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 forward-
thinking and sustainable destination address that would
put Cherry Hill on the energy innovation map.
Plan recommendations aim to:
OIL PLATFORMS
• 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
IMAGES (LEFT TO RIGHT):
Energy-efficient houses in Kent,
England; “green jobs” of solar
installation; energy-efficient
mixed-use retrofit.
Key Elements: Suburban Renewable Taking pride in the Golden Triangle’s future coincides
with building on behalf of it. Good schools require
RENEWABLE TOWN CENTER financial resources, nearly absent in the current fiscal
The major thrust of the comprehensive plan focuses on situation. In concert with federal stimulus financing
developing affordable housing options by building a dense and state mandates to build affordable communities, the
“town center” favoring walkability and interconnectivity. Golden Triangle should advocate for a local wind union
The energy plan will underscore this initiative by ensuring designed to fiscally enhance the township’s education
that new construction in the area meets township- system.
approved formulas that coincide with nationally
recognized conservation guidelines and technologies. This
section of the plan witnesses the formulation of a strategic Key Elements: Innovative Industrial
partnership with Garden State Pavilions’ current owner. INVESTING IN LAND, PARTNERING WITH DEVELOPERS
This partnership commits it and the township to a renewal This plan witnesses a renewed relationship with
program emphasizing energy efficiency. RecycleBank to oversee the construction and management
DEPARTMENT OF RENEWABLE GROWTH of a recycling facility emphasizing organic waste. (Cities
This second phase establishes a new Department of like San Antonio are now capturing recycling methane
Renewable Growth for Cherry Hill. Based upon a model from the decomposition of human waste.) Cherry Hill’s
developed in Berkley, Calif., this department will be own pilot program will produce revenue from its sale
responsible for capturing the various tax incentives and of natural gas derived the reuse of locally generated
revolving loan incentives supplied by state and federal organic food waste. To achieve this, the township’s new
subsidies on behalf of Cherry Hill’s solar initiatives. department will facilitate the provision of RFPs, and also
As part of this new department’s responsibilities, staff manage developer selection. Further bond applications
will develop and secure debt financing for renewable will occur to purchase desirable land.
investments described below. Finally, the new Department LEED-CERTIFIED INDUSTRIAL PLANT
of Renewable Growth will secure agreements from office LEED-certified properties open the door to conservation
real estate lease-holders to purchase their energy from of resources through the application of building
renewable supplies. techniques reducing a building’s energy demand. These
RENEWABLE ENERGY DISTRICT cost reductions will continue to manifest as technology
In Philadelphia, public officials are looking to establish allows for greater savings. One purchaser of the natural
a renewable energy utility responsible for ensuring the gas provided by the Golden Triangle’s production will
creation and implementation of a citywide weatherization be the LEED-certified development built to house the
strategy. Our own plan takes advantage of exciting industrial activity currently noncompliant with the zoning
initiatives based in Berkeley, Calif. As a region, the code. It will also allow for on-site burning of locally
Golden Triangle provides a laboratory for suburban produced vegetable oil distributed by local restaurants
renewable energy consistent with a sustainable agenda. through an on-site micro-turbine.
University of Pennsylvania, Department of City & Regional Planning 59
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
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,
LONG ISLAND INVESTS IN WIND it nets a present value of $6,926, and provides a return of 10.25 percent.
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.
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