out so that we're hedging them instead of buying large chunks all at once. But the consumer, they're not going to notice anything on their bill. It's just all built-in and one thing they don't have to worry about,” Webster says.
Keeping rates low is part of the mission of the utility. The
city website explains it this way: “As a municipal utility, BCELP is a not for profit public service organization. Our success is measured by how much money stays in the community through lower rates, energy waste reduction programs, and utility services contributing to the city rather than by how much money goes out as profit to shareholders.”
Where does the renewable energy come from?
Bay City’s renewable energy comes from a handful of sources that local residents likely don’t see.
For example, Webster says the city portfolio includes resources such as landfill gas.
“Basically, junk piles – there’s a certain amount of gas that comes out of the ground that they can turn into renewable energy.”
There also are two landfills, two solar farms, and two wind farms, Webster says.
“We’re always looking for new opportunities. We’ve been looking at battery energy to see if there’s a possibility to store energy from some of these renewables.”
Having a storage facility for energy would compensate for the loss of energy at night and times when there is no wind.
“Obviously with the solar in the middle of the night, it's going to be awful difficult to get any light and have them do anything. So if we can charge those during the day, then we can use that capacity at night as well because we could just expel them at that point.”
How can households save on energy costs?
Webster praises local customers for doing their part and using less energy than the national average. A typical home in Bay City uses about 576 kilowatt hours per month, compared to the national average of 899 kilowatt hours, he says.
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Graphic courtesy of Bay City Electric Light & PowerStill, most of us could reduce our usage further without making big sacrifices.
For example, do you leave electronics plugged in when they’re not in use? Devices such as televisions, computers, and other electronics draw a small amount of electricity, even when they’re turned off.
“What we recommend is you get those surge suppressors powered by a remote,” Webster says. “When you turn them off with the remote it disconnects the TV, the TiVo, or any of the other appliances that are attached to it. Then, it doesn't allow that (device) to sip that energy that's there.”
Webster also suggests covering windows, especially in the winter. Blinds or curtains help block heat loss.
Changing the direction of ceiling fans forces hot air up or down, depending upon the season. Set fan to spin clockwise in the winter to create an updraft and move warm air around the room. Change fans in the summer to spin counterclockwise, which creates a downdraft and feels cooler.
Adding smart thermostats, such as the Nest, that sense when you’re home and raises or lowers the temperature accordingly will also make a difference, he says.
Bay City Electric also offers to send technicians into customer homes for free energy checkups.
“They’ll bring thermal cameras and look at everything in your house. They’ll look for drafts and they’ll give you recommendations on what you can do to help with your energy costs,” Webster says.
While the technician is checking for energy leaks, Webster says they may help with minor fixes.
“They’ll give you some LED lighting and if there's any exposed hot water pipes, they'll get some wrap to put around them.”
They’ll find other ways to save you money, too, Webster says.
“They look at the water side of it as well. They'll install faucet aerators and efficient shower heads if necessary. If that water heater doesn't have to run as much, that's going to save you, whether that be on your gas bill or your electric bill.”
For more information about the free Home Energy Check-Up Program or to schedule an appointment, visit www.BayCityEnergySmart.org