[Neighbors] Tonight at City Council: Can ABQ become a solar city? (hint: yes)

[City Councilor Pat Davis via Neighbors_nobhill-nm]

Nob Hill Neighbors -- 

If you've been following my email updates or the news, you know that Councilor Benton and I introduced a resolution last spring that would require the City to generate more of our energy from renewable sources.

To do that work we needed to know how much we spend on energy in the City and how much it would cost to retrofit for a cleaner and more balanced energy load.  Our staff went to work this summer to find out. Working with Consolidated Solar Technologies of Albuquerque (CST), a solar energy firm which has been contracted by DMD to provide an analysis of existing City facilities that could be retrofitted with solar technology, as well as with RBC Capital Markets, the City’s financial advisor, which prepared the attached financing model, here's what we found:

  - The City of Albuquerque uses 131,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of energy a year (!) - but just 2.98% comes from renewable sources
  - At least 38 city facilities could be retrofitted for solar to generate 25% of our energy from solar and renewables


So how do we do it?

It will cost $45 million to retrofit those facilities. While that sounds like a lot, federal programs and finance options make them much more affordable than most city building projects and we can pay for it from the savings in the City's electrical bill.

The bottom line: we can be a cleaner city and save taxpayers money.
This is a BIG DEAL for building a clean city and I'm excited for you to see the full presentation on what we found and how we do it.

Join us tonight at the City Council meeting at 5pm (or watch at home on GOV TV-Comcast 27) to hear from the experts.

- Pat




A few other quick notes:

Projects underway:

Silver Avenue Improvements through Nob Hill <https://www.cabq.gov/council/find-your-councilor/district-6/projects-special-initiatives/silver-avenue-bicycle-boulevard-improvements>

  - BetterBurque.org: Actual, Bona Fide Good News in a Media Plague Year: Silver Ave. Bike Boulevard <https://betterburque.org/2016/07/18/actual-bona-fide-good-news-in-a-media-plague-year-silver-ave-bike-boulevard/>



COMING SOON: Girard Blvd. Improvements for Bicycle Lanes and Complete Streets <http://www.cabq.gov/council/projects/neighborhood-projects/girard-boulevard-complete-streets-master-plan/girard-boulevard-complete-streets-master-plan>

East Central is seeing some big developments, but what's happening with the Desert Sands hotel after those summer fires? I talked to Aaron Drawhorn at KRQE about next steps for that big property.  KRQE Story <http://krqe.com/2016/09/13/safe-city-strike-force-takes-control-of-desert-sands-motel/>







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Patrick Davis for ABQ - 3926 Simms Ave SE, Albuquerque, NM 87108, United States 
This email was sent to neighbors_nobhill-nm at mailman.swcp.com.  To stop receiving emails: http://www.patforabq.com/unsubscribe
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