Munis. “Munis” are municipal utilities providing electric power – and sometimes gas – to a specific city. Sometimes known as Municipal Light Plants (MLPs). It may be operated as a City department, or by a separate elected or appointed board. If your city has a muni, then read this section. If not, then skip over it to the next.
1. Cities and their munis should work together to identify the most promising sources of clean renewable energy. The muni of the Town of Concord MA is a good example. It is committed to 100% carbon-free electricity by 2030. CMLP has been decarbonizing its power supply by purchasing renewable power from developers in MA, NH, CT and ME, and by purchasing RECs (Renewable Energy Certificates). In 2021 approximately 84% of CMLP’s electricity sales came from non carbon-emitting sources. It also offers a wide range of rebate programs to help its customers offset the cost of improvements such as weatherization, high-efficiency lighting, rooftop solar pv, heat pumps for heating, cooling and hot water, purchases of EVs, and home EV charging systems.
2. MLPs that have not yet already done so should adopt a Power Supply Policy (PSP). A PSP is an effective means of integrating clean and non-emitting resources into long-term planning. Such policies are a transparent way to establish clean energy mix goals, outline a REC retirement schedule, and provide a clear process for public input on revising and updating emissions reduction targets. See the PSP of the Belmont MA MLP “Power Supply Policy” www.belmontlight.com
3. Munis should further decarbonize their grids by using battery storage to enable increased integration of renewable energy technologies. “1st Tesla Megapack Deployed in NYC, Nine Dot Launches Community-scale Bronx Battery Energy Storage Site” www.cleantechnica.com 8/13/22
4. Munis should enter into Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with large-scale solar power developers, purchasing power at a wholesale rate. “Power Purchase Agreements for Small to Medium Municipalities” www.communityenergyinc.com/munippas and “RMI Sees Potential to De-risk Municipal Power Acquisition in PPAs” www.utilitydive.com 3/30/21.
5. Munis should encourage, and participate actively in the development of community-shared solar, or solar gardens, as they are sometimes termed. These are intended to benefit home and business owners who desire to utilize solar energy but whose own properties are not suitable candidates for on-site solar. See Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) www.smud.org/en/Going-Green/Community-Solar
6. Munis can offer Performance-Based Incentives to solar system owners. “The Role of Municipal Utilities in Driving Solar Development” www.slideshare.net
7. Munis should offer generous rebate and/or cash incentives to customers who purchase and install solar energy systems, both pv and thermal. “Cities That Have Policies or Programs That Help Citizens and Businesses Choose Renewable Electricity Options” www.usmayors.org
8. City-owned electric utilities should look into creating Virtual Power Plants (VPPs). Do this by encouraging and financially assisting residents, businesses, institutions, etc. to install batteries on their individual premises, or both solar pv and batteries. “Virtual Power Plant – How to Network Distributed Energy Resources” www.next-kraftwerke.com/vpp/virtual-power-plant and “Northeast Embraces First-of-a-kind Virtual Power Plant” www.eenews.net 10/12/22. Also, the state of Hawaii’s Battery Bonus (BB) program could be used as a model for something similar by munis. BB compensates individual solar-plus-battery owners for being in the business of supplying the power grid on an as-needed basis. “Hawaii is Paying Home Battery Owners to Help the Grid” www.canarymedia.com 10/6/22.
9. Another VPP model at the state level that could be adapted by a muni is Vermont’s Green Mountain Power VPP. “This Utility Keeps Customers Cool During Heat Waves, While Saving Them Money” www.canarymedia.com 8/11/22 and “The Power Grid Explained – Plus Demand Response, Virtual Power Plants and More” www.canarymedia.com 6/2/22.
10. A muni can continue to research and identify beneficial climate actions that have been carried out by cities having munis, at Utility Dive www.utilitydive.com and at the website of the American Public Power Association” www.publicpower.org.
11. Municipal utilities should offer “time of use” electricity pricing that will allow EV owners, as well as homes and other buildings containing battery storage, to receive lower rates for EV and on-premises battery charging during off-peak hours.
