What are the Challenges and Opportunities for Truro?
Anyone who stops at the gas pump knows that energy rates have been rising. In the past 6 years, the price of gas at the pump has risen 10% per year on the average. And Truro's energy costs have been rising right along with the rates.
In 2009 we spent $311,000 on municipal energy costs. It's the town's 3rd largest expense category. About half that energy cost was for electricity. Over the next 15 years we expect the town's electric costs to rise from $150,000 per year to over $250,000 per year. Over that 15-year period we will pay over $3,000,000 for electricity! And that will pose a challenge to keeping Truro affordable.
In 2010 we made a dent in that cost growth and cut 13% of the school's electric bill by installing solar panels on the gym roof. That's a good start for sure.
There is only one challenge we now face as to why we can't do that year after year and ELIMINATE Truro's electicity cost -- it takes money up front to buy the panels. If we could find the money to install more panels on town property, we could save most of that $3,000,000 we are going to pay otherwise.
Fortunately, now Truro has an opportunity to receive significant grant money from the State by qualifying as a “Green Community.” We expect grants of at least $125,00 per year that can be used to reduce our energy costs and help our tax rate. That helps keep Truro affordable for everyone who lives and works here.
What Do We Need To Do To Qualify?
To qualify, the Board of Selectmen, Town Staff, and the Energy Committee have some work to do on an application; plus we, as townspeople, need to adopt some new bylaws:
| - | Zone the Transfer Station to permit putting solar panels on the capped landfill. This will give us an ideal space to economically produce our own electricity. Two acres of solar panels will power the entire town's municipal electrical needs! |
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| - | Adopt the “Stretch” Energy Building code a year before it will be mandated by the State. This will make all new residential construction 20% more energy efficient and that much more affordable for the homeowner, especially as energy rates continue to rise. |
These will be voted on at the Annual Town Meeting in April.
To learn more about these, click on any of the links below:
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To watch a video of the Energy Committee presentation to the Board of Selectmen on this subject, just click on the video image at the left. |
If you have any questions, please email them to truroenergy@gmail.com.