Energy Plan
Preserving the area’s natural resources is about more than just conserving. Cherry Hill must work to reduce the amount of energy it uses, and aim for greater provision of renewable energy. With enough ambition, the region can not only change usage habits, but it can become a national leader in green technologies, providing a strong base in green jobs that drives job growth and the local economy.
Energy Plan
Summary
Coupled with federal plans to construct a smarter and more efficient grid, private efforts to “green” buildings with energy-conserving infrastructure mix well into this plan’s strategy to increase opportunities to purchase renewable supplies. By introducing a complement of renewable energy options coupled with conservation initiatives in new construction, the development of this area can serve as a model for an innovative district energy plan, as well as a demonstration project for green industries—the results of which point to a forwardthinking and sustainable destination address that would put Cherry Hill on the energy innovation map.
OIL PLATFORMS
Plan recommendations aim to: • Implement an energy plan that acts as a model for state energy goals by achieving a 20 percent reduction of nonrenewable energy use. • Benefit the region’s economy by dovetailing reductions in energy costs with cutting-edge development technology. • Generate alternatives to finance infrastructure through market-driven strategies.
SOLAR PANEL INSTALLATION
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Energy Plan
Energy-efficient houses in Kent, England; “green jobs” of solar installation; energy-efficient mixed-use retrofit.
IMAGES (LEFT TO RIGHT):
Key Elements: Suburban Renewable
RENEWABLE TOWN CENTER
The major thrust of the comprehensive plan focuses on developing affordable housing options by building a dense “town center” favoring walkability and interconnectivity. The energy plan will underscore this initiative by ensuring that new construction in the area meets townshipapproved formulas that coincide with nationally recognized conservation guidelines and technologies. This section of the plan witnesses the formulation of a strategic partnership with Garden State Pavilions’ current owner. This partnership commits it and the township to a renewal program emphasizing energy efficiency.
DEPARTMENT OF RENEWABLE GROWTH
Taking pride in the Golden Triangle’s future coincides with building on behalf of it. Good schools require financial resources, nearly absent in the current fiscal situation. In concert with federal stimulus financing and state mandates to build affordable communities, the Golden Triangle should advocate for a local wind union designed to fiscally enhance the township’s education system.
Key Elements: Innovative Industrial
INVESTING IN LAND, PARTNERING WITH DEVELOPERS
This second phase establishes a new Department of Renewable Growth for Cherry Hill. Based upon a model developed in Berkley, Calif., this department will be responsible for capturing the various tax incentives and revolving loan incentives supplied by state and federal subsidies on behalf of Cherry Hill’s solar initiatives. As part of this new department’s responsibilities, staff will develop and secure debt financing for renewable investments described below. Finally, the new Department of Renewable Growth will secure agreements from office real estate lease-holders to purchase their energy from renewable supplies.
RENEWABLE ENERGY DISTRICT
This plan witnesses a renewed relationship with RecycleBank to oversee the construction and management of a recycling facility emphasizing organic waste. (Cities like San Antonio are now capturing recycling methane from the decomposition of human waste.) Cherry Hill’s own pilot program will produce revenue from its sale of natural gas derived the reuse of locally generated organic food waste. To achieve this, the township’s new department will facilitate the provision of RFPs, and also manage developer selection. Further bond applications will occur to purchase desirable land.
LEED-CERTIFIED INDUSTRIAL PLANT
In Philadelphia, public officials are looking to establish a renewable energy utility responsible for ensuring the creation and implementation of a citywide weatherization strategy. Our own plan takes advantage of exciting initiatives based in Berkeley, Calif. As a region, the Golden Triangle provides a laboratory for suburban renewable energy consistent with a sustainable agenda.
LEED-certified properties open the door to conservation of resources through the application of building techniques reducing a building’s energy demand. These cost reductions will continue to manifest as technology allows for greater savings. One purchaser of the natural gas provided by the Golden Triangle’s production will be the LEED-certified development built to house the industrial activity currently noncompliant with the zoning code. It will also allow for on-site burning of locally produced vegetable oil distributed by local restaurants through an on-site micro-turbine.
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Energy Plan
TABLE 1: GOLDEN TRIANGLE ENERGY CONSUMPTION
This table describes annual energy consumption within the Golden Triangle during 2009, and extrapolates growth within the region up to 2020. This plan’s proposed sustainable interventions, including energy conservation and the provision of renewable supplies, are described globally as “renewable supply.” All information is expressed in kilowatts.
TABLE 2: PUBLIC AND PRIVATE WIND PARTNERSHIP
This table briefly describes important financial inflows and outflows pertaining to the plan’s proposed wind partnership. See Table 3, next page.
CUTTING EDGE INFRASTRUCTURE AND MANUFACTURING COMPANIES
Clean World Technologies (CWT) tout the ability to transform industrial organic waste into a form of liquid carbon for use in hydrogen production. Unfortunately, this technology consumes an enormous amount of water. However, in concert with Xogen’s pilot technology responsible for the electrolysis of water, the proposed development will find financial efficiencies from CWT’s principle product, sustainably produced carbon.
Build on Successes
MOBILIZE CIVIC INTERESTS
Rising demand for renewables throughout the state mixes with local statements made by stakeholders for a public initiative favoring renewable energy options. The Golden Triangle can maintain its rooftop solar supply by ensuring that state and federal tax incentives remain in place, and incentivizing future installments by the township. New staff members will use their relationships with local constituents to foster broad support for ongoing provision of public assistance for solar installation. This will include petitions, charrettes and visitations to key state representatives to secure tax incentives for renewable infrastructure.
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Energy Plan
ESTABLISH AN ENERGY PARTNERSHIP
This union will behave as a public-private partnership with locally based corporations and regionally based energy developers. Utilizing new market tax credits, this phase will also link public bond financing and private equity investments with the developer’s operational acumen. This combination will inform the construction of a regionally based power plant deriving its energy from wind. In return for its own infusion of capital, the township will have access to financing for the region’s proposed school described as part of this comprehensive plan.
TABLE 3: PUBLIC-PRIVATE INVESTMENT
LONG ISLAND INVESTS IN WIND
In January of 2003, Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) issued an RFP in search of development proposals to build, own and operate an offshore wind park. Located southwest of Robert Moses State Park, the selected developer, FPL Energy, won the contract to develop a 403.6-megawatt wind park. LIPA plans to enter into a long-term purchase agreement for the electricity generated by this 100 percent pollution-free power source. At a cost of nearly $1 billion, the project will allow for the construction of 300 turbines generating 1.5 megawatts each.
The Golden Triangle’s energy plan includes orchestrating a relationship between the township’s proposed Department of Renewable Growth and a regional wind developer. This table outlines the resulting investment. Following the project’s public-bond repayment, the proposed wind farm provides a positive return. Discounted at 15 percent, it nets a present value of $6,926, and provides a return of 10.25 percent.
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