Energy
Energy is a broad term used to describe what powers our daily lives, from fuel in a car to electricity for turning on lights and appliances. Electricity end users are usually classified into residential, commercial, and industrial use. Most commercial energy uses HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) (25%) and lighting (10%). Residential energy use mostly consists of heating and cooling (31%) and water heating (12%).
Current Projects
Green Power Partners
Broomfield purchases blocks of renewable energy from United Power through the Green Power Partners program to offset municipal energy loads.
Energy Performance Contracting
Through the Colorado Energy Office, the City and County of Broomfield is engaged in an investment-grade audit of CCOB buildings and facilities. This is part of an Energy Performance Contract (EPC) project that can identify and finance upgrades and retrofits that lead to energy and cost savings.
Partners in Energy
The City and County of Broomfield have been selected to participate in Xcel Energy’s Partners in Energy. Working in this program, the City and County is educating residents and businesses on how to make energy efficiency upgrades that will save constituents money on their utility bill.
Broomfield Solar Co-Op
Later this year, the City and County of Broomfield will be launching a Broomfield Solar Co-Op which will provide an opportunity for a group of residents to install rooftop solar. This will be an education and outreach campaign aimed to drive community interest in going solar.
Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency is an important tool in reducing GHG emissions because it reduces the overall amount of energy needed to power homes and businesses. Energy can include electricity, but it also includes natural gas and other fuels needed to power equipment and appliances like water heaters and stoves. In addition to GHG reduction, energy efficiency has economic, utility, and resilience benefits.
Energy efficiency can be achieved through behavioral changes and physical equipment upgrades. Behavioral changes include turning off lights in empty rooms and unplugging electronics when not in use (as these items still consume a small amount of energy even when not being used). Physical equipment, such as a programmable thermostat and efficient appliances, can help residents and businesses lower their energy consumption. Rebates and incentives are often available for energy efficient appliances. These types of retrofits may have a higher upfront cost but prove to have the most long-term savings and are often needed as replacements.
Renewable Energy
Renewable energy is any energy source that can be replenished over a human lifetime. The two most common renewable energy sources in Colorado are wind and solar. Other forms of renewable energy include geothermal, water (hydropower and tidal power). Wind and solar are intermittent, and typically produce electricity about half of the time and cannot be dispatched on command. Energy storage can help mitigate energy demand. Battery storage is a growing form of energy storage.
Consumers can purchase renewable energy certificates (RECs) to certify that their energy usage is generated by renewable energy sources. This method encourages the development of renewable energy systems due to proven market demand and revenue generated from RECs. The most successful implementation of RECs is a mixture of purchasing RECs and direct investment in clean energy technologies.
Electrification
Electrification refers to the process of replacing technologies that use fossil fuels with those that use electricity as a source of energy instead. The terms “building electrification'', “beneficial electrification,” and “building decarbonization” all describe shifting the source of energy used for heating and cooling in a building from fossil fuels to electricity.
As the grid becomes “greener” the benefits of electrification capitalize on a cleaner grid. According to Xcel Energy’s Carbon Reduction Plan, Xcel Energy plans to reduce carbon emissions by 80% by 2030 (compared to 2005 levels) and provide customers with electricity from 80% renewable sources. The goal of electrification is for all buildings to be powered by solar, wind, and other sources of zero-carbon electricity.
Benefits of Reducing Energy Use
Increasing energy efficiency and renewable energy production not only benefits the environment, it can also have many health, workforce, equity, and economic benefits. GHG emissions and use of gas and other chemicals in the home coincide with the release of chemicals into the air (including carcinogen benzene, nitrous oxide, etc.) which can cause cardiac and respiratory problems, especially in vulnerable populations like children and the elderly. Sustainable energy use can reduce one’s annual energy bill and contribute to economic vitality through the creation of new jobs and the support of local businesses. Sustainable energy use expands opportunities across multiple sectors and improves human health and wellbeing.
Recommended Energy Policies and Programs
As laid out in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan presented to the City Council by ACES and the Sustainability staff in 2022, the recommended high impact strategies to reduce energy consumption in the community are the following: