Community Energy Plan. May 2016

Transcription

1 Community Energy Plan May 2016

2 This document was prepared by the Municipality of Chatham-Kent, Entegrus, Union Gas, and other community stakeholders with support from Golder Associates. For additional information about this document, please contact: Municipality of Chatham-Kent 315 King St. W. PO Box 64 N7M 5K8 Tel: May 2016

3 1.0 INTRODUCTION CONTEXT Global Policy Context National Policy Context Provincial Policy Context Local Context DEVELOPING THE CEP THROUGH STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT ENERGY PROFILE CEP VISION AND GOALS TAKING ACTION Overview Land Use Transportation Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional Energy Use Residential Energy Use Energy Supply IMPLEMENTATION Action Plan Monitoring and Reporting APPENDIX A: STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES APPENDIX B: BASELINE ENERGY AND GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS CALCULATION METHODOLOGIES TABLES Table 1: CEP Support for CK Plan Key Strategies and Corporate Critical Success Factors Table 2: Community Missions Table 3: Challenges and Opportunities for CEP Focus Areas Table 4: Action Plan Table 5: Stakeholder Engagement Activities Details Community Energy Plan Page 1

4 FIGURES Figure 1: Community Energy Plan Support for Community Priorities... 7 Figure 2: Government of Canada Climate Change Strategy... 8 Figure 3: Chatham-Kent Energy Use Breakdown Figure 4: Total Energy (GJ) Per Capita and Employee Map Figure 5: Residential Energy (GJ) Per Capita Map Figure 6: Commercial Facility Energy Map Figure 7: Industrial Facility Energy Map Figure 8: Transportation Energy per Capita and Employee Map Figure 9: Chatham-Kent Community Energy Plan Framework Figure 10: Estimated Energy Reductions from the Business as Usual Baseline Community Energy Plan Page 2

5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Community Energy Plan (CEP) sets the direction for managing energy use and supply within the community over the next 20 years to promote a more sustainable, affordable, and liveable community. The CEP aligns Chatham-Kent with international, federal, and provincial climate change initiatives, recognizing that these targets can only be reached with the cumulative commitment from communities across Canada and throughout the world. Chatham-Kent was an early adopter and is the largest key supporter of renewable energy in Ontario. The CEP builds on Chatham-Kent s leadership in renewable energy and promotes further improvement in energy efficiency, leading to associated reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. It supports the Chatham-Kent Plan 2035 key strategies of economic prosperity, a healthy and safe community, people and culture, and environmental sustainability. These strategies are reflected in the CEP vision: Through integrated planning and partnership, Chatham-Kent will develop into a leading sustainable energy community, generating economic growth, enhancing the environment, and creating a better place to work and live. Over the next twenty years, Chatham-Kent aims to reduce energy consumption by 15% compared to 2013 baseline levels. To achieve this objective, the CEP establishes four overarching, strategic goals. Strategic Goals: To provide reliable and affordable energy through local generation, conservation and demand management; To establish Chatham-Kent as a green community to retain and attract new businesses and residents; To foster innovation in energy conservation and sustainable development; and To develop programs to encourage and increase energy efficiency and reduce related greenhouse gas emissions. Energy Baseline To understand energy use in Chatham-Kent, data on electricity, natural gas, transportation, and buildings within the community were collected and analyzed to establish the baseline energy profile. Based on 2013 baseline data, Chatham-Kent consumed an estimated 17.8 million gigajoules (GJ) of energy and generated 934 kilotonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in GHG emissions from this energy consumption. Community Energy Plan Page 3

6 Community Energy Plan Page 4

7 The vision and goals of the CEP will be achieved through implementing strategies based on best practices identified within five key focus areas. Land use planning and design policies encourage energy efficient buildings and community form through: Intensification policies for existing urban areas. Incorporating energy efficiency into development standards. Transportation strategies promote increased vehicle occupancy, active transportation, and the transition to other green modes of transportation through: Developing new cycling paths within the community. Updating transit pricing and plans to increase ridership. Education on active transportation and green modes of transportation. Industrial, commercial, and institutional (ICI) sector initiatives promote energy efficiency and renewable energy through outreach programs that offer: Business-to-business mentorship Recognition for and learnings from leading initiatives by local companies. Connections to conservation and demand management funding programs. Residential sector strategies focus on education and outreach to increase efficiency in community homes through: An energy management school outreach program. Developing home energy scores to inform buyers of a home s efficiency. Energy supply planning and education initiatives enable further renewable and alternative energy development by: Addressing the challenge of electricity grid capacity constraints through regional energy planning. Delivering sustainable energy education to communicate the benefits and economics of renewable energy while promoting the community as a leader in renewable energy innovation. The CEP is a living document that will be updated every five years to report on progress, reflect changes in community priorities and planning, and address the latest learnings from implementation of the plan. Community Energy Plan Page 5

8 1.0 INTRODUCTION Located between the shores of Lake Erie, Lake St. Clair, and Lake Huron, Chatham-Kent is an idyllic community rich in natural beauty. To promote future sustainable growth of this community, in the Official Plan, Chatham- Kent has established four long-term planning priorities: health, economy, culture, and the environment. Energy will play an integral role in supporting these priorities, and this Community Energy Plan (CEP) has been developed to guide the community s supply and use of energy in the future. With a society that is heavily reliant on energy, our communities will face many challenges in the coming years. The well-known consequences of increasing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are spurring discussion around the world and placing increasing pressure on local governments and communities to transition to low carbon solutions. In 2015, Mercer assessed climate change from a purely financial perspective and concluded that evidence of the potential impacts that emissions-related temperature increases will have on resource availability, physical asset damage, and human health are driving the need for policy action. 1 As extreme weather events become more common due to climate change, our provincial electricity grid will become more susceptible to outages, reducing energy security and reliability. Meanwhile, demand is projected to continue to rise. The International Energy Agency projects that from 2013 to 2040, electricity demand will increase by 70% and world energy demand will grow by about 30%. 2 As energy demands escalate on a global scale, prices will increase. Through energy conservation and sustainable generation, Chatham-Kent can mitigate these risks to energy security, affordability, and the environment while supporting the key planning priorities for the community. Energy efficient communities are characterized by their walkable neighbourhoods and vibrant cultures that attract young talent and innovative economic development. According to a national study conducted by MK Jaccard & Associates Inc., implementing integrated community energy solutions in Canada will increase GDP, increase employment, and decrease community capital, labour and energy bills by $29 billion. 3 Chatham-Kent s unique combination of rural beauty and urban centres offers the opportunity to develop walkable, efficient neighborhoods in its downtown corridors while providing easy access to three Provincial Parks, outdoors activities, and local produce. Through promoting active transportation and reducing fuel combustion, Chatham-Kent s Community Energy Plan can help improve local air quality, increase healthy living, and promote a sense of community. Businesses will benefit from energy conservation savings and the increased reliability of locally generated and distributed energy. The natural beauty of Chatham-Kent will also be better preserved by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from energy generation and use. Figure 1 illustrates how these benefits from community energy planning support Chatham-Kent s community priorities. 1 Mercer. Investing in a Time of Climate Change, International Energy Agency. World Energy Outlook QUEST. Building Smart Energy Communities: Implementing Integrated Community Energy Solutions. V1 September Community Energy Plan Page 6

9 Increased Active Transportation Improved Air Quality Reduced Energy Costs Improved Energy Security and Reliability Enhanced Recognition as a Green Community Enriched Sense of Community Reduced Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Fossil Fuel Consumption Figure 1: Community Energy Plan Support for Community Priorities The Chatham-Kent CEP is a long-term plan for managing energy supply and use within Chatham-Kent. It establishes energy goals for the community and identifies a roadmap for successfully reaching these goals. The CEP is cognisant of the needs of the local, provincial, and federal governments, utility companies, local industry, businesses, institutions, and residents. Feedback from these parties will continue to be incorporated throughout implementation of the CEP. Community Energy Plan Page 7

10 2.0 CONTEXT 2.1 Global Policy Context Global policies, ratified by both developed and developing countries around the world, are becoming increasingly aggressive in their initiatives to address climate change and energy consumption. In December 2015, an overwhelming 195 countries adopted the Paris Agreement, a global action plan to address climate change. The Paris Agreement aims to limit the increase of global annual temperatures. Aggressive targets have been set for 2025 and 2030, with a long term goal to minimize the increase in global annual temperatures below 2 C. 4 The Community Energy Plan firmly aligns Chatham-Kent with this global initiative, recognizing that these global targets can only be reached with the cumulative commitment from communities around the world. 2.2 National Policy Context Canada has adopted its own targets to combat climate change and improve air quality standards. In the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy for Canada, the Government of Canada committed to reducing Canada s 2005 greenhouse gas baseline emissions by 17% by Figure 2 illustrates the goals and targets identified in this strategy to address climate change mitigation, climate change adaption, outdoor air pollutants, and indoor air quality. 5 Figure 2: Government of Canada Climate Change Strategy 4 United Nations Conference on Climate Change. 2 C target: result of State contributions. 5 Sustainable Development Office, Environment Canada. A Federal Sustainable Development Strategy for Canada. June 13, Community Energy Plan Page 8

11 Since committing to the Paris Agreement in December 2015, the Canadian Government is revisiting its climate change strategy and developing a new pan-canadian climate change strategy framework. This strategy is expected to adopt more aggressive, future GHG emission reduction targets and offer further support sustainable energy solutions. As part of this strategy, the Canadian Government has committed to endow a $2 billion Low Carbon Economy Trust to fund projects that reduce carbon. 6 Chatham-Kent s CEP supports the Canadian Government s climate change goals and is structured to leverage Federal programs offered to assist communities and businesses with improving energy performance. 2.3 Provincial Policy Context The Ontario Government has taken a leadership position on climate change and has released several rigorous climate change action strategies that rely on all communities playing their role to collectively reach provincial energy conservation and GHG reduction targets. In Ontario s Go Green: Ontario s Action Plan on Climate Change, the Government of Ontario commits to reduce the 1990 level of greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050 in Ontario. 7 Ontario s Green Energy Act (GEA) is a long-term policy framework that has propelled the development of renewable energy in Ontario through feed-in-tariff and competitive procurement programs. The GEA is also designed to reduce Ontario s energy demand by working with local utilities to reach assigned conservation targets. 8 In January 2016, Ontario pledged to move forward with a cap and trade program that will reduce GHG emissions by putting a price on carbon. Under the cap and trade program, registered companies will have to obtain allowances for all greenhouse gases that they emit, the total number of allowances will be limited, and that number will decrease over time. 9 The costs of obtaining allowances are expected to be passed on to customers, which will cause fuel and electricity costs to increase across sectors. By increasing energy costs, the cap and trade program will encourage new, innovative ways to reduce energy consumption and develop low carbon energy solutions. The proceeds from the program will be re-invested into funding for GHG reduction projects. Under Ontario s Long-Term Energy Plan (LTEP), the Government of Ontario has reached out to communities to align themselves with the province s goals. The Government of Ontario encourages communities to develop their own Community Energy Plans to identify conservation opportunities and infrastructure priorities and has co-funded the development of Chatham-Kent s CEP Government of Canada. Canada s Way Forward on Climate Change. November 27, The Government of Ontario. Go Green: Ontario s Action Plan against Climate Change. August Ontario Ministry of Energy. Green Energy Act. August 18, The Government of Ontario. Cap and Trade. Updated February 26, Ontario Ministry of Energy. Ontario s Long-Term Energy Plan. December 4, Community Energy Plan Page 9

12 In developing this CEP, Chatham-Kent is supporting provincial climate change strategy, linking local energy planning with provincial, regional energy planning, and identifying resources available from the provincial government to drive energy performance improvements within the community. 2.4 Local Context The Municipality of Chatham-Kent (the Municipality) is currently developing a guide for all planning and municipal activities, known as the Chatham-Kent Plan 2035 (CK Plan). While still in the development stages, the goal of this strategy document is to combine findings from key studies with existing plans developed for the community to clearly articulate the Municipality s priorities over the next 20 years. Founded on the concept of resiliency, the intent of the strategy is to ensure that Chatham-Kent maintains the ability to detect, prevent, handle, and recover from disruptive challenges and be responsive to new and emerging strategic priorities. The CK Plan has identified four Key Strategies for the community: Economic Prosperity, A Healthy and Safe Community, People and Culture, and Environmental Sustainability. In addition, two important corporate Critical Success Factors have also been identified: Financial Sustainability and Open, Transparent and Effective Governance. These Key Strategies and Critical Success Factors are the foundation of the CK Plan, and will ultimately drive implementation of the CEP, which in turn supports each of them, as summarized in Table 1. Table 1: CEP Support for CK Plan Key Strategies and Corporate Critical Success Factors Key Strategy from CK Plan Economic Prosperity Intent of Strategy Chatham-Kent is an innovative and thriving community with a diversified economy. The intent of this strategy is to ensure that Chatham-Kent: Has infrastructure capable of sustaining existing and future residents and businesses. Supports a healthy and viable agricultural industry as a cornerstone of its economy. Promotes itself to target sectors as the investment destination of choice. Advocates for business retention and expansion, including small and medium-sized enterprises, through the support of a diversified and creative economy. Supports the development of a skilled workforce, strengthened to meet the needs of current and future employers. CEP Support for CK Plan The CEP demonstrates Chatham-Kent s commitment to emerging energy opportunities as a strategic priority. Assisting local businesses with energy efficiency will reduce their operating costs. Encouraging development of on-site alternative energy solutions will increase energy security and reliability for local businesses. Becoming known as a renewable energy innovation hub will attract investment in the community within the green energy sector. Supporting the green energy sector will help create re-training opportunities for those who are unemployed or underemployed to access jobs in the new green economy. Community Energy Plan Page 10

13 Key Strategy from CK Plan A Healthy and Safe Community People and Culture Intent of Strategy Chatham-Kent is a healthy and safe community. The intent of this strategy is to ensure that Chatham-Kent: Supports the investment in accommodating population growth. Invests in services and programs to reduce poverty, promote wellness and enhance prosperity. Supports access to quality education, good jobs, affordable housing, affordable healthy food and health services, artistic, spiritual, and cultural amenities, recreational activities, meaningful civic engagement, and affordable and reliable transportation. Is accessible and age friendly. Chatham-Kent is recognized as a culturally vibrant, dynamic, and creative community. The intent of this strategy is to ensure that Chatham-Kent: Recognizes that culture is an economic driver. Maintains programs to recruit new residents and retain existing residents. Provides opportunities for people to connect, partner, and collaborate through culture, recreation, and community activities. Encourages the further development of tourism, cultural and recreation plans. CEP Support for CK Plan Developing sustainable energy solutions will help Chatham-Kent become recognized as a green community, making it more attractive to young talent. Energy efficient communities are more vibrant, walkable and liveable communities enabling them to attract and retain talent. Supporting economic development will bring jobs to the community which are a key driver of population growth. By increasing active transportation in the community, the CEP will promote a healthy lifestyle. Local air quality will improve with the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy sources, particularly in the transportation sector. Tourism and recreational activities will be encouraged by improvements to walking or cycling friendly infrastructure supported by the CEP. Through energy events, the CEP will provide opportunities for community to connect and enhance the sense of community within Chatham-Kent. Community Energy Plan Page 11

14 Environmental Sustainability Critical Success Factors from CK Plan Financial Sustainability Open, Transparent and Effective Governance Chatham-Kent is a community that is environmentally sustainable and promotes stewardship of our natural resources. The intent of this strategy is to ensure that Chatham-Kent: Protects and preserves significant land features and water resources. Fosters natural heritage conservation. Supports development of a climate change action plan. Intent The Corporation of the Municipality of Chatham-Kent is financially sustainable. The intent of this strategy is to ensure that the Corporation of the Municipality of Chatham- Kent: Aligns budgets and business plans to CK Plan strategies. Develops and maintains a multi-year, rolling financial plan. Maintains suitable infrastructure funding. Respects the intent of reserve funds. The Corporation of the Municipality of Chatham-Kent is open, transparent and effectively governed with efficient and bold, visionary leadership. The intent of this strategy is to ensure that the Corporation of the Municipality of Chatham-Kent: Transforms itself as a municipality into a single community. Utilizes innovative governance and management practices. Displays bold visionary leadership through enterprising and courageous decision-making. Implements over time the CK Plan 2035 Key Strategies which will ensure that the Municipality is resilient and adaptable to change over time. The CEP demonstrates Chatham-Kent s leadership role in environmental stewardship. Energy is the primary source of GHG emissions in the community; by promoting energy conservation and renewable energy, the CEP will reduce local GHG emissions. CEP Support for CK Plan By reducing energy costs, the CEP will free up funds for investment in other community priorities. The CEP is a visionary strategy aligned with international, national and provincial climate action strategies. The CEP ensures that a continual improvement process is in place for energy use and supply within the community. Balanced energy supply infrastructure in the community will make it less susceptible to market price volatility and climate change impacts. Community Energy Plan Page 12

15 3.0 DEVELOPING THE CEP THROUGH STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT As described in Section 1.0, the CEP aims to establish energy goals for the community and identify a roadmap for successfully reaching these goals, which is cognisant of the needs of the local, provincial, and federal governments, utility companies, local industry, businesses, institutions, and residents. These objectives could not be achieved without substantial engagement with local stakeholders throughout the development of the CEP. The approach to stakeholder engagement in developing the CEP is guided by the International Association of Public Participation s (IAP2 s) core values, namely: public participation is based on the belief that those who are affected by a decision have a right to be involved in the decision-making process; public participation includes the promise that the public s contribution will influence the decision; and public participation provides participants with the information they need to participate in a meaningful way. The specific objectives of CEP stakeholder engagement are to: Build awareness of energy issues in Chatham-Kent; Collect information about energy use; Obtain stakeholder input about individual energy trends, issues and needs; Develop conservation and demand management objectives and collect feedback on these objectives; Identify opportunities for conservation and demand management; and Create and implement a CEP that is supported by local stakeholders. Following the confirmation of CEP development, a formal Stakeholder Engagement Plan was developed. The Stakeholder Engagement Plan identified the key CEP stakeholders to be engaged (e.g., representatives from the Municipality of Chatham-Kent, local utility companies, industrial, commercial and institutional organizations, residents and the Ontario Ministry of Energy) and outlined stakeholder engagement activities and approaches to be used to inform and ask for feedback on the CEP during each of the three stages of CEP development: Stage 1 - Stakeholder Engagement: During Stage 1, engagement activities focused on raising awareness on energy issues, collecting input on individual energy trends, issues and needs, and brainstorming opportunities for energy conservation and demand management. Stage 2 -Baseline Energy Study and Energy Mapping: Building on Stage 1, Stage 2 engagement activities sought to collect stakeholder feedback on baseline energy usage in Chatham-Kent, and provided opportunities for stakeholders to contribute to alternative scenarios for energy conservation and demand management. Stage 3-the Creation of the CEP: During Stage 3, stakeholder feedback from Stages 1 and 2 was used to develop the formal CEP content. The goals for engagement activities during this phase were twofold: to engage key stakeholders in the development of the CEP action plan and to present and provide an opportunity for the Community Energy Plan Page 13

16 broader community to provide feedback on the proposed CEP. Activities sought to secure stakeholder buy-in by integrating CEP actions with existing local initiatives. The CEP s engagement approach is presented in Figure 3. A description of the stakeholders and the specific engagement activities undertaken throughout the CEP development are presented in Appendix A, Table 5. Figure 3: Stakeholder Engagement Strategy Stakeholders representing municipal government, industrial, commercial, and institutional organizations, residents and utilities will continue to be actively engaged in the CEP throughout its implementation. Stakeholders will be engaged through their involvement as action leads and partners, and through their participation in the monitoring and evaluation of CEP performance on an annual and 5-year basis (as described in more detail in the implementation plan in Section 7). Community Energy Plan Page 14

17 4.0 ENERGY PROFILE Developing an understanding of the current state must be the first step toward any improvement. To understand energy use in Chatham-Kent, data on electricity, natural gas, transportation, and buildings within the community were collected and analyzed to establish the baseline energy profile. Based on the availability of information, 2013 was selected as the baseline year since it is the most recent year for which the most complete data could be obtained. The methodology used for this baseline is described in more detail in Appendix A. In 2013, Chatham-Kent consumed an estimated 17.8 million gigajoules (GJ) of energy, which corresponds to GHG emissions of approximately 934 kilotonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. The breakdown by sector of energy use and associated GHG emissions is illustrated in Figure 4. Figure 4: Chatham-Kent Energy Use Breakdown Through a detailed assessment of the energy data provided, the following energy maps were generated to further assess the energy consumption in Chatham-Kent: Total Energy Per Capita and Employee; Residential Building Energy Per Capita; Commercial Facility Energy; Industrial Facility Energy; and Transportation Energy Per Capita and Employee. These energy maps are illustrative, and provided for discussion purposes. They were prepared based on the data available at the time of development and do not include consumption data for which locational information could not be obtained. It should be noted when reviewing the maps that approximately 45% of the baseline natural gas consumption in Chatham-Kent is related to 21 commercial and industrial accounts for which Community Energy Plan Page 15

18 locational information was not provided due to confidentiality. This energy use could not be mapped, but it has been included in the total energy baseline of 17.8 million gigajoules. More details on the energy mapping methodology are provided in Appendix B. The Total Energy per Capita and Employee Map in Figure 5 depicts average energy intensity across sectors within Chatham-Kent. It illustrates that the urban centres throughout Chatham-Kent have lower energy intensities compared to the surrounding rural areas, which is typical because urban centres usually have lower vehicle use per capita, smaller living spaces, and more shared resources. Figure 5: Total Energy (GJ) Per Capita and Employee Map Community Energy Plan Page 16

19 The Residential Energy per Capita Map in Figure 6 illustrates the energy intensity of buildings within the residential sector. Similar to the previous map, this map indicates that the energy intensities of residential buildings are lower within urban centres than in rural areas. Figure 6: Residential Energy (GJ) Per Capita Map Community Energy Plan Page 17

20 The Commercial Facility Energy Map in Figure 7 shows absolute energy use of commercial facilities instead of energy intensity and is therefore higher in urban areas where there is denser commercial development or in areas where there is a commercial facility that uses particularly large amounts of natural gas. Figure 7: Commercial Facility Energy Map Community Energy Plan Page 18

21 The Industrial Facility Energy Map in Figure 8 is also based on absolute energy use rather than intensity and indicates where industrial facilities are using energy. Similar to the map for the commercial sector presented above, industrial facility energy use tends to be clustered in areas of industrial development. Figure 8: Industrial Facility Energy Map Community Energy Plan Page 19

22 The Transportation Energy per Capita and Employee Map in Figure 9 shows the modeled energy intensity of on-road transportation within Chatham-Kent. The map reveals that urban areas have the lowest energy intensities since destinations are closer together; active transportation and public transit are more feasible; and populations are higher. Figure 9: Transportation Energy per Capita and Employee Map Community Energy Plan Page 20

23 5.0 CEP VISION AND GOALS Considering key priorities for the community, the following vision was established for the CEP: Through integrated planning and partnership, Chatham-Kent will develop into a leading sustainable energy community, generating economic growth, enhancing the environment, and creating a better place to work and live. The main goals of Chatham-Kent CEP that will support this vision are as follows: To provide reliable and affordable energy through local generation, conservation and demand management; To establish Chatham-Kent as a green community to retain and attract new businesses and residents; To foster innovation in energy conservation and sustainable development; and To develop programs to encourage and increase energy efficiency and reduce related greenhouse gas emissions. To achieve these goals, five focus areas that significantly influence energy performance were identified to govern the structure of the CEP. These focus areas include energy use in the transportation, residential, and industrial, commercial, and institutional (ICI) sectors, as well as land use planning and energy supply. Although land use is not directly related to energy use or supply, it has been included because land use planning establishes community form and significantly impacts energy use and supply across sectors. Under each of these focus areas, community missions have been developed to achieve the CEP goals. Table 2 summarizes these missions. Table 2: Community Missions Community Focus Areas Industrial, Commercial and Institutional Land Use Transportation Residential Energy Use Energy Supply Description of the Focus Areas Improve energy efficiency through programs for institutions, commercial businesses, industrial businesses and agriculture Balance needs of the community with energy efficiency through developments, community form, and buildings Encourage more sustainable transportation modes such as active and public transportation, green vehicles Explore ways to incentivize and reduce barriers to more efficient energy use in urban and rural residences Foster innovation through strengthening utility partnerships and exploring alternative generation Community Energy Plan Page 21

24 Based on the community drivers identified in the CK Plan, and the above community missions, Figure 10 summarizes the framework for community energy planning in Chatham-Kent. It outlines the relationships between community drivers, the CEP, and community stakeholders. The framework is based on the principles of continual improvement, and as such, illustrates that the CEP is a living document supported by an iterative cycle of planning, implementation, and performance management. Community Energy Plan Page 22

25 Figure 10: Chatham-Kent Community Energy Plan Framework Community Energy Plan Page 23

26 To inform the strategies to be employed within each focus area of the CEP Framework, the unique challenges and opportunities of energy management within Chatham-Kent were assessed. The results of this assessment are presented in Table 3 and were used to develop strategies presented in the following section Taking Action. Table 3: Challenges and Opportunities for CEP Focus Areas Focus Area Key Challenges Key Opportunities Land Use Transportation ICI Energy Use Residential Energy Use Energy Supply Housing demand exceeds population growth, creating pressure to expand outward and lowering population density. Communities are located relatively far apart, resulting in significant reliance on personal vehicles. Carpooling is not an attractive option based on low population density. Transit service is difficult to support with low population densities. Industrial and commercial activities together account for 51% of total energy consumed in Chatham-Kent that rely on conventional energy sources. Resources are constrained making it difficult for facilities to invest the time into participating in available programs for improving energy efficiency. About 30% of the population lives in rural areas, where house occupancy per square foot tends to be lower, reducing efficiency. Low population density restricts the number of feasible options available for energy supply and in particular, represents a barrier to district energy development. Some rural areas do not have access to natural gas supply and related conservation and demand management programs. With low growth, absolute reductions in energy use can be achieved by encouraging growth to be infill and increasing housing occupancy. Rising fuel prices and upcoming stricter government emission regulations are driving improvements in vehicle efficiency and the transition to electric vehicles. Chatham-Kent is a beautiful area, well-suited to active recreation, which can be built upon to increase active transportation. Partnering with Entegrus/Union Gas to increase participation in energy efficiency incentive programs can have a significant impact. 74% of buildings in Chatham-Kent were built prior to Combined with stakeholder feedback, these building ages indicate that there is a significant opportunity to conserve energy in existing buildings through energy retrofits. 45% of natural gas consumption is consumed by just 21 ICI accounts. Working with these ICI organizations can drive large savings. Awareness and education can be used to help homeowners reduce energy consumption and costs. In particular, there is an opportunity for homeowners to implement home retrofit and renovation strategies that improve energy performance under utility conservation programs. With excellent wind resources and some large, existing solar photovoltaic installations, Chatham- Kent has an opportunity to become recognized as an innovation centre for renewable energy. Expanding natural gas supply to these rural areas can help facilities in these areas transition to a lower carbon fuel and gain access to natural gas conservation programs. As regional energy planning is currently underway, there is an opportunity for Chatham- Community Energy Plan Page 24

27 Focus Area Key Challenges Key Opportunities 6.0 TAKING ACTION 6.1 Overview Electricity grid constraints present a major challenge to developing new renewable energy. Kent to address supply constraints through the next regional energy plan. Achieving the CEP vision and goals will require partnerships and action across sectors. As shown in the CEP Strategy Framework, five focus areas have been identified to facilitate this action: Land use planning and design has a significant impact on building energy efficiency and transportation energy use within the community. The strategies selected for land use incorporate best practices for encouraging energy efficient buildings and community form. Since marginal population growth is projected for Chatham- Kent, strategies are focused on growth within existing urban centre boundaries, which is consistent with the objectives and policies contained in the Chatham-Kent Official Plan Action Toward Sustainability. By implementing energy efficient land use strategies, Chatham-Kent will also experience the co-benefits of more walkable neighborhoods, enhanced community culture, and increased active transportation. Each of these benefits also contributes to enriching quality of life within the community. Transportation energy use can be decreased through best practices that increase occupancy per vehicle and encourage active transportation. Since Chatham-Kent covers a large geographic area comprised of thirteen different primary and secondary urban centres surrounded by a significant rural area, personal vehicles are heavily relied upon for transportation within the community. Chatham-Kent s Transportation Master Plan recognizes that the community s low population growth limits opportunities to expand transit options or increase vehicle occupancy. The community s largest opportunity for impact in the short term lies in the strategy to expand active transportation. Industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) energy use is already one of the major focuses for the conservation and demand management teams at Entegrus and Union Gas. Through the electricity and natural gas utilities, funding is available for energy studies and retrofits. Additional, provincial funding is available for renewable energy developments, and federal funding is available to industrial companies for training and systems initiatives. Strategies for the ICI sector focus on increasing interest in and access to these programs to drive energy efficiency in existing facilities and the development of new renewable energy systems in the community. Improving the energy efficiency of ICI sector organizations will reduce their operating costs and improve the competitiveness of businesses in the community. Residential energy use represents a smaller portion of the energy used in the community, but based on building ages within the community, there is likely significant opportunity to improve home efficiency. Residential energy use strategies are focused on developing a cultural shift in the community towards conserving energy and investing in renewable energy. Increasing home energy efficiency will reduce monthly home ownership costs while small-scale renewable energy, such as solar water heaters and rooftop solar PV, can provide enhanced energy security in case of grid outages. Community Energy Plan Page 25

28 Energy supply systems within the community have a significant impact on local fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions. Chatham-Kent is known for its excellent wind resource and is home to over 900 MW of wind power capacity. By continuing to develop wind and solar energy, as well as promoting new innovations in biogas, biomass and biofuels, Chatham-Kent can further reduce greenhouse gas emissions and become recognized as Ontario s premier sustainable energy innovation hub. By implementing the strategies in the CEP, Chatham-Kent aims to decrease energy consumption in 2036 over baseline levels by 15%. Actions by the National and Provincial Governments will help achieve this target, which is projected to contribute approximately 12% in energy reductions, while local actions will aim to achieve the remaining 3% in reductions. The following sections provide an overview of strategies that will be employed within each focus area to achieve local energy reductions. Figure 11 summarizes the estimated reductions possible through each of the strategies identified to-date. Over time, the CEP will evolve as a living document and newly identified strategies will be added. Figure 11: Estimated Energy Reductions from the Business as Usual Baseline 6.2 Land Use Chatham-Kent s Official Plan was updated in 2015 and sets out the objectives and policies that guide short-term and long-term physical development of all lands within the Municipality. The Official Plan has been aligned with energy management best practices, references the CEP in section 2.5 and outlines the objective to endeavour to Community Energy Plan Page 26

29 improve energy efficiency, reduce greenhouse emissions and foster local energy solutions in the Municipality. 11 The strategies for land use in this CEP build on the guiding principles of the Official Plan to improve energy performance through efficiency standards and polices related to intensification. Zoning Amendments In recent years, Chatham-Kent s population has been in decline, but the number of dwellings is increasing as the demographics of the community change and young adults move into homes of their own. Having more single occupancy dwellings in the community increases energy use per capita. In the recent Official Plan update in 2015, policies were added to allow for secondary dwelling units in Primary and Secondary Urban Centres where municipal water, sanitary and storm sewer services are available. Subsequently, Chatham-Kent will be undertaking a review and update of its Comprehensive Zoning By-laws. One of the components of the update will be to establish the specific zones within which secondary residential uses may be permitted. This will facilitate the approval and development of more secondary units and will enable residents planning to move out of a family home to move into existing dwellings that have secondary units. Adding secondary units can help accommodate the demographic trends while maintaining energy efficiency and offering a more affordable housing option. It is anticipated that the zoning by-law review will be completed by the end of Development Standards The most cost-effective time to improve the energy efficiency of a building is during its development approval. Although some buildings are now being designed to be highly efficient, the majority are built only to meet the Ontario Building Code. To increase the energy efficiency of new developments within the community, Chatham- Kent will review and update its existing development standards. One aspect of the new development standards, will be to outline energy performance requirements for new buildings. It is anticipated that the development standards will be updated by the end of These development standards will be incorporated into checklists used during the municipal approval process. The energy performance requirements will include a minimum energy efficiency threshold for new buildings. In addition to this threshold, the following requirements will be also considered for inclusion in updated development standards: Bicycle parking; Showers and change rooms for major employment centres to promote active transportation; On-site renewable energy for major new developments; and Minimum energy efficiency thresholds for water heaters, refrigerators and dishwashers in multi-unit residential or commercial developments. Financial Incentives for High Efficiency To encourage highly efficient developments, such as those with on-site renewable energy and net zero buildings, financial incentives will be considered. Only developments that significantly exceed the energy performance requirements in the new development standards will be eligible for this incentive. Before implementing such an incentive, a detailed checklist of eligibility criteria will be established. Chatham-Kent will complete a feasibility 11 The CEP was previously titled the Municipal Energy Plan and is referred to as such in the Official Plan. Community Energy Plan Page 27

30 study within the next 2 to 5 years to determine whether a Community Improvement Plan for land use related tax breaks can be implemented. Community Energy Plan Page 28

31 Targeting Renewable Energy Firms for New Commercial Spaces Chatham-Kent continues to develop new commercial spaces within the municipality, within land use areas designated for commercial use. As part of its existing economic development mandate, marketing and community promotion activities, Chatham Kent will continue to work to attract sustainable business to the community and to newly available commercial spaces (e.g., business parks), securing its position as a green energy hub and providing green companies with preferential access to these commercial spaces. 6.3 Transportation Strategies for improving transportation energy performance are typically focused on increasing the use of transit, rideshares, and active transportation to decrease the distances traveled by single-occupant vehicles while encouraging the conversion to electric vehicles. The dispersed geography and low population density in Chatham- Kent presents a challenge for improving transportation energy performance within the community. Increasing transit service is not feasible given the current population density in Chatham-Kent, and projections indicate only marginal population growth over the next 20 years. Similarly, rideshare programs do not have the ridership base necessary to be feasible. Strategies identified for Chatham-Kent in the short and medium-term are focused on active transportation and include some education on electric vehicles. In the long-term, the transition to electric vehicles will be encouraged and if significant population growth is achieved, transit or ride sharing will be reassessed. Cycling Paths Cycling is one of the most effective modes of active transportation for reducing energy consumption, and it offers significant health and community livability co-benefits. Chatham-Kent is already known for its natural beauty and active outdoor activities, including cycling on the many recreational trails within the community. These trails include approximately 100 km of the Trans Canada Trail Network. Developing additional cycling paths in Chatham-Kent, especially paths that connect key trip destinations, will provide residents with more opportunities to select active transportation over personal vehicles and reduce energy use in the transportation sector. Plans for cycling paths over the next 20 years include the following: Develop and present a Cycling Plan to Council: Building off cycling route analysis completed in 2014, and subsequent input from key stakeholders, the Municipality of Chatham-Kent will revise the draft cycling plan developed in 2014 to create the Cycling Plan for Council review which identifies new cycling routes to be developed in Chatham-Kent. Round the River Route: The Municipality of Chatham-Kent will pursue funding for constructing a 21.5 km onroad cycling path along the Thames River. In the short-term, funding for the first 4.35 km will be pursued. After that portion of the path is built, the remainder of the path will be developed over the next 3 to 7 years. Design Guidelines: To facilitate the construction of on-road cycling paths planned for development in the next 3 to 7 years, the Municipality of Chatham-Kent s Engineering and Infrastructure Department will develop design guidelines for pedestrian and on-road bike facilities that incorporate best practices and are underpinned by the Ministry of Transportation s Ontario Bikeways Planning and Design Guidelines. Community Energy Plan Page 29

32 Transportation Outreach and Education Municipality of Chatham-Kent s Parks and Open Spaces division will partner with the Public Health Unit and local healthcare organizations to provide education on the energy benefits of active transportation by leveraging existing communications and events within the community that promote its health benefits. Outreach activities will include the following: An annual active transportation event that includes options for cycling, running, or walking; Energy facts and cost reductions included in written communications online, newsletters, or other media that is currently used to promote the health benefits of active transportation; and Key facts on the efficiency of electric vehicles and the cost savings from operating an electric vehicle over one that is fueled by gasoline. Transit In the short-term, it is not feasible to increase transit service, but ridership will be encouraged by reducing fares during off-peak hours. Municipality of Chatham-Kent s Engineering and Infrastructure Department will complete the pricing review to determine the adjustments to be made to transit pricing. In addition to reducing the prices during off-peak hours, the following options will be considered during the review: pass systems, smartcard pricing options, and subsidies for those eligible under Ontario Works/social service programs to improve transit access. In the long-term, Municipality of Chatham-Kent will update the Transit Master Plan, and if feasible given population densities at the time, will expand service within Chatham and to other primary urban areas (such as Wallaceburg). Providing inter-urban transit will offer residents the option to select transit over personal vehicles, which will both improve energy performance and have the co-benefit of providing community members without personal vehicles better access to other urban centres within the community. As new transit centres are planned, development will be planned around those transit centres to promote their use and prevent sprawl. 6.4 Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional Energy Use The industrial, commercial, and institutional (ICI) sector is responsible for just over half of the energy consumed in Chatham-Kent. When cap and trade regulation is implemented in Ontario, the cost of natural gas, electricity, and other fuels will increase. Strategies for the ICI sector are focused on helping organizations conserve energy and minimize costs while continuing to brand Chatham-Kent as a green community that supports innovative renewable energy solutions. The Provincial Government offers funding support for conducting energy efficiency studies and implementing recommended measures that generate electricity or natural gas savings. The local distribution companies, Entegrus, Hydro One, and Union Gas, administer the funding programs. Entegrus and Union Gas already have outreach programs and have been actively working with large energy users to improve the efficiency of their facilities. The Federal Government also offers funding and support to industrial companies for energy management training and systems through the Canadian Industry Program for Energy Conservation. While Entegrus and Union Gas already work closely with many of the larger industrial facilities in Chatham-Kent to improve energy efficiency, partnering with the Chamber of Commerce and the Municipality of Chatham-Kent will Community Energy Plan Page 30