What it means to go green

Changing this unfortunate pattern is rooted in the political system, said several audience members. “We need to push for fair elections,” said audience member Toni Weidenbacher. “We should be taxed to do something right rather than taxed for something wrong.”

Audience member Jay Wenk brought up the subject of bird kills from the spinning turbine blades of wind farms and asked whether improvements in the design of the turbines has reduced the killing of birds. The Viridian reps couldn’t comment, but Georgia Asher, also in the audience, noted that a wind farm in California paid a $1 million fine for killing birds and a new ruling in California required it to be relocated off the migratory flyway. “The fossil fuel industry is exaggerating the bird deaths,” she said.

50 percent by 2050

There are several regional and local initiatives for more use of renewable energy: the Mid Hudson Valley Renewal Energy Sustainability Plan has established a tiered set of goals in reducing reliance on fossil fuels: 15 percent of energy obtained from renewables by 2020, 30 percent by 2025 and 50 percent by 2050. In addition, Ulster County has signed the Climate Smart Pledge, which aims to reduce electrical power consumption by 10 percent in 2014 compared to the 2011 level.

“Many communities have taken the pledge, and we’d like Woodstock to do so,” Nolan said. “Reducing your energy consumption is the easiest step, followed by where you get energy.”

Woodstock NY Transition, a group of volunteers represented at the meeting by Kirk Ritchey, has set a goal of reducing the town’s energy use by 10 percent. “In early February, we’ll invite representatives from three organizations to introduce us to the programs to achieve this,” he said. “We’re working with them and the town government to introduce the idea at neighborhood meetings.”

Strnadora noted that a number of Hudson Valley communities, including Hudson, Rhinebeck, Wappinger Falls and Beacon, have purchased Viridian’s renewable energy for their municipal needs, and she encouraged Woodstock to do the same, noting the town had 36 Central Hudson accounts. Addressing the desire voiced by many in the audience not to use fracked natural gas, she also said that Viridian is “setting up a fund for responsible natural gas extraction. While we sell [natural gas], Viridian is against fracking.” (A search of the company’s website revealed it does offer a natural gas option.)

Woodstock Town Board member Ken Panza said after the meeting the town is undergoing a feasibility study for replacing its streetlights, which consume 70,000 kw a year, with energy-efficient LED lights, which would reduce the kilo-wattage by half.

The problem is “LED is very expensive. By switching to wind, we would get a reduction in the cost and be fossil free,” he said. As it is, 24 percent of the electricity on the current Central Hudson bill already consists of emissions-free energy (mainly hydro and nuclear).

24.5 billion pounds of carbon reductions

Acknowledging that switching to a Green ESCO was just “one piece” — two others are improving the insulation of one’s home through programs offered by NYSERDA and Energize New York and/or installing an alternative energy system such as solar or solar thermal panels — Nolan said she herself had signed up for 100 percent wind from Viridian nearly two years ago and was “thrilled to have it.”

Since she relies on electric heat, the move reduced the carbon footprint of her home to zero. Nolan said her electric bill for wind power costs on average one or two cents more kilowatt that a conventional source. (The passive solar effect of having rooms flooded with sunlight much of the day, coupled with her practice of turning off her refrigerator at night, resulted in a monthly bill of about $25, she noted later.)

Nolan said she was also pleased that Viridian partners with Tibet Aid; it donates a small amount of money to the nonprofit organization for every customer signed up, with a bonus payment for every 25 customers. Viridian and Green Mountain Energy also “have either an average or lower rate of complaints” compared to the rest of the industry regarding rates and service, Nolan said.

Though lacking a physical representative, Green Mountain Energy did submit a statement, which Nolan read, which quantified what the purchases of green energy from its customers has meant for the environment: since 1997, its sales have reduced carbon dioxide by 24.5 billion pounds, equivalent to taking 2.3 million cars off the road per year or planting 2.9 million trees. Launched in 1987, Green Mountain is the largest green energy retailer for residential and commercial users in five states. The company has been serving southern New York State and recently expanded into the mid Hudson Valley, according to the statement.

Green Mountain Energy doesn’t include natural gas in its energy mix, a strong selling point for opponents of hydraulic fracturing of natural gas, a method of extracting domestic gas and oil with serious environmental consequences that accounts for the current domestic energy boom.

In a follow up phone call, Nolan noted that Catskill Mountainkeeper is currently considering using Green Mountain Energy for its electric supply for its offices, a choice based on Green Mountain Energy’s commitment to not use natural gas. (The company also has a nonprofit partnership, though it’s not as primary as Viridan’s, she said.) “We are looking to help people find out about ways to reduce their carbon footprint and may be pointing them towards Green Mountain,” she said.

Nolan added that one of the most exciting new green energy technologies is solar thermal, which consists of a panel installed on the roof containing fluid that’s heated and then circulated through a piping system inside the house. With the panel and retrofitting priced at $15,000 from supplier Allura Energy, which is based in Greene County, solar thermal pays for itself within four to five years, compared to six or seven years for photovoltaics. It also is not dependent on a net meter or other connection to the electrical grid, which is controlled by the utilities.

Even if one lives in a city like Kingston where many residents are dependent on natural gas for their heating, installing such a system “could take down your use of natural gas by 60 to 80 percent,” she said. “It’s a great investment.”

Nolan also said a new bill passed by the New York State legislature makes it easier for municipalities to finance the installation of renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements. This new form of energy finance is known as the Property Assessed Clean Energy, or PACE, which is designed to eliminate the upfront cost for energy improvements by allowing property owners to pay for improvements over 15 to 20 years, through an increase in their annual property taxes. So far, 15 states have passed the enabling legislation.