[00:00:03]
TO CONFIRM EVERYONE THAT IS HERE.
UH, SO WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, PLEASE INDICATE YOUR PRESENCE.
UH, COMMISSIONER BLACKBURN IS HERE.
COMMISSIONER WHITE COMMISSIONER FREELAND, COMMISSIONER, AND GORY HERE.
COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, MR. SMITH.
I'M HERE, BUT I CAN'T SEEM TO GET MY VIDEO TO WORK OR MAYBE THAT BUTTON WILL WORK.
LET'S TRY THAT, THAT, UH, ALL RIGHT.
ALL RIGHT, I'M GOING TO SEE, UH, COMMISSIONER HARMON.
COMMISSIONER BRENNAMAN I'M HERE AND COMMISSIONER CHEVERIA PRESENT, RIGHT? OH, DID YOU CALL MY NAME? THIS IS COMMISSIONER DAVIS.
UH, YEAH, THIS IS A WHOLE, ALMOST A FULL HOUSE TONIGHT.
UM, YEAH, SO, UH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND I'LL
[CALL TO ORDER]
CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.UH, I WOULD REMIND EVERYONE, UH, UH, THE, THE CITY OF BOSTON STAFF SENDS OUT, UM, CALENDAR INVITES A FEW DAYS BEFORE THESE MEETINGS.
UM, EVEN IF YOU DON'T USE, UM, THE CALENDAR APP SPECIFICALLY, IF YOU COULD RESPOND EITHER ACCEPTING OR DECLINE, UH, IT REALLY HELPS WITH, UH, THE LOGISTICS OF, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE WE'VE GOT ENOUGH FOLKS HERE.
SO JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT.
UH, SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
[CITIZEN COMMUNICATION]
COMMUNICATION.I BELIEVE PAUL ROBBINS HAS ASSIGNED TO SPEAK PAUL, IF WE'RE READY.
UH, CAN YOU HEAR ME, JONATHAN? WE CAN, YES.
UH, COMMISSION, UH, I'M PAUL ROBINSON, ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST AND CONSUMER ADVOCATE.
I'VE BEEN WORKING ON ENERGY ISSUES SINCE 1977.
I'M SPEAKING ABOUT THE SUBJECTS OF GREEN BUILDING AND NATURAL GAS CONSERVATION PROGRAMS. THE LATTER SUBJECT HAS SUPPOSEDLY BEEN PLACED ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA AT THE COMMISSION MEETING OF MAY, 2020, THE GREEN BUILDING PROGRAM PRESENTED A SUMMARY OF ITS NEW RESIDENTIAL GREEN BUILDING RATING PROGRAM.
I PROTESTED AT THAT TIME THAT THERE WAS LITTLE IN IT THAT DISCOURAGED THE USE OF TOXIC BUILDING MATERIALS AND THAT IN ANY CASE, RMC WAS NOT BEING ALLOWED TO COMMENT ON IT.
AT THAT TIME, THE MANAGER OF THE PROGRAM SAID THAT THE NEW RATINGS WERE GOING TO GO THROUGH A TRIAL PERIOD AND THAT THE COMMISSION'S COMMENT WOULD BE SOUGHT IN ABOUT NINE MONTHS.
I AM ASKING CARRIE OVERTON, THE STAFF SUPERVISOR IN VIRTUAL ATTENDANCE TONIGHT TO TELL US WHEN THIS IS GOING TO BE PLACED ON YOUR AGENDA.
AND I'M ASKING TO GIVE A SHORT 13 MINUTE PRESENTATION ON THIS TOPIC, SIMILAR TO WHAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION ALLOWED ME ON THIS SUBJECT BEFORE THEY VOTED TO ENDORSE MY POSITION REGARDING THE REPORT BY TEXAS GAS SERVICE ON YOUR AGENDA TONIGHT, I'M ASKING THEM TO EXPLAIN WHY SO LITTLE INFORMATION IS BEING PROVIDED TO YOU.
THE ONLY STATISTICS POSTED ON YOUR WEBSITE ARE FOR, UH, THE PARTICIPATION LEVELS, THE COSTS, THE ENERGY SAVINGS AND THE COST EFFECTIVENESS FOR THESE PROGRAMS ARE ALL MISSING.
HOW CAN THE COMMISSION BE EXPECTED TO DO ITS JOB IF IT DOES NOT HAVE SUCH BASIC INFORMATION WITHIN THE NEXT THREE MONTHS, THE NEW CONSERVATION TARA FOR TEXAS GAS SERVICE IS TO, IS SUPPOSED TO BE BROUGHT BEFORE YOUR COMMISSION.
AND WE HAVE NOT HEARD A WHISPER ABOUT IT.
MEMBERS OF THIS COMMISSION HAVE NO OBLIGATION TO FOLLOW THE CITY.
SO REGULATORY OFFICES ADVICE ON THIS TARIFF WHEN THEY FINALLY BRING IT FORWARD, NO ONE IN THE OFFICE ITSELF HAS ANY EXPERIENCE ADMINISTERING CONSERVATION PROGRAMS. THEY'RE ASKING YOU TO SUPPORT A DOUBLE STANDARD WHERE AUSTIN ENERGY'S CONSERVATION PROGRAMS ARE ALMOST ALL COST-EFFECTIVE AND MOST OF TEXAS GAS SERVICES, RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS ARE NOT.
[00:05:02]
THANK YOU.UH, AS ALWAYS, WE APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS.
[1. Approve minutes of the June 22, 2021 Meeting of Resource Management Commission.]
ON TO FIRST AGENDA ITEM, UH, PROVABLE MINUTES APPROVED MINUTES OF THE JUNE 22ND, 2021 MEETING OF THE RMC.UH, THOSE MINUTES WERE DISTRIBUTED, UM, A FEW DAYS AGO BY STAFF AT THIS TIME, I WOULD ASK, UH, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THAT MEETING? YEAH.
COMMISSIONER CHEVERIA MOVES TO APPROVED.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
THIS IS COMMISSIONER HARMON, COMMISSIONER HARMAN SECONDS.
UH, WE'RE GOING TO DO ROLL CALL FOR VOTE.
MIGHT BE ON MUTE MR. WHITE, MR. WHITE.
I THINK YOU MIGHT BE ON MUTE STILL HAVING A BIT OF AN ISSUE HEARING YOU.
HEY, CAN YOU, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES, THERE WE GO.
I LOST INTERNET ON MY COMPUTER, SO I AM HAVING TO DOWNLOAD EVERYTHING ONTO MY PHONE.
SO COME BACK TO ME AT THE END, PLEASE.
WE'LL DO, UH, COMMISSIONER AND GLORY.
SO IS THAT AN ABSTENTION OR? YES.
UH, COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, ALTHOUGH I ALL RIGHT.
UH, COMMISSIONER SMITH ALVARA, MR. DAVIS.
BRENNAMAN I AND COMMISSIONER SHOULD AREA BUYERS ON YOU.
UM, MOVING ON, UH, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER REAL QUICK TO, UH, CARRIE OVERTON, UH, WHO HAS AN, AN, UH, I GUESS, UH, AN ANNOUNCEMENT AND AN INTRO INTRO OF SOME NEW PERSONNEL AT AUSTIN ENERGY.
CARRIE, ARE YOU, ARE YOU ON, OKAY.
I THINK THEY JUST ADMITTED ME, UH, COMMISSIONER BLACKBURN, UH, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR APPOINTMENT IN ELECTION TO THE CHAIR AND TO ALL OF THE COMMISSIONERS.
UH, I'M CARRY OVER TO THE DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER.
AND ONE OF THE AREAS THAT I OVERSEE IS THE, UH, CES PROGRAM.
AND IN THOSE PROGRAMS, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A RETIRED, UH, VICE PRESIDENT, DEBBIE KIMBERLEY, UM, AND IN THE INTERIM WE HAD, UM, ELAINE BELL, SILKA TAKING OVER THE OPERATING ROLES OF RUNNING THAT GROUP.
AND WE HAVE A VERY TALENTED TEAM THAT HAS KEPT THE BUSINESS RUNNING.
WE HAVE SENT, UH, DONE A SEARCH AND, UH, INTERVIEWED SEVERAL CANDIDATES AND HIRED, UM, A VICE-PRESIDENT OF CES.
AND HIS NAME IS RICHARD GENESEE.
AND I WANTED TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY IF YOU DON'T MIND COMMISSIONER TO GIVE HIM MAYBE 30 SECONDS OR 45 MINUTES TO INTRODUCE HIMSELF AND SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF HIS BACKGROUND.
UH, WE FOUND THAT EXTENSIVE AND CERTAINLY A RIGHT FOR SOMEONE THAT'S GOING TO BE SHARING MUCH OF THE WORK THAT DEBBIE HAS HELPED LEAD US THROUGH OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, UM, TO TAKE US TO, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER HORIZON.
AND SO, RICHARD, I THINK HE IS IF, UH, THIS TEAM COULD PUT HIM OVER AND ALLOW RICHARD TO JUST GIVE SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF HIS EXTENSIVE BACKGROUND.
UH, THIS IS, UH, RICHARD PITCHER GENESEE.
AND, UM, FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS, JUST THIS DISCUSSION, I'LL JUST GET A COUPLE OF HIGHLIGHTS OF MY BACKGROUND.
I HAVE OVER 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN ENERGY EFFICIENCY, BROADER DSM, AND SPECIFICALLY WITH UTILITIES.
UM, I HAD A CAREER IN CONSUMER PACKAGED GOODS PRIOR TO UTILITIES, BUT, UH, FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS DISCUSSION, I'LL DISCUSS, UH, MY EXPERIENCE
[00:10:01]
STARTING WITH SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON, UH, WHERE I WAS A RESIDENTIAL PORTFOLIO MANAGER AND MANAGED ALL OF THE RESIDENTIAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS. UH, I MOVED ON, UH, FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON TO BONNEVILLE POWER ADMINISTRATION, UH, WHO, UM, I'M SURE YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH, AS AN ENERGY WHOLESALER IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST WITH A 300,000 SQUARE MILE TERRITORY.THERE, I WAS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY, INCLUDING, UM, ALL MANNER OF DSM, THE DEMAND RESPONSE PROGRAMS, ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS, UM, AND THAT WAS DIRECTLY SERVING BONNEVILLE'S APPROXIMATELY 113 MUNICIPAL AND PUBLIC UTILITIES, RETAIL UTILITIES, UH, BECAUSE OF OBVIOUSLY BONNEVILLE OPERATES AT THE WHOLESALE LEVEL.
UH, FROM THERE I MOVED ON TO, UM, CLEAR RESULTS, CLEAR RESULTS.
UH, MANY OF YOU MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH THEM.
THEY'RE THE LARGEST ENERGY SERVICES PROVIDER, ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROVIDER IN NORTH AMERICA.
UH, THERE I WAS THE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS RESPONSIBLE FOR 22 US STATES AND FOUR CANADIAN PROVINCES.
UH, SO I'M REALLY, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS ROLE AT AUSTIN ENERGY AS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF CS AND EXCITED ABOUT ONBOARDING AND GETTING ON BOARD WITH THE TEAM.
UH, THIS IS REALLY A EXCITING TIME FOR ME.
I'M IN THE PROCESS OF RE RELOCATING MY FAMILY FROM THE PORTLAND AREA TO HERE.
AND, UH, I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, MEETING AND, UH, DEVELOPING A GREAT, UH, WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH AS MANY OF YOU ON THE RMC AS I POSSIBLY CAN.
UH, TWO THINGS THAT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO CONVEY ONE IS THAT I REALLY RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE THE HISTORY AND THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE TEAM ALREADY IN PLACE.
UH, SO I, YOU KNOW, MY JOB IS TO CONTINUE THAT LEGACY OF EXCELLENCE, UM, AND LEADERSHIP.
AND NUMBER TWO IS I REALLY ASCRIBED TO LISTENING.
I THINK LISTENING IS A LOST ART.
AND SO, UM, YOU WILL FIND ME A VERY ACTIVE LISTENER AS I ENGAGE WITH YOU, UH, THE EOC AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU JOINING THE MEETING AND WE ARE DEFINITELY LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU, UM, OVER THE COMING MONTHS AND YEARS, UH, THAT'S BEEN A VERY, UH, EX EXCITING GROUP, UH, WITH A LOT OF INNOVATIVE AND VERY, UH, YOU KNOW, KIND OF GROUNDBREAKING UTILITY PROGRAMS THAT, THAT HAVE COME OUT OF THE CS GROUP.
SO WE WERE DEFINITELY LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO NETWORK WITH YOU IN THE GROUP.
[2. Quarterly update from Texas Gas Service. ]
ON NEXT, UP ON THE AGENDA, WE HAVE AN UPDATE FROM TEXAS GAS SERVICE.SO MY NAME IS JASMINE KING BUSH.
UM, UH, I THINK THE BULK OF, YOU KNOW, ME, BUT JUST TO PROVIDE A BRIEF INTRODUCTION, I AM THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY SUPERVISOR OR THE TEXAS GAS SERVICE ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAM, UM, AS IT OPERATES IN CENTRAL TEXAS.
UM, WE DO ALSO HAVE ANOTHER PROGRAM IN RGB THAT I ALSO OVERSEE, BUT FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS MEETING, I PROVIDE A QUARTERLY REPORT, UM, AS IT PERTAINS TO OUR OPERATIONS IN THE CENTRAL TEXAS AREA, WHICH IS AUSTIN AND, UH, 15 SURROUNDING CITIES AND PERFECT.
YOU COULD ADVANCE THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO JUST TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF AN UPDATE, UM, YOU MAY BE AWARE THAT OUR PROGRAM, UH, RUNS ON A THREE YEAR CYCLE.
SO WE ARE, UH, CURRENTLY, UH, ON THE CUSP OF FILING FOR THE 2022 THROUGH 20, 24 YEARS.
UM, AND THE TIMELINE, A VERY HIGH-LEVEL TIMELINE OF THAT REQUIRES THAT WE PROVIDE, UM, A, UH, BUDGET AS WE EXPECT TO FILE IT TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AS WELL AS THE RMC, UM, 45 DAYS IN ADVANCE OF THE FILING.
SO WE ARE PUTTING THE FINISHING TOUCHES ON THAT, UM, AND WE WILL MAKE THAT AVAILABLE, UH, VIA ELECTRONIC COPY ON AUGUST 31ST, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO STARTING WITH THE COMMERCIAL PROGRAM, UM, NOT TOO MANY CHANGES, UM, TO, UH, REGULAR BUSINESS OPERATIONS.
UM, WE ARE, UH, ENGAGING IN, UM, UH, ADHERENCE TO THE CITY GUIDELINES AS IT PERTAINS TO THE VACCINE AND THE PANDEMIC, I'M SORRY, THE PANDEMIC AND THE NUMBERS WITH THE PANDEMIC.
SO, UM, AS THE, UH, HEALTH LOCAL HEALTH, UM, AGENCIES
[00:15:01]
RECOMMEND THAT IS HOW WE ARE, UH, ENGAGING OR NOT ENGAGING WITH OUR CUSTOMERS.UM, AND THAT IS THE DIRECTIVE THAT WE PROVIDED TO THE RESULT AS WELL.
AND THEY WERE ALREADY ON THE SAME PAGE.
UM, SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAT WE ARE WORKING ON IS A FOCUSED MARKETING OUTREACH.
SO, UH, WE ARE GOING TO BE, UH, ISSUING SOME, UM, CREATIVE, UM, SOME MARKET MATERIALS THAT ARE CO-BRANDED WITH THE RESULTS, UH, IN THE HOPES THAT WE CAN PROVIDE SOME, UM, FURTHER BRAND RECOGNITION AMONGST OUR COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS.
UM, AS THE RESULT REACHES OUT TO THEM TO INFORM THEM OF THE DIRECT INSTALL PROGRAM AND, UM, ENGAGE THEM, UM, AND INFORM THEM ON HOW THEY CAN PARTICIPATE.
SO WE, UM, FOR OUR RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM, WE ARE, UM, JOINING FORCES WITH OUR COMMUNITY, OUR CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM, AND, UH, JOINING IN WITH THEIR NEWSLETTER THAT THEY'RE SENDING OUT.
SO ON THE RIGHT, THE INSET, YOU SEE, AS JUST SOME OF THE TIPS THAT WENT OUT AS PART OF, UH, THE CORPORATE NEWSLETTER THAT WAS, UM, DISTRIBUTED, I WANT TO SAY ABOUT A MONTH AGO.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE MADE IN-HOUSE ENHANCEMENTS TO THE TEXAS GAS SERVICE.COM WEBSITE.
IT HAS HAD A COMPLETE FACELIFT, IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT, THERE ARE SOME PIECES THAT ARE STILL BEING WORKED ON AND UPDATED, BUT OVERALL, IF YOU, UM, HAVE VISITED THE PREVIOUS SITE, YOU'LL NOTICE A, UH, A COMPLETELY NEW LOOK.
UM, AND WE ARE POSTING THESE SUMMER TIPS THAT WERE COMMUNICATED IN THE NEWSLETTER ONTO THE WEBSITE AS WELL.
UM, AND WE'RE WORKING, UH, TO, UH, IDENTIFY THE CONTRACTORS THAT WE PARTNER WITH FOR THE FREE EQUIPMENT PROGRAM, UM, CONTRACTORS THAT WE'VE MADE RELATIONSHIPS WITH GIVEN THE INCREASED DEMAND FOR THE WATER, THE TANKLESS WATER HEATER REBATES.
SO WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN WORKING A LITTLE MORE CLOSELY WITH, UH, THE CONTRACTORS THAT ARE DOING THOSE INSTALLS.
SO JUST MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE AWARE OF THE PROGRAM, HOW IT WORKS, HOW TO IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES, OR, UH, THE TEXAS GAS SERVICE CUSTOMERS THAT MAY HAVE REACHED OUT TO THEM BEFORE THEY REACHED OUT TO US.
AND JUST TRYING TO CLOSE THE GAP ON ANY COMMUNICATIONS.
UM, I, THIS, THIS, AT THE TIME OF THIS SLIDE BEING APPROVED, WE HAD DISTRIBUTED ABOUT 2,500 KITS OF, FOR THE WATER, UH, SAVINGS KITS.
AS OF TODAY, WE HAVE DISTRIBUTED 3000, UM, AND, UH, WE'LL BE, UM, CLOSING DOWN THE APPLICATIONS FOR THAT UNTIL JANUARY OF NEXT YEAR.
SO IT'S IS, AS, AS, UM, KITS ARE AVAILABLE, WE JUST RUN IT THROUGHOUT YEAR.
AND HERE IS A, UH, A FINANCIAL GRAPH DEMONSTRATING THE RESIDENTIAL PARTICIPATION FOR THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAM.
AND THIS IS A YEAR OVER YEAR COMPARISON, 20 19, 20, 20, AND 2021, UM, WITH THE RETROFIT AND NEW CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMS. AND, UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT, UM, FOR THE 2019 AND 2020, UH, NUMBERS, THESE ARE THE COMPLETE YEAR FOR 2021.
SO YOU CAN SEE, UH, THE BLUE LINE, THERE IS THE HOME IMPROVEMENT.
SO THAT IS, UM, THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH AUSTIN ENERGY, THE ORANGE LINE, THERE IS THE DRYING THE DRYER PROGRAM.
SO THAT'S THE DRYER AND DRYER STUBS.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'VE ALMOST OVERTAKEN WHERE WE WERE THIS, UH, FOR THE FULL YEAR FOR 2020, UH, WITH OUR YEAR TO DATE NUMBERS FOR, UH, 2021.
UH, YOU HAVE THE WATER HEATING PROGRAM, UH, WHICH IS THE, UH, MUSTARD COLOR THERE.
AND AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, WE ARE STILL SEEING AN INCREASED DEMAND AND REQUEST FOR THE WATER, THE TANKLESS WATER HEATER REBATE.
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE HOW THAT IS PACING AGAINST PREVIOUS YEARS.
UM, AND THEN, UM, LET'S SEE THE HEATING, UM, IS THE GRAY BAR.
UM, AND THAT'S, IT'S STILL, UH, TRACKING AHEAD OF THE CURVE FROM PREVIOUS YEARS, BUT, UH, NOT TO THE SAME DEGREE AS SAY, THE WATER HEATING THE TANKLESS WATER HEATERS ARE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO A COUPLE OF HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE LOW-INCOME AND FREQUENT BUYER PROGRAM A YEAR TO DATE, WE'VE ASSISTED ABOUT 120 FAMILIES WITH, UH, NEW, UM, EQUIPMENT.
AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WE ALSO, UM, THIS NUMBER 66 APPLIANCES REPLACED DOES NOT ALSO DOES NOT ALSO INCLUDE, OR SHOULD I SHOULD SAY, DOES NOT ADEQUATELY EXPRESS THE WORK THAT GOES INTO HELPING THESE FAMILIES.
THIS ISN'T JUST, WE SWAP OUT A NATURAL GAS WATER HEATER FOR A NEW NATURAL GAS WATER HEATER.
THIS IS IF WE SEE THAT THEY NEED A NEW WATER
[00:20:01]
CLOSET, IF THEY HAVE A NEW RANGE AND WE SEE THAT THEY NEED NEW VENTING, UM, SO THAT EVERYTHING IS INSTALLED APPROPRIATE AND UP TO CODE, WE MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS ALSO TAKEN CARE OF.SO THIS ISN'T LIKE A, LIKE FOR LIGHT TYPE OF THING.
UM, WE ARE ENGAGING IN NEW EFFORTS TO TARGET, UH, CUSTOMER ADVOCACY GROUP RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE HAVE EITHER NOT, UM, SEEN HAVE ACTIVITY FOR AWHILE OR HAVE NOT, UM, EXPLORED AT ALL.
SO WE ARE REACHING OUT TO THEM SPECIFICALLY ONE BY ONE WITH, UH, PRINTED COLLATERAL AND TRYING TO ESTABLISH RELATIONSHIPS OR REESTABLISH RELATIONSHIPS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RESOURCES ARE, ARE OUT THERE, THAT THE AWARENESS IS OUT THERE ABOUT THE PROGRAM.
AND WE ARE ALSO THE PROCESS OF UPDATING THE PRICING THAT WE, UM, THE CURRENT PRICING STRUCTURE FOR REBATING, OUR CONTRACTORS.
SO JUST A SMALL BIT OF CONTEXT WHEN A FAMILY IS APPROVED THROUGH SAY, UH, MEALS ON WHEELS, UM, THEY WILL, UH, WE WILL GET THE REFERRAL, THE CONTRACTOR DOES THE WORK, AND THEN THEY SUBMIT THE INVOICES TO US, AND THEN WE PAY THE CONTRACTOR.
AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO WORK WITH, UH, GOOD CONTRACTORS THAT DO GREAT WORK AND THAT THEY ARE BEING REBATED ADEQUATELY FOR THEIR TIME.
AND THAT IS ALL FOR MY PRESENTATION.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS COMMISSIONERS? UH, I'LL OPEN THE FLOOR IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS FOR JASMINE UH, ALL RIGHT.
UM, JASMINE ACTUALLY DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, UM, NOT SO MUCH RELATED TO THIS PRESENTATION, BUT, UH, THE QUESTIONS THAT WE HAD CIRCULATED REGARDING, UH, UH, THAT TGS HAS KIND OF PLANS AS THE, UH, THE AUSTIN CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, UH, PLAN, UM, IS FINALIZED THEM AND MOVES FORWARD.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT KIND OF JUST TO TEE IT UP, YOU KNOW, THE, THE GENESIS OF MY QUESTIONS, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, AT HIS TRADITIONALLY, WHEN WE'VE LOOKED AT, HOW ARE WE GOING TO REDUCE THIS, THIS, THE, THE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR? THE BIG FOCUS HAS OBVIOUSLY BEEN AUSTIN ENERGY, UM, FOR OBVIOUS REASONS, UH, THAT THEY HAVE AT LARGE POWER PLANTS THAT ARE KIND OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE SO-CALLED LOW-HANGING FRUIT.
UM, THEY HAVE DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS OF KIND OF, UH, YOU KNOW, PUTTING IN PLACE A PLAN THAT WILL, UH, VIRTUALLY ELIMINATE THE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS FROM THEIR, THEIR GENERATION FLEET.
AND SO WHAT THIS COMMISSION AND, UH, YOU KNOW, CITY STAFF AND, UH, YOU KNOW, OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, WE'RE NATURALLY GOING TO HAVE TO TURN OUR ATTENTION TO OTHER SECTORS, YOU KNOW, WHAT OTHER SECTORS ARE, UH, YOU KNOW, CONTRIBUTING TO GREENHOUSE GASES AND HOW CAN WE REDUCE THOSE AND GET THOSE IN LINE WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S PLANS.
SO THAT'S, THAT WAS KIND OF THE GENESIS OF MY, UM, YOU KNOW, QUESTIONS JUST TO KIND OF TEE UP THIS, THIS, THIS ISSUE WITH, WITH YOU GUYS.
UM, AND, AND I, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR RESPONSES.
UM, THOSE, THOSE RESPONSES WERE CIRCULATED TO THE COMMISSION.
UM, I, I DID WANT TO FOCUS ON A COUPLE OF POINTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I GUESS THE, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I'D ASKED AND I'LL, I CAN JUST READ IT, UH, WAS IN REGARDS TO YOUR, UH, PRE, UH, GREENHOUSE GAS PROJECTIONS OUT TO, YOU KNOW, OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DECADES.
AND, UM, JUST TO KIND OF QUOTE THE RESPONSE, UH, MANY FACTORS GO INTO EMISSIONS PROJECTIONS, AND TODAY OUR COMPANY HAS NOT PUBLICLY RELEASED ANY PROJECTIONS WHILE WE UNDERSTAND THE SENSE OF URGENCY TO REDUCE EMISSIONS.
WE ARE FIRST DEVELOPING OUR STRATEGY THAT WILL ALLOW US TO QUANTIFY OPPORTUNITIES TO REDUCE BOTH DIRECT AND INDIRECT EMISSIONS.
AND, YOU KNOW, I, I APPRECIATE THAT AS KIND OF, YOU KNOW, YOUR, YOUR FIRST RESPONSE.
UM, BUT IT IS, UH, FRANKLY, UH, VERY VAGUE.
AND ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH AS WE KIND OF GRAPPLE WITH, HOW DO WE GET TO A ZERO CARBON ECONOMY? UM, IT STARTS WITH, WITH NUMBERS, KNOWING WHAT ARE OUR EMISSIONS, WHAT ARE WE PROJECTING OUR MISSIONS TO BE, UH, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T STRATEGIZE, HOW DO WE REDUCE THAT UNTIL WE KNOW WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE HAVING TO REDUCE? SO, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT I WOULD LIKE YOU GUYS TO DO IS TO BE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE MORE PROACTIVE OR MORE FORTHCOMING WITH WHAT, UM, WHAT YOU GUYS SEE AS THE RE THE MISSIONS THAT YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR.
AND, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE COROLLARY TO THAT IS THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS GONE, UH, QUITE A BIT OF WORK, UH,
[00:25:01]
AND, AND PROJECTING FOR THEMSELVES WHAT EACH SECTOR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR.SO, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, I, WE COULD GO THROUGH THE CITY AND ASK THEM, WHAT DO THEY THINK, YOU KNOW, IS THAT THE CONTRIBUTION OF NATURAL GAS, UH, THAT SECTOR TO, TO GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND, AND THEY, THEY WOULD HAVE AN ANSWER AND, UH, YOU KNOW, ONE, IT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, WE WANT YOU GUYS TO KIND OF BE IN THE GAME AND HAVE SOME INPUT THERE, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE NEED TO, UH, SEE HOW THOSE TWO NUMBERS COMPARE, UH, WHAT ARE THE, IF THERE ARE DISCREPANCIES, WHAT ARE THE REASON FOR THAT? UM, AND, YOU KNOW, THEN HOW DO WE DEAL WITH THAT? BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY WHY WE HAVE TO START WITH, WE HAVE TO KNOW WHAT IS OUR BASELINE IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS IT.
AND, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, LIKE IT OR NOT, THE FOCUS IS GOING TO BE ON, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, KIND OF OTHER SECTORS OTHER THAN THE ELECTRICITY SECTOR GOING FORWARD.
AND I KNOW YOU TALKED ABOUT, I WAS GOING TO INTRODUCE IT PRETTY GRAHAM, WHO'S JOINING THE CALL TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO, UH, YOUR QUESTIONS.
UM, JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE SOME BACKGROUND AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY FOR GOSH, SEVEN, EIGHT YEARS, AND WE'VE BEEN PROVIDING THEM WITH DATA ON THE GAS THAT WE DELIVER, YOU KNOW, IN AUSTIN.
AND I, I'M PRETTY SURE THE LAST TIME THEY RELEASED AN INVENTORY, WE WERE RESPONSIBLE OR ACTUALLY, EXCUSE ME, NATURAL GAS WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR ABOUT 7% OF THE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS IN AUSTIN.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE'LL REMIND YOU THAT OUR TWO OTHER GAS UTILITIES, I MEAN, WE, WE DELIVER 90% OF THE GAS IN AUSTIN, BUT THERE ARE TWO OTHER GAS.
AND I THINK, MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW, WE WERE A PART OF THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE PLAN I SERVED, YOU KNOW, WITH ACTUALLY
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, PART OF THAT QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH WHAT OUR PLAN IS.
WELL, WE HAVEN'T SEEN WHAT THE CITY'S PLAN IS.
UH, IT'S BEEN DELAYED UNTIL WE'RE WAITING FOR THE DRAFT TO COME OUT.
SAC TOLD ME THE OTHER DAY, HE HOPES THAT IT'S GOING TO COME OUT THIS MONTH.
AND SO NOTHING'S BEEN APPROVED.
UM, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS, AGAIN, I WANT YOU TO KNOW IS ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTAR APPROVED A RESOLUTION, OR GOT A COUNCIL RESOLUTION APPROVED AND ASKED US TO DO A STUDY ABOUT RENEWABLE NATURAL GAS.
AND SO I THINK IN THE, UH, THE ANSWERS, THE RESPONSES WE GAVE YOU, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT WE HIRED SOMEBODY TO KIND OF LOOK AT WHAT THE POSSIBILITY AND THE LANDSCAPE IS FOR RENEWABLE NATURAL GAS.
AND I THINK TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANT TO DO IS WORK WITH THE CITY TO, UM, TO USE, UH, RENEWABLE NATURAL GAS.
AND, YOU KNOW, HONESTLY, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE WATER UTILITY FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS ON, UH, ONE OF THEIR FACILITIES.
UM, AND, AND THE GOING'S BEEN KIND OF SLOW WITH THEM, BUT I THINK WE'RE PICKING UP SPEED AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE GOOD SIGN.
SO, YOU KNOW, JUST TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, WE'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT THOSE ANSWERS MAY NOT HAVE HAD THE SPECIFICITY THAT YOU WOULD HAVE LIKED, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN A LONG PROCESS FOR THE CITY TO GET THIS PLAN TOGETHER.
AND WE'RE NOT EXACTLY SURE WHERE IT LANDED, BUT, UH, WE ARE COMMITTED TO REDUCING GREENHOUSE GAS AS, YOU KNOW, ANY GAS THAT'S BURNED AT THE BURNER TIP.
SO YOUR WATER HEATER, OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A PRETTY AGGRESSIVE PLAN TO REPLACE THE OLD PI, WHICH IS, UH, UH, RE DOSING THE AMOUNT OF WEEKS.
AND THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING FOR US TO DO THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
ARE YOU ABLE TO HEAR ME? I HAVE A SERIES OF QUESTIONS WHENEVER LARRY'S DONE IT.
YES, LARRY, WE, WE, WE COULD, WE DID DEFINITELY DO THAT.
I DO HAVE SOME, IF YOU DON'T MIND, UM, I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF OTHER COMMENTS AND THEN, UM, WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU.
UM, LARRY, I REALLY APPRECIATE, UM, THE COMMENTS CERTAINLY, UH, YOU KNOW, UNDER UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, JUST A, A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN OVER BEFORE.
I KNOW WE'VE HEARD THE 7% NUMBER, UM, FROM THE LAST INVENTORY, BUT AS, AS YOU KNOW, AND AS THIS COMMISSION KNOWS, AS THE DENOMINATOR GOES DOWN, I'LL ALSO, WHICH IS MOSTLY AUSTIN ENERGY.
UM, YOUR, YOUR NUMBER SPECIFICALLY WILL GO UP.
SO WE, WE KNOW THAT 7% IS GOING TO GO UP.
UM, THAT'S KIND OF THE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE FOCUS ON, YOU KNOW, OTHER SECTORS BESIDES BESIDES THE ELECTRICITY SECTOR.
AND, YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW THAT THE PLAN HAS NOT BEEN ADOPTED YET, BUT GENERALLY WE KNOW WHERE IT'S GOING AND WE KNOW WHERE THE COUNTRY HAS TO GO, WHICH IS TO NET ZERO.
SO I UNDERSTAND, YEAH, WE, WE, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO SEE WHAT'S THE KIND OF THE FINAL TARGETS ARE, BUT,
[00:30:01]
YOU KNOW, THE GENERAL DIRECTION, UH, IS PRETTY CLEAR.AND I THINK I, UM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF JUST TO END THESE COMMENTS, I, YOU KNOW, TH TH THE WHOLE POINT OF BRINGING UP THIS DISCUSSION FOR ME IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR MORE ON THE SPECIFIC TOPIC OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS FROM YOU GUYS, UM, IN, IN ADDITION TO, YOU KNOW, THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS, BUT THE, THE REASON FOR IT IS THE BOTTOM LINE IS THIS ISSUE IS NOT GOING WAY.
WE, WE HAVE TO REDUCE EMISSIONS PRETTY DRASTICALLY.
AND, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, FRANKLY, AS A WHOLE, THE NATURAL GAS INDUSTRY HAS NOT HAD A GREAT REPUTATION FOR, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH, WITH CITIES IN, IN DOING THAT.
BUT MY, MY VISION, REALLY WHAT I, WHAT I, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE FROM YOU GUYS, AND WHAT I THINK WE CAN DO HERE IS WE, WE WANT TO WORK WITH YOU GUYS TO, FOR, FOR YOU GUYS TO BE SUCCESSFUL AS A COMPANY, AS WELL AS THE CITY SUCCESSFUL IN, IN MEETING ITS EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS TARGETS.
AND IN THE SAME WAY THAT AUSTIN ENERGY HAS KIND OF BECOME, YOU KNOW, A MODEL UTILITY REALLY, AND HOW, UH, TO, YOU KNOW, RE REDUCE EMISSIONS FROM THEIR GENERATION FLEET IN AN ECONOMIC MANNER.
UH, WE WANT TO SEE THE SAME THING OUT OF, OUT OF TEXAS GAS SERVICE.
AND, AND THAT'S REALLY TH THE POINT OF MY COMMENTS IS NOT TO BE ANTAGONISTIC.
I KNOW I PERSONALLY WOULD, WOULD LOVE TO WORK WITH YOU GUYS TO FIGURE THIS THING OUT.
PLEASE KNOW, LIKE I SAID, WE, WE ARE COMMITTED TO EXPLORING AND DOING WHAT WE CAN DO AND WORK WITH THE CITY TO REACH THE GOALS.
I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE.
AND SO WE'RE, I APPRECIATE YOU SAYING THAT.
I THINK, CAUSE WE WOULD APPRECIATE THE HELP.
AND SO I DID BEFORE SOMEBODY HAD SOME QUESTIONS, BUT REAL QUICK, I DID HAVE ONE QUESTION ON THE RENEWABLE NATURAL GAS.
UM, I, I GUESS YOU GUYS HAD MENTIONED THAT EMAIL, UH, THAT YOU WERE LOOKING AT A POTENTIAL SOLAR HYDROGEN SOLUTION.
UM, I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF YOU HAVE ANY MORE COMMENTS OR ANY, ANY DETAILS ON THAT YOU'RE WILLING TO DISCUSS, YOU KNOW, SO WE ARE HELPING, MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE'RE HELPING TO FUND A STUDY AT UT THAT'S EXPLORING HOW HYDROGEN CAN BE USED IN TRANSPORTATION.
AND I GOTTA BE HONEST, I SHOULD KNOW MORE ABOUT THAT THAN I, I DON'T.
UM, BUT WE, WE COULD, WE'D BE HAPPY TO COME BACK AND TELL YOU MORE ABOUT THAT.
SO IT'S JUST HELPING US FIND, UH, A STUDY, UM, YOU KNOW, ABOUT HOW HYDROGEN CAN BE INVOLVED IN THIS.
I WISH I HAD SOME OTHER FOLKS WHO ARE MORE INVOLVED WITH THAT, BUT WE'D BE HAPPY TO REPORT BACK ON THAT.
I KNOW I'VE PUT YOU ON THE SPOT THERE, BUT I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, FOR ME PERSONALLY, WHEN I'M LOOKING AT, HOW DO WE, YOU KNOW, BOTH REDUCE EMISSIONS FROM THE NATURAL GAS SECTOR, AS WELL AS KIND OF, UH, IN A WAY THAT KEEPS COMPANIES, UH, HEALTHY AND OPERATING, UM, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, NOT A LOT OF GOOD OPTIONS, BUT RENEWABLE HYDROGEN PROBABLY IS, IS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE ONE OF THE MOST PROMISING ONES.
SO YEAH, IT WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED TO HEAR MORE ON THAT TOPIC FROM, FROM YOU GUYS.
UM, SMITTY, I WANT TO THANK YOU FIRST OF ALL, FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO HELP WITH THIS PROCESS.
UM, BUT FRANKLY, I WANT TO TURN UP THE HEAT A LITTLE BIT ON YOU.
YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH THE PROCESS, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOUR EMISSIONS ARE.
WE ASKED YOU FOR THOSE ADMISSIONS AND YOU SAID, WELL, WE WERE NOT IN A POSITION WHERE WE WANT TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU OR SOME WORDING LIKE THAT.
SO I LOOKED IT UP IN TEXAS GAS SERVICE EMITS 122,463,000 METRIC, TONS OF GLOBAL WARMING GASES.
ACCORDING TO DATA, YOU SUPPLIED TO EPA FOR THEIR SOURCE, UH, THEIR EPA FACILITY LEVEL, GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS SOURCE.
HOW MUCH OF THAT IS ATTRIBUTABLE? WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THAT SHOULD WE ATTRIBUTE TO AUSTIN? PROBABLY AROUND A THIRD AND 35%, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND THEN Y'ALL ARE REAL PROUD ON YOUR, UM, WEBSITE, UH, OR DO YOU HAVE A BETTER NUMBER FOR THAT EMISSION FOR AUSTIN BESIDES 35% OF 122? YEAH.
AND YOU KNOW, WE COULD, I COULD ADD ZACH SACK WOULD PROBABLY HAVE THAT REAL.
YOU CAN HAVE THAT REAL QUICKLY.
WE'LL BE HAPPY TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU.
I WOULD APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE THAT HELPS US GIVE US A BOGEYMAN, UM, TO LOOK AT USING FOR WHAT KIND OF REDUCTIONS WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND YOU MAKE.
UM, WHEN I LOOKED AROUND AT, UM, YOUR WEBSITE, YOU'RE ALL PROUD OF HAVING MADE A 22% REDUCTION AND YOUR EMISSIONS,
[00:35:01]
UM, BUT ON YOUR WEBSITE AND I'M ASSUMING THAT'S THROUGH REPLACING PIPES, BUT THE DATA DOESN'T QUITE LINE UP ANYTHING WE'VE GOT, IT SHOWS FROM 2014 TO, I THINK IT WAS 2019, THOSE KINDS OF EMISSION REDUCTIONS.SO IS THAT YOU REDUCED THE 22% BEFORE THAT 122,000 TONS WAS REPORTED TO EPA? IT'S REALLY, I DON'T KNOW.
I, UM, I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER, BUT WE CAN FIND OUT YEAH.
IF YOU WOULD ADD, APPRECIATE IT.
YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE OVERLAP IS BETWEEN THAT 22% AND THE, THE REDUCTION.
AND THEN HOW MUCH OF IT YOU GOT LEFT TO GO AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN SYSTEM, I THINK YOU'D TALKED ABOUT REPLACING A LOT OF YOUR DISTRIBUTION LINES.
AND WHEN I WENT POKING THROUGH THE, UM, AMERICAN GAS ASSOCIATION WEBSITE, I WAS STUNNED TO KNOW THAT THERE WERE FAR GREATER VARIETY OF KINDS OF PIPE IN THE GROUND THAN I HAD EVER IMAGINED.
AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE STUFF WE HAVE VERY LITTLE LEFT IN THE GROUND THAT WE ARE REPLACING.
WELL, I WOULD APPRECIATE GETTING A SENSE OF WHAT YOU THINK THE POTENTIAL IS THERE FOR ADDITIONAL REDUCTIONS.
NOW, WHEN I LOOKED AROUND AT SORT OF BEST IN CLASS, UM, SOUTHERN CAL EDISON, WHICH I UNDERSTAND IS ALSO A GAS DISTRIBUTION COMPANY.
DO I UNDERSTAND THAT? RIGHT? UH, I KNOW THERE'S A SO-CALLED SO CAL GAS.
I DON'T, HONESTLY, I DON'T KNOW WHO THEY'RE OWNED BY OR THOREAU AFFILIATED WITH.
I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE THEY'RE THE CABLE SIDE.
AND SO MY THINKING IS HAVING READ THAT SEVERAL TIMES THAT THIS IS THE GAS SIDE OF SO CAL EDISON.
WELL, WHAT, WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS THEY CAN GET DOWN TO ZERO NET EMISSIONS OF NATURAL GAS FROM THE SYSTEM BY 2045 AND GIVEN THE CRISIS WE'RE IN AND THE COMMITMENT YOU HAVE MADE AND THE COMMITMENT YOUR COMPANY HAS MADE, I WOULD CERTAINLY HOPE THAT YOU CAN MATCH SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO THE QUESTION THAT I'D LIKE TO HAVE YOU BRING BACK, AND I'M GOING TO ASK FOR A VOTE ON THIS FOR THE, FROM THE COMMISSIONERS AND BY THE NEXT MEETING IS, SO WHAT IS THE BEST IN THE CLASS AMONG DAS? LDCS, YOU KNOW, HOW, WHAT ARE THEIR GOALS? YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE OTHER COMPANIES DOING? AND WHAT DO YOU THINK IS REASONABLE, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE CLIMATE PLAN IS, YOU'RE COMMITTED YOUR COMP YOUR COUNTRY COMPANY IS COMMITTED.
AND IF YOU HAVEN'T FIGURED IT OUT, THIS COMMISSION IS VERY COMMITTED TO ZERO CARBON EMISSIONS.
I FIGURED THAT OUT A WHILE AGO, I THOUGHT YOU HAD LIKE, GREAT.
YEAH, YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THE DRIFT OF ALL THIS.
AND THEN LAST ONE OF THE THINGS YOU DISCUSSED IS PARTNERING WITH VANGUARD, RENEWABLES TO BUY RENEWABLE NATURAL GAS.
AND IN THAT SECTION OF YOUR WEBSITE, YOU TALK THE POTENTIAL FOR, UM, PARTNERING WITH AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY TO RECOVER NATURAL GAS, BOTH OFF OF, UH, LANDFILLS.
BUT MOST INTERESTINGLY TO ME WAS OFF OF THE COMPOST PILES.
AND I'M JUST INTERESTED IN KNOWING WHAT THE POTENTIAL IS FOR THAT KIND OF A PARTNERSHIP.
SO WHAT I KNOW IS, YOU KNOW, THE CITY HAS THE FACILITY AT HORNSBY BEND AND THEY HIRED, UM, AND I THINK THEY, UM, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
IT'S A WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT OR A SOLID WAYS WASTE.
I THINK IT'S WASTEWATER TREATMENT AND WINDS WE'VE BEEN, AND THEY PRODUCE METHANE AS PART OF THE PROCESS.
AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS CURRENTLY THEY USE SOME OF THE METHANE TO GENERATE ELECTRICITY ONSITE.
AND SOME OF IT ACTUALLY IS BENTED, YOU KNOW, INTO THE ATMOSPHERE.
SO THEY HIRED A CONSULTANT AND THEIR CONSULTANT CONTACTED US TO SEE IF WE COULD TAKE THAT METHANE AND PUT IT INTO THE PIPELINE, YOU KNOW, IN, IN DISTRIBUTED IN AUSTIN.
IT'S TAKEN US SOME TIME TO GET SOME, UH, TRACTION WITH THE, UH, THE WATER UTILITY, EH, BUT I THINK WE'RE THERE.
AND SO THEN, UM, COMMISSIONER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTERS THE ONE 18 MONTHS AGO THAT PASSED THIS RESOLUTION AND WE WENT OUT AND HIRED THOSE GUYS.
[00:40:01]
THE STUDY AND IDENTIFY WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL SOURCES FROM LANDFILLS, FROM WATER TREATMENT FACILITIES, FROM FEED STOCK THAT COULD BE USED.AND I THINK WHAT WE WERE REALLY ENCOURAGED ABOUT IS WE THINK THERE'S A LOT OF THAT, THAT WE COULD USE AND THE TECHNOLOGY LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE IS IMPROVING SO THAT WE CAN MAKE THAT, UM, WHAT'S CALLED PIPELINE QUALITY GAS.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE PLANNING ON DOING IS GOING TO DEPEND ON, YOU KNOW, USING, UM, THAT GAS AND PUT IT IN OUR DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM SO THAT IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST NOT BETTER THAN THE ATMOSPHERE AND IT DISPLACES GAS THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO PULL OUT OF THE GROUND OR BUY FROM SOMEONE TO, UM, TO USE.
SO I THINK, I THINK WE'RE ENCOURAGED AND I MEAN, SOME OF THIS JUST, WE GOT SOME OF THE REPORTS JUST AS SPRING.
SO SOME OF THIS IS PRETTY NEW, UM, BUT IT IS SOMETHING WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT EXPLORING AND, AND REALLY, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH THE CITY AND OTHERS AND SEE IF WE CAN USE SOME OF THIS, UM, METHANE THAT'S BEING PRODUCED THIS WAY.
AND, AND I, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT TOO.
AND I'D LIKE TO, AS YOU PLEASED TO BRING US BACK A POTENTIAL ANALYSIS, UH, AS SOMEBODY WHO UNFORTUNATELY MAKES MORE TRIPS TO THE LANDFILL THAN I PERHAPS WOULD LIKE TO IN THE REST OF MY LIFE, UM, TALL AND TRASH AND OTHER STUFF, THE, UM, I KNOW THAT, UH, TDS AND, UM, THE, UH, LANDFILL UP IN HUDDLE, JUST OUTSIDE OF ROUNDROCK, GEORGETOWN, BOTH, UH, VENT FREQUENTLY AND HAVE, AND HAVE FLARES THAT ARE NOT PARTICULARLY EFFICIENT, UH, YEARS AGO.
UM, THE JOB UP AT TWO 90, I BELIEVE CONTRACTED, UM, WASTE MANAGEMENT, UH, WITH THE WASTE MANAGEMENT TRUCKS RAN ON THAT NATURAL GAS, REALLY CONFUSING, AND I BELIEVE THEY HAD AN OVER SUPPLY, SO THERE MAY AS WELL BEEN A SUPPLY THERE.
AND THEN THE NEXT SET OF QUESTIONS I HAVE HAS TO DO WITH THE RATE CASE AND JONATHAN UNDER KNOW IF YOU WANT TO COME BACK TO THAT LATER.
SO TOM, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA GIVE ME THE RAY CASE OR THE SECURITIZATION PILOT.
SO JONATHAN, DO YOU WANT TO BRING THAT UP NOW? OR YOU WANNA WAIT? SO, UM, THIS IS THE FIRST QUESTION IS ACTUALLY FOR, UM, AUSTIN CITY OF AUSTIN EMPLOYEES, WHICH IS, UM, WHY ARE WE NOT INTERVENERS IN THE SECURITIZATION CASE? WELL, I'LL ANSWER WITH THIS OR DOES SOMEONE ELSE WHEN I TALKED TO RON DELLA HAWKINS AT FOUR 30 TODAY, AND SHE SAYS, THE CITY IS INTERVENING, IT IS GOING TO, OR HAS, YEAH, I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE YET, BUT SHE, OR SHE SAID AS OF TODAY, THEY ARE.
AND SO COULD YOU, COULD YOU SORT OF JUSTIFY AS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT THIS BROUGHT UP IN MY MIND WAS, DO YOU, AT THE TIME YOU CONTRACT FOR NATURAL GAS SUPPLIES INQUIRE AS TO WHETHER YOUR SUPPLIERS ARE WINTERIZED? YEAH, I WOULD.
I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT MY GUESS IS NO.
SO, I MEAN, I JUST, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, OKAY.
AND SO, AND JONATHAN, I WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP A MOTION LATER ON IN THIS MEETING OR THE NEXT MEETING THAT IT'S APPROPRIATE TO SUGGEST THAT BOTH, UM, TEXAS GAS SERVICES AND ALL THE CONTRACTORS FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAVE CONTRACTS FOR PURCHASES OF NATURAL GAS.
ONLY WITH THOSE PEOPLE WHO CAN CERTIFY THAT THEY ARE WINTERIZED TO SOME STANDARD LEFT TO BE MADE UP.
UM, BUT IT IT'S JUST UNACCEPTED.
WELL, LET ME, LET ME BRING THIS UP.
AND I, I'M NOT AN EXPERT IN THIS, BUT YOU KNOW, TH THE THING WAS, THE SUPPLY WAS DIMINISHED, YOU KNOW, CLEARLY, BUT THE PEOPLE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PROCURE GAS FROM, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE ABLE, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE A WINTERIZED OR NOT, BUT THEY WERE OPERATING OR WE WOULDN'T HAVE GOT GAS FROM THEM.
SO, ANYWAY, I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT.
BUT I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHETHER YOU, WHETHER YOUR SUPPLIERS ARE WINTERIZED.
I THINK IT'S A FAIR QUESTION TO ASK AFTER THE FLAWS WE SAW THIS LAST YEAR, IT WAS LAST WINTER.
[00:45:01]
YEAH, NO.AND YOU KNOW, THE MORE I THINK ABOUT THIS, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE BUYING FROM THIRD PARTIES THAT BUY FROM THE SUPPLIERS.
SO LET, LET ME, LET ME, UH, LET ME FIND OUT, AND I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT.
SO LET ME BE REALLY BLUNT WITH YOU, LARRY.
I DON'T TRUST THE RAILROAD COMMISSION AFTER NEARLY 30 YEARS OF A FAILURE TO REQUIRE THE GAS SUPPLY CHAIN TO WINTERIZE PERIOD.
AND SO AT THAT POINT, IT BECOMES INCUMBENT ON FOLKS LIKE THE CITY OF AUSTIN IN ARE THE CUSTOMERS, BUT THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS OUR AGENT TO PUT KEY CRITERIA IN YOUR CONTRACT AND YOUR OPERATING AGREEMENTS TO SAY, YOU NEED TO GO BACK AND DO THE JOB.
THE RAILROAD COMMISSION IS NOT BECAUSE IF YOU RECENTLY SAW SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR HAPPENED AT THE PUC.
WHEN ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS ASKED CALPINE, ARE YOUR GUYS OR THE PEOPLE YOU'RE BUYING GAS FROM WINTERIZED.
AND HE SAID, AND THE COMMISSIONER SAID, WELL, I WOULD THINK THAT YOU OUGHT TO FIND OUT, AND THIS MAY BE SOMETHING WE WANT TO PUT INTO OUR WINTERIZATION STANDARDS.
SO AS A CITY, WE'RE DEVELOPING WINTERIZATION STANDARDS AND IT MAKES IT BEHOOVES US TO ASK YOU TO FIND OUT WHERE YOU'RE GETTING YOUR BEST AND JUST IMPORT A LITTLE TWIST IN THE CONTRACT.
IT SAYS, OKAY, GUYS, WE DON'T WANT TO BE CAUGHT SHORT.
NOW YOU GUYS CONTINUED TO DELIVER.
I'M REALLY GRATEFUL TO HAVE BEEN WARM THIS WINTER, LARRY, I'M NOT, I'M NOT DISSING YOU ON THAT, BUT WE GOT TO MAKE THE MARKET WORK.
IF THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO RELY ON IN THIS STATE, I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM.
AND I DON'T, I UNDERSTAND THAT I DON'T DISAGREE.
UH, JUST REAL QUICK TO CLARIFY SMITTY ON, UH, UH, ANY, ANY MOTIONS OR RESOLUTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION WOULD, UH, WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BE OCCURRED AT THIS MEETING.
IT WILL HAVE TO WAIT FOR A FUTURE MEETING.
SO JUST PLEASE MARK THEM FOR SOMETHING WE WANT TO BRING UP AND I'LL WORK WITH YOU AND THE CITIES AND STAFF TO MAKE SURE WE GET THOSE IN PROPER FORMAT.
DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR TEXAS GAS? YEAH, I HAVE A QUESTION.
SO I GOING BACK TO THE CLIMATE PLAN AND THE DRAFT, WHICH, UM, YEAH, AND I KNOW YOU HAVE SEEN, CAUSE I'VE SEEN YOUR, YOUR COMMENTS ARE LACED ON PART OF IT.
UM, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS IN ITS CURRENT FORM, DO YOU PLAN TO SUPPORT OPPOSE OR REMAIN NEUTRAL? UM, THE ADOPTION OF THE CLIMATE POLL? OH, I THINK WE WILL SUPPORT IT.
ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONER IS ANY ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT, LARRY AND JASMINE, WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
UH, WE'VE, WE'VE TAKEN UP QUITE A BIT OF YOUR TIME TONIGHT AND I APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO, TO ENGAGE IN, UH, AND TO, TO JOIN US HERE.
AND THANK YOU FOR PUTTING US EARLY IN THE AGENDA.
[3. Quarterly update from Austin Water.]
ON, UH, NEXT ITEM, QUARTERLY UPDATE FROM AUSTIN WATER.GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS IN THE ARMY.
KLUGIE THE MANAGER OF THE WATER CONSERVATION DIVISION AND MATER.
I STARTED IN MY ROLE IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR AND HAD THE GREAT FORTUNE TO BE ONBOARDED BY MARC JORDAN WHO HAD BEEN THE ACTING DIVISION MANAGER AND HAS BEEN PRESENTING TO YOU, UH, RECENTLY STARTING THESE CONSERVATION UPDATES.
SO IT IS A PLEASURE TO BE HERE WITH ALL OF YOU TONIGHT AND GIVE YOU A BRIEF UPDATE REGARDING RECENT WATER CONSERVATION ACTIVITIES OF THE UTILITY.
IN ADDITION TO THIS PRESENTATION, YOU HAVE THE MONTHLY WATER CONSERVATION REPORT IN YOUR AGENDA PACKET, AND I'M HAPPY TO DISCUSS ANY OF THESE TOPICS, WHETHER IN THE PRESENTATION OR IN THE REPORT AFTER I'M FINISHED.
OH, HEY, UH, I JUST WANNA TO SAY REAL FAST, UH, SORRY TO INTERRUPT AS WELL THAT, UM, JUST WANT TO GIVE EVERYONE A HEADS UP THAT I DO HAVE TO LEAVE IN SEVEN MINUTES.
I HAD TOLD A COMMISSIONER, OUR
[00:50:01]
CHAIR BLACKBURN IN ADVANCE, BUT JUST WANTED TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW INCLUDING YOU.UM,
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME KNOW.
I'VE TRIED TO MAKE IT A BRIEF PRESENTATION.
UH, SO I THINK YOU'LL PROBABLY GET MOST OF IT IF NOT, NOT ALL OF IT.
SO A BRIEF LOOK AT WHAT I WAS GOING TO PRESENT, WHAT I'M GOING TO PRESENT TONIGHT, WATER OUTLOOK, TALK ABOUT THE ONSITE WATER REUSE SYSTEM EFFORTS, AND THEN SOME COMING ACTIVITIES OR WATER CONSERVATION US FROM WATER.
NEXT SLIDE WATER SUPPLY OUTLOOK IS GOOD.
UH, UH, COMBINED STORAGE LEVELS OF LAKE CANNON AND LAKE TRAVIS ARE LOOKING GOOD.
AS YOU CAN SEE THROUGHOUT THE WINTER AND EARLY SPRING, UH, WATER LEVELS WERE TRENDING DOWN.
THAT'S IN THE DARK BLUE LINE TO THE LEFT OF THE CHART THERE.
AND IT LOOKED AS THOUGH WE'RE GOING TO BE HEADING INTO SOME DROUGHT DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS.
HOWEVER, THE RAINS AND THE INFLOW INTO THE RESERVOIR IN MAY, IN JUNE REALLY PUSHED THE LAKE LEVELS BACK UP TO ALMOST 1.7 MILLION ACRE FEET OF STORAGE TO THE RIGHT OF THAT YELLOW VERTICAL LINE.
THERE IS THE LCRA IS PROJECTIONS OF LAKE LEVEL WAS GOING FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE FROM WET CONDITIONS THAT GREEN DOTTED-LINE TO EXTREME DRY CONDITIONS THAT RED DOTTED LINE THERE.
AND IT SHOWS THAT IN, IN ALL CONDITIONS EXCEPT FOR THE EXTREME DRY CONDITIONS, AUSTIN WILL NOT BE GOING INTO DROUGHT STAGES THROUGH FEBRUARY OF 2022.
NEXT SLIDE, ONSITE WATER REUSE EARLIER THIS YEAR, YOU'RE BRIEFED ON THE ONSITE WATER REUSE SYSTEM ORDINANCE AND THE COMPANY INCENTIVE PROGRAM.
SO I WANTED TO COME BACK TO YOU WITH AN UPDATE ON THESE EFFORTS AND HOW'S IT BEEN GOING? SO, AS YOU RECALL, THERE IS A VOLUNTARY PHASE AT THE ONSITE WATER REUSE AND A MANDATORY IS OF ONSITE WATER REUSE.
IN DECEMBER OF 2022, COUNCIL ADOPTED THE ORDINANCE TO REGULATE THE COLLECTION TREATMENT AND USE OF ALTERNATIVE WATER SUPPLIES FOR NON-POTABLE USES FOR COMMERCIAL AND MULTIFAMILY BUILDINGS.
NOW, WHEN THEY APPROVED THAT IN DECEMBER OF 22, IT MADE THE USE OF THAT ONSITE WATER REUSE MANDATORY IN DECEMBER OF 2023, UNTIL THAT DATE, THE USE OF ONSITE WATER REUSE IS VOLUNTARY, AND WE WILL BE PROVIDING INCENTIVES TO DEVELOPERS AND FIRMS TO UTILIZE ONSITE WATER REUSE.
WE WILL PROVIDE UP TO $250,000 OR A PROJECT THAT OFFSETS A MILLION GALLONS OR MORE OF PORTABLE WATER AND $500,000 TO OFFSET UP TO 3 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER A YEAR.
NOW, UH, SINCE YOU LAST SPOKE, UH, OR LAST WAS YOUR LAST PRESENTED INFORMATION ON THIS CATHERINE
AND AT THIS POINT WE HAVE ONE APPLICATION IN-HOUSE THAT UTILIZES RAINWATER TO IN, IN THE COOLING SYSTEM.
AND WE HAVE TWO POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS WE'RE HOPING TO, TO BRING IN, IN, IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
SO WE GOT ONE IN OPEN, GET TWO MORE IN, IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
SO WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS NEXT MONTH.
YOU SHOULD SEE A REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION REGARDING THE REAUTHORIZATION OF FUNDING FOR THE INCENTIVE PROGRAM.
SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, YOU SAW THIS, THIS RCA ASKED THE COUNCIL TO APPROVE THE AUTHORIZATION OF UTILIZING THESE FUNDS FOR THE INCENTIVE PROGRAM.
WE'RE JUST DOING THAT AGAIN FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, SO THAT WHEN THESE PROJECTS COME, WE CAN OFFER THAT INCENTIVE MONEY OR THE THOSE PROJECTS.
SO YOU'LL SEE THIS MORE AGAIN, AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN REPORT BACK TO YOU MORE APPLICATIONS COMING IN IN THE FUTURE.
[00:55:04]
THESE NEXT FOUR SLIDES ARE UPCOMING PROJECTS THAT WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT AND WANT TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON.AND IT REALLY KIND OF SPAN BETWEEN THE NEXT MONTH AND THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
IT'S THE FIRST ONE I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT IS AN INCENTIVE PROGRAM.
WE'RE WORKING ON TO ENCOURAGE EXISTING CUSTOMERS TO HOOK UP TO THE RECLAIMED WATER LINE AT AUSTIN WATER.
CURRENTLY CURRENT CITY CODE REQUIRES NEW COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENTS OR REDEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE WITHIN 250 FEET OF RICO, RECLAIMED WATER MAIN TO CONNECT TO AUSTIN WATERS RECLAIM SYSTEM, OR FOR USING IRRIGATE IN IRRIGATION OR COOLING TOWER OR OTHER NON-POTABLE WATER USERS.
HOWEVER, THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT FOR EXISTING CUSTOMERS TO HOOK UP.
SO THERE ARE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS WITH IRRIGATION SYSTEMS OR COOLING TOWERS THAT HAD NOT HOOKED UP TO THE RECLAIM SYSTEM.
AND WE WANT THEM TO HOOK UP TO THE RECLAIM SYSTEM SO THEY CAN STOP USING THE POTTABLE WATER OR THESE IRRIGATION GOING DOWN.
SO WE'RE OPEN LATER THIS MONTH TO POST A NEW INCENTIVE PROGRAM TO THESE CUSTOMERS, TO SWITCH OVER RECOGNIZING THE COST TO HOOKUP AND THE LONG-TERM BENEFITS OF HAVING THESE CUSTOMERS AS RECLAIMED CUSTOMERS USING RECLAIMED WATER, THE INCENTIVE WILL REBATE UP TO 75% OF THE PROJECT COSTS TO CONVERT THEIR IRRIGATION SYSTEMS OR COOLING TOWERS OVER TO BEING ABLE TO USE RECLAIMED WATER.
IT WILL NOT COVER PERMITTING COSTS, BUT THE COST TO CONVERT OVER YOU WILL BE PAID UP TO SEVENTY-FIVE PERCENT OF THOSE PROJECT COSTS OUR INITIAL GOAL.
WHAT WE HOPE TO HAVE IN THE NEXT YEAR IS TO GET FIVE TO 10 APPLICANTS FOR THIS SWITCH OVER, WE'RE WORKING WITH OTHER STAFF AT AUSTIN WATER WHO WORK WITH THESE RECLAIM SYSTEMS AND IDENTIFY WHO MIGHT BE THE BEST CANDIDATES FOR THIS.
SO WE'RE HOPING TO GET FIVE TO 10 SAVING, HOPEFULLY FIVE TO 10 MILLION GALLONS OVER THE NEXT YEAR.
SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS TO BRING SWITCH ASTON WATER CUSTOMERS WILL EXPLAIN
SO THIS IS IN LIEU OF HAVING TO DO REBATES.
CUSTOMERS GET THOSE INSTANT SAVINGS AT THE STORES.
THIS WILL BE A NEW EFFORT FOR US TO MONITOR.
SO WE'RE JUST KIND OF DIPPING OUR TOE INTO THE WATER WITH A RELATIVELY EASY PRODUCT, THIS PILOT, WHICH IS A HOSE TIMER, WE CURRENTLY HAVE A REBATE FOR, BUT WE ARE TRYING TO PUT IT INTO THE MIX OF AUSTIN ENERGY'S INSTANT SAVINGS, AND IT WILL BE OFFERING AN $8 INSTANT SAVINGS ON BEANS, POWS, WATER TIMERS AT THE HOME DEPOT, AND MAY EXPAND TO OTHER RETAILERS ACROSS THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
BUT INITIALLY IT'S JUST STARTING WITH HOME DEPOT AND AN INSTANT SAVINGS OF $8.
SO WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE HOW THIS WORKS, ALLOWING INDIVIDUALS TO SAVE MONEY, BUYING THESE POTTER SAVING DEVICES AT THE POINT OF PURCHASE.
SO THAT'LL BE COMING UP IN THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS, THIRD SLIDE, OR NEXT TIME, THE THIRD EFFORT I WANT TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION IN THIS UPDATE IS IN REGARDS TO WATER BENCHMARKING, UH, UH, NEW DEVELOPMENTS, THE ONSITE WATER REUSE TEAM MENTIONED EARLIER EARLIER HAS ALSO BEEN WORKING ON A WATER BENCHMARK APPLICATION FOR A NEW COMMERCIAL MULTI-FAMILY AND MIXED USE DEVELOPMENTS.
AND THIS WILL RECEIVE THIS IDEA OR RECEIVE A PUBLIC HEARING AT THE COUNCIL'S AUGUST 26TH MEETING.
SO THIS IS NOT A SET DEAL, BUT, UH, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS AND HOPE THAT
[01:00:01]
THIS WILL RECEIVE A POSITIVE PUBLIC HEARING AND APPROVAL FROM COUNCIL.IF APPROVED THIS WATER BENCHMARKING ONLINE APPLICATION, IT'S A WEB BASED FORM.
THEY USE THE STANDARD SITE PLAN INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE APPLICANT TO CALCULATE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, ANTICIPATED WATER USE.
AND MS PROVIDES THEM INFORMATION TO THE APPLICATION APPLICANT ABOUT WATER EFFICIENCY MEASURES AND ALTERNATIVE WATER SUPPLIES AVAILABLE IN THE PROJECT.
SO FOR INSTANCE, ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SLIDE SLIDE THERE, YOU SEE TWO TAKE BAR GRAPHS AS AN ILLUSTRATION OF INFORMATION THAT WILL BE GIVEN BACK TO THE APPLICANT REGARDING HOW MUCH WATER THEY'LL USE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THAT BUILDING THAT DEVELOPMENT.
IF THEY USE JUST STANDARD BY THE BOOK PICTURES OR, OR, UH, FIXTURES OR WATER USING DEVICES ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE OR WE'LL SHOW, IF YOU USE THESE WATER EFFICIENCY OR WATER EFFICIENT FIXTURES OR DEVICES, THIS IS HOW MUCH MORE YOU CAN SAVE.
SO IT'S REALLY A TOOL TO LET DEVELOPERS KNOW HOW MUCH MORE THEY CAN SAY.
IF THE ORDINANCE IS APPROVED, UH, DEVELOPMENTS WITH MORE THAN 250 SQUARE E WILL BE REQUIRED TO MEET WITH AUSTIN WATER STAFF PRIOR TO THE SITE PLAN, BEING FLUTE TO DISCUSS WATER EFFICIENCY, MEASURES, INCH MARKING, DATA INCENTIVES, AND REBATES THAT WE CAN OFFER.
SO IT'S REALLY A TOOL FOR ALLOWING US TO COMMUNICATE WITH THESE DEVELOPERS ABOUT WHAT COULD BE DONE AND HOW WE CAN HELP THE NEW DEVELOPMENT NEXT SLIDE.
AND FINALLY, YOU HAVE THE FOUR UPDATES I WANTED TO GIVE YOU YOUR PROJECTS IS OVER THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, STAFF WILL BE WORKING ON THE POTENTIAL LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION ORDINANCE.
THAT IS A STRATEGY IN THE WATER FORWARD 2018.
NOW THIS POTENTIAL ORDINANCE IS ONE OF A HANDFUL OF CONSERVATION RELATED IDEAS AND EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED BY THE COUNCIL AS HOPEFULLY BEING IMPLEMENTED QUICKER.
SO WE'RE MOVING FORWARD ON THIS, CONSIDERING THIS SUCH LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION ORDINANCES ORDINANCE WAS ORIGINALLY DEVELOPED BACK AND PROPOSED BACK IN THE 2010 WATER CONSERVATION PLAN.
AND AS WELL AS IN THE 2018 WATER WATERFORD AND MAY LIMIT THE AREA OF IRRIGATED TURF IN NEW DEVELOPMENTS OR RE DEVELOPMENTS, HOWEVER, RIGHT.
I WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THIS JUST TO THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING AT ON THIS OR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
WE'LL BE WORKING ON INTERNALLY, AND THEN WE'LL BE TALKING TO STAKEHOLDERS AND INTERESTED PARTIES.
AND THEN OF COURSE THE COMMISSIONS AND ULTIMATELY THE COUNCIL.
SO YOU'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS, THE, WHAT, WHAT COULD BE DONE IN TERMS OF, OF LANDSCAPE IRRIGATION GOING FORWARD, NEXT SLIDE.
SO THAT'S NOT THAT, UH, WHAT WE'LL BE UNDERTAKING OR THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS INTO THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THESE NEW OPPORTUNITIES.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO REPORTING BACK TO YOU ABOUT THEIR SUCCESS WITH THAT.
I AM HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU, KEVIN, MUCH APPRECIATED, UH, COMMISSIONERS, ANY, ANY QUESTIONS I HAVE COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR SHARING GLORIA.
UM, KEVIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
UM, I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ONSITE WATER REUSE SYSTEM, AND QUESTION IS, UH, ARE WE JUST TALKING ABOUT A USE OF RAIN WATER OR IS IT ACTUALLY RECLAIMED WATER BECAUSE THE WORD ONSITE IS IN THERE AND AWARD REUSE.
SO, UM, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THAT OR CLARIFY THAT FOR ME.
AND, UM, SO THE SECOND QUESTION IS, UH, YOU ALSO MENTIONED SOME ABOUT THAT UNTIL CERTAIN TIME OR CERTAIN DATE.
SO IS THERE ANY SELF REPORTING BY, UH, THOSE CUSTOMERS WHO ARE USING OR REUSING WATER AND, UH, IS THERE ANY TESTING, UH, INVOLVED WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, THE, THE AFFLUENT THAT'S BEING USED? I CAN REPEAT THE QUESTIONS
[01:05:01]
IF YOU WANT, UH, REGARDING THE FIRST QUESTION ON TYPES OF, OF WATER BEING INCLUDED IN THE ONSITE WATER REUSE, IT, IT REALLY RANGES.IT CAN INCLUDE, UH, GRAY FROM FAUCETS SHOWERS.
HAVE YOU, AND IT CAN ALSO INCLUDE BLACK WATER IF YOU WANT IT TO GO THAT FAR.
SO IT'S REALLY KIND OF A SPECTRUM RAINWATER TO THE BLACK WATER THAT COULD BE REUSED ON SITE FOR NON-POTABLE PURPOSES.
AND THEN THE SECOND QUESTION WAS, UH, DATE FOR WHEN IT BECOMES MANDATORY.
UM, I THINK IT'S DECEMBER 1ST, 2023.
UM, AFTER THAT POINT DEVELOPMENTS WITH MORE THAN 250 SQUARE FEET ARE REQUIRED TO USE, UM, HAVE THIS ONSITE WATER REUSE SYSTEM.
UM, THIS VOLUNTARY PROGRAM IS REALLY TRYING TO GATHER SOME OF THAT INFORMATION.
WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO DEVELOPERS, TO PUT THESE ONSITE SYSTEMS INTO THEIR DEVELOPMENT.
AND GREG, WE'RE HAPPY TO INCENTIVIZE THIS BECAUSE WE'RE GAINING KNOWLEDGE OUT OF IT.
ALSO, CURRENTLY, WE, YOU DON'T HAVE A REALLY GOOD HANDLE ON WHAT THE COSTS WOULD BE, AND THIS IS ONE WAY TO SUPPLEMENT OR SUPPORT THOSE EARLY ADOPTERS AND TO GET GOOD DATA ON THEIR ONSITE WATER REUSE SYSTEMS. DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? UH, PARTIALLY, UH, I APPRECIATE THAT, UH, YOU ALSO CLARIFY A DIMENSION THAT IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, RAINWATER OR, OR, UH, GRAY WATER OR BLACK WATER.
UM, SO THE QUESTION COMES UP THAT, UH, IS THAT REUSE OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THEY'RE SPRAYING, IS THAT GOING TO BE IN A, IN AN AREA WHERE, WHERE IT WOULD BE A PUBLIC AREA, UM, OR, OR IS IT GOING TO BE AT, AT RESIDENTIAL AT HOMES? THERE IS AN, I ASKED FOIL SELF REPORTING AND ALSO TESTING OF THE WATER.
IF IT'S BLACK WATER OR GRAY WATER, UH, RECLAIMED WATER, AS YOU KNOW, THERE'S GOT TO BE SOME KIND OF, IT HAS TO MEET SOME KIND OF MINIMUM STANDARDS, UH, STATE STANDARD BEFORE YOU CAN SPRAY IT, SAY ON GOLF COURSE OR, OR OTHER PLACES, AND IT WILL BE FOR NON-POTABLE USES, BUT THAT COULD BE FOR COOLING TOWERS, OR IT COULD BE FOR IRRIGATION.
AS YOU MENTIONED, SPRAY SPRAY IRRIGATION IN TERMS OF THE TESTING.
AND SELF-REPORTING, I'D HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU.
I WANT TO CLARIFY OR INFIRM, I CAN DO THE ONSITE WATER REUSE FOLKS ABOUT WHAT TESTING MIGHT TAKE PLACE, BUT NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT SURE ON THAT RIGHT NOW, BUT I'M HAPPY TO TALK TO THE ONSITE FOLKS AND GET A BETTER IDEA OF WHAT TESTING WILL BE IS, IS IN PLACE NOW.
AND WE'LL BE IN PLACE AFTER 2020.
ANYONE ELSE? YOU'RE A NON KEVIN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION OR FOR JOINING.
[4. Commercial Solar Incentives Program, Shared Solar, and Solar Meter and Permit Fees Presentation. ]
TO AGENDA ITEM FOUR, UH, WE HAVE, UH, UH, UPDATE FROM, UH, ON COMMERCIAL SOLAR INCENTIVES, UH, SHARED SOLAR AND SOLAR METER AND PERMIT FEES, PRESENTATION, AUSTIN ENERGY EVENING COMMISSIONERS.UM, I AM THE CUSTOMER RENEWABLE SOLUTIONS MANAGER FOR AUSTIN ENERGY.
UM, I'LL BE TALKING TONIGHT ABOUT, UM, THE CHANGES THAT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE TO THE COMMERCIAL INCENTIVE PROGRAM.
SO OUR SHARED SOLAR PROGRAM AND HOW WE'RE PROGRESSING THERE, UM, I'LL BE ADDRESSING SOME PERMIT CHANGES OR CURRENT FEE CHANGES I SHOULD SAY.
AND, UM, THE, UH, INSTITUTIONALIZING, THE, UH, RECOVERY OF THE PB METER AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS THAT.
UM, AND THEN I'VE ALSO BEEN ASKED TO, UM, SPEAK TO THE DOE SOLAR APP.
[01:10:10]
CAN WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE? SO FOR THE COMMERCIAL INCENTIVE PROGRAM, UM, I'M GONNA GO OVER THE HISTORY OF THE PROGRAM BRIEFLY, UM, AND THE OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT, UM, THE STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK, UH, RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS TO IMPLEMENT THE CHANGES AND, UM, GET YOUR FEEDBACK ON THAT NEXT SLIDE.SO, UH, WE STARTED AN INCENTIVE PROGRAM FOR COMMERCIAL IN 2004, UM, THAT STARTED OFF AT A $5 OR WHAT INCENTIVE.
UM, AND THAT WAS A CAPACITY BASED INCENTIVE THAT WAS PAID TO THE CUSTOMER UPFRONT BASED ON THE SIZE OF THEIR SYSTEM IN 2009.
UM, THERE WAS A, UM, EVENT, UH, CALL IT, UM, WHERE WE WERE ANTICIPATING USING ALL OUR BUDGET.
AND, UM, THERE WAS A, UH, JUSTIFIED AND INCENTIVE OF REDUCTION.
AND WE HAD ANNOUNCED THAT TO THE REST, AND THIS IS IN THE RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM.
AND WE HAD ANNOUNCED THAT TO THE CONTRACTORS IN THE MORNING AND TOLD THEM THAT WE WERE GOING TO MAKE THIS, UH, INCENTIVE REDUCTION AT THE END OF THE DAY.
UM, WE LEARNED A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT LESSON THERE.
UM, AS WE, UM, LATER THAT DAY RECEIVED $4 MILLION WORTH OF SENDING APPLICATIONS.
UM, AND THAT EFFECTIVELY USED UP THE REST OF THAT YEAR'S BUDGET AND A GOOD PORTION OF THE FOLLOWING YEAR BUDGET.
UM, IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN A CONTINUITY IN THE INCENTIVE PROGRAMS, UH, WE DECIDED TO ADJUST THE COMMERCIAL INCENTIVE, UH, SOMETHING THAT WE HAD BEEN LOOKING AT ANYWAY, BUT IT WAS AN OPPORTUNE TIME TO IMPLEMENT, UM, AT PBI, WHICH IS A PERFORMANCE-BASED INCENTIVE RATHER THAN A CPI.
AND THE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE THERE IS THAT, UM, THE PBI IS PAID OVER A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS AND IT'S BASED ON THE PRODUCTION OF THE SYSTEM.
UM, SO, UM, THAT ALLOWED US TO, UM, BE A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBLE WITH OUR BUDGETS AND, UM, MAINTAIN CONTINUITY IN OUR PROGRAM AFTER THAT EVENT.
UM, IN 2016, WE MIGRATED THE, UH, COMMERCIAL PROGRAM INTO, INTO ECP, WHICH ARE, IS OUR WEB-BASED, UH, ONLINE APPLICATION PROCESSING TOOL.
AND AT THAT TIME WE INCREASED THE CAPS, UM, AND CREATED SEVERAL TIERS OF INCENTIVES SO THAT, UM, THE INCENTIVE WOULD BE BASED ON THE SYSTEM SIZE AND ALSO THE CUSTOMER'S PORTFOLIO.
AND WE ALSO INTRODUCED A RAMP DOWN SCHEDULE.
SO WE, WE DID THIS AND CHART AND TARGETING, UM, THE GOAL AT THAT TIME, WHICH WAS A HUNDRED MEGAWATTS OF CUSTOMER SIDED BY 2025.
UM, AND AS DESIGNED THAT PROGRAM HAS WORKED WELL TO ACHIEVE THE MEGAWATTS WE NEEDED, UM, TO GET TO THAT TARGET, HOWEVER, UM, AND ALSO AS DESIGNED, UM, IT TAPERS OFF AT THE END.
UM, AND SO WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PHASE WHERE IT IS TAPERING OFF, BUT AS OUR GOALS HAVE CHANGED, UH, IT REQUIRES, UM, ADDITIONAL ADJUSTMENT SO THAT WE CAN TRACK TOWARDS OUR NEW GOALS NEXT, LIKE, SO, UM, AS STATED WE WERE ON TARGET TO MEET THE 25, UM, THE 20, 25 GOALS, AND THOSE GOALS HAVE BEEN CHANGED, UM, FROM A HUNDRED MEGAWATTS AT 2025 TO 200 MEGAWATTS BY 2030.
UM, AND WE FEEL LIKE WE CAN STILL REACH THOSE GOALS, UH, BUT WE DO NEED TO ADJUST THE INCENTIVE TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE ATTRACTIVE.
UM, AND, UH, AS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY, YOU KNOW, US PROVIDING INCENTIVES FOR COMMERCIAL PROJECTS, UM, HAS A, UH, UH, A POSITIVE IMPACT ON COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES AND,
[01:15:01]
UM, MAKES US A MORE ATTRACTIVE PLACE TO DO BUSINESS IN AUSTIN.SO WE WANT TO MAINTAIN THAT AND WE WANT TO MAINTAIN, UM, OUR, OUR REPUTATION FOR BEING A SOLAR AND RENEWABLES, FRIENDLY PLACE TO DO BUSINESS.
SO, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD A VERY IMPORTANT PROCESS, WE HAD SEVERAL STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT MEETINGS.
UM, WE HAD A STAKEHOLDER MEETING WITH THE COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS LINED WITH COMMERCIAL CONTRACTORS.
SO THE, THE INSTALLERS OF THE SOLAR EQUIPMENT, UM, WE ALSO SENT OUT SURVEYS TO OUR COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS, UH, AND, AND SO DID SOLAR AUSTIN.
AND WE, UM, GOT A LITTLE BIT OF FEEDBACK FROM THAT AS WELL.
AND THEN WE DESIGNED THE PROGRAM AND, UM, RAN IT THROUGH, UM, REVIEW FROM ALL OF OUR INTERNAL PROGRAM LEADS TO REFINE THE PROCESSES AND THE APPROACH AND MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE ON TARGET TO, UM, ACHIEVE THE DESIRED GOALS.
SO NOW TO THE CHANGES, UM, SO WE'RE PROPOSING THAT WE ARE, WE'RE INTENDING TO, UM, CHANGE THE SMALL AND A NONPROFIT, UM, ARE OF THE, OF THE PROGRAM TO BACK TO A CBI.
SO A CAP, A CAPACITY BASED INCENTIVE, WHICH WOULD BE UPFRONT AND THAT'S, UM, PARTIALLY BECAUSE WE'VE RECEIVED THAT FEEDBACK FROM THOSE CUSTOMERS THAT THEIR UPFRONT CAPITAL IS THE LARGEST HURDLE.
UM, SO WE'RE TRYING TO REDUCE BARRIERS FOR THEM AND ESPECIALLY THE NONPROFITS.
UM, SO, UH, WE CURRENTLY HAVE A TENURE 5 CENT PBI, WHICH IS ACTUALLY RUN ITS COURSE, AND WE WERE JUST, UM, KEEPING THAT IN PLACE FOR CONTINUITY.
UM, WE'RE PROPOSING THAT A SMALL BUSINESS WOULD, UM, RECEIVE A 60 CENT PER WATT INCENTIVE UPFRONT, UM, AND THAT'S FOR SYSTEMS UNDER 75 KW.
AND THEN FOR NONPROFITS, ANY SYSTEM UNDER 400 KW IS CURRENTLY ALSO ELIGIBLE FOR THE 5 CENTS PER KILOWATT HOUR FOR 10 YEARS.
AND WE'RE PROPOSING THAT, THAT BE MOVED TO A DOLLAR OF WYATT, UM, UPTREND INCENTIVE.
SO THIS, UH, PROGRAM DESIGN IS, UH, DESIGNED TO ACHIEVE NINE MEGAWATTS OF SOLAR.
UM, THAT WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY 60 TO 80 PROJECTS, UM, AND SPEND ABOUT $5.7 MILLION.
UM, AND WE THINK THAT THIS WILL BE VERY ATTRACTIVE, UH, TO OUR SMALL BUSINESS CUSTOMERS NEXT SLIDE.
SO FOR THE REST OF THE COMMERCIAL, UM, WE WANT TO KEEP THEM ON A, ON A PERFORMANCE BASED IN SYDNEY PROGRAM, BUT ADJUST THAT TO BE A FIVE-YEAR PROGRAM RATHER THAN A 10 YEAR PROGRAM.
AND THE REASON WE WANT TO DO THIS IS BECAUSE, UM, I YEAR PBI KEVIN SOMETIMES, UM, EXCEED THE, A PAYBACK PERIOD OR A PROJECT AND ANY INCENTIVES THAT ARE BEING PROVIDED AFTER THAT PAYBACK PERIOD, UM, ARE KIND OF ICING ON THE CAKE, BUT REALLY NOT, UM, A, A SIGNIFICANT DECISION FACTOR, AN UPFRONT INVESTMENT AND DECISION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SOLAR.
SO WE WANTED TO PUT THOSE INCENTIVE DOLLARS INTO THE NEAR TERM YEARS SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE A BIGGER IMPACT ON THOSE DECISIONS.
UM, AND THEN WE'RE ALSO, UH, SWEETENING THAT POT A LITTLE BIT AS WELL.
SO WHILE, UM, WE'RE ACTUALLY AT 3 CENTS A KILOWATT HOUR NOW FOR MEDIUM AND LARGE, UM, AND THAT WOULD BE, UM, CHANGED AT 9 CENTS A KILOWATT HOUR FOR FIVE YEARS FOR THE 75 TO A 399 KILOWATT SYSTEMS OR 400, AND JUST UNDER A MEGAWATT THAT WOULD GO TO 7 CENTS A KILOWATT HOUR FOR THE FIRST FIVE YEARS.
AND THEN FOR SYSTEMS GREATER THAN A MEGAWATT THAT CURRENTLY DID NOT HAVE A SENATE IN SAN DIEGO RIGHT NOW, WE WOULD PROVIDE A 5 CENT, A KILOWATT HOUR AND INCENTIVE FOR FIVE YEARS.
SO WE'RE SEEING A LARGER INTEREST IN THOSE BIGGER PROJECTS.
AND, UM, WE'RE INTERESTED IN PROMOTING THOSE AS WELL.
[01:20:01]
SLIDE PLEASE.SO THIS WOULD BE ON A RAMP DOWN SCHEDULE.
UM, THIS PROGRAM INTENDS TO INSTALL, UH, 45 MEGAWATTS OVER 80 TO 120 PROJECTS, PERHAPS MORE, PERHAPS LESS, DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF THOSE.
UM, AND THE INCENTIVES WOULD RAMP DOWN FOR EVERY MEGA 15 MEGAWATTS INSTALLED.
SO THERE WOULD BE THREE RAMP DOWNS TO THIS PROGRAM AND THEY WOULD ALL HAPPEN SIMULTANEOUSLY TO LESS THAN THE IMPACT ON, ON US AS PROGRAM ADMINISTERS AND, UM, TO DECREASE THE COMPLEXITY OF THE PROGRAM, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR MAIN GOALS, UM, AS PER THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM THE COMMERCIAL, UM, CUSTOMERS AND THE COMMERCIAL CONTRACTORS NEXT LINE.
SO WE PLAN A MARKETING PUSH THAT WILL INCLUDE CASE STUDIES TO THE WEBSITE, UPDATED WEBSITE CONTENT AND PAID AND INTERNALLY SOURCED ADVERTISING.
UM, THE PROGRAM WILL UTILIZE, UH, TWO MODULES IN ANY AND ECP, WHICH AGAIN IS OUR WEB BASED APPLICATION PROCESSING TOOL.
UM, AND THOSE TWO MODULES WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY USED OR CURRENTLY USING.
AND SO WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF RECONFIGURING THOSE A LITTLE BIT, UM, SO THAT, UM, THEY'LL BE READY TO GO.
UM, THERE ARE ANOTHER NEW STAFF REQUIREMENTS HERE, UH, NO ENHANCEMENTS OR CONFIGURATIONS TO THE BILLING SYSTEM AND VIRTUALLY NO PROCESS CHANGES AS WE'VE HAD THESE PROCESSES IN PLACE BEFORE.
UM, SO IT'S GOING TO BE A PRETTY EASY ROLLOUT FOR US, AND WE'RE ALL HAPPY ABOUT THAT NEXT SLIDE.
UM, AND, UH, AND, UH, SOLICIT SOME FEEDBACK FROM YOU ALL, IF YOU HAVE ANY, UM, IMPROVEMENTS OR SUGGESTIONS OF THINGS THAT WE CAN CONSIDER.
QUICK ONE, TIM REAL QUICK ON YOUR, UH, THE PROGRAM FOR A LARGE SYSTEMS GREATER THAN ONE MEGAWATT ARE, ARE THESE MOSTLY, SO THESE ARE KIND OF BEHIND THE METER TYPE PROJECTS.
I MEAN, AND HOW ARE THERE A LOT OF THOSE IN, WITHIN AUSTIN, THERE ARE CURRENTLY NONE.
UM, BUT, UH, THERE IS ACCELERATED INTEREST IN THOSE RECENTLY, UM, WITHIN PROBABLY THE LAST 11 MONTHS, I'VE HEARD OF SEVERAL, UM, DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE PLANNING TO DO OVER A MEGAWATT AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH BUSINESSES COMING TO TOWN AND, AND, UM, CREATING NEW FACILITIES, WE WANT THAT TO BE AN OPTION FOR THEM.
AND, AND THOSE WOULD, THOSE ARE ROOFTOP SYSTEMS. CORRECT.
MR. WHITE, I THINK YOU HAD SOME QUESTIONS.
UM, FIRST, UM, BUT WANT TO SAY THANKS TO TIM FOR THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM HAVE DONE HERE.
I DO THINK THAT, UM, THIS IS, THIS IS, WILL BE A BIG IMPROVEMENT, UM, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF GETTING MORE COMMERCIAL INSTALLATIONS.
AND YEAH, I THINK THE, UH, YOU KNOW, IS A GOOD USE OF THE FUNDS THAT WE HAVE IN THE WE'RE COLLECTING TO GET MORE SOLAR INSTALLED.
UM, AND I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'VE DONE A GOOD JOB ALSO IN THE OUTREACH TO THE, YOU KNOW, INTERESTED PARTIES.
UM, I THINK THE, THE ONE PIECE OF THIS, UM, THAT I STILL HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOME LITTLE BIT OF CONCERN ABOUT IS THE RAMP DOWN.
AND SO YOU GET, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, IN SOME OF OUR CONVERSATIONS, YOU'VE SAID THAT YOU WOULD KEEP AN EYE ON THAT.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, WHEN RAMPED DOWN IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE PROGRAM STALLS OUT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF LOOKING AT WHAT HAPPENED THIS TIME AROUND WITH THE COMMERCIAL PROGRAM AND NOT WANTING TO KIND OF GET INTO A RUT AGAIN.
UM, AND SO I'M JUST HOPING THAT YOU CAN SHARE WITH THE COMMISSION, YOU KNOW, KIND OF WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE IN TERMS OF THOSE RAMP DOWNS AND HOW LONG, YOU KNOW, IF YOU, IF YOU DO A RAMP DOWN AND HOW LONG YOU THINK IT'LL, YOU KNOW,
[01:25:01]
LET IT SIT TO SEE IF THE NEW LEVEL IS STILL HIGH ENOUGH TO INSENT NEW INSTALLATIONS.SO THIS THANK YOU FOR THAT FEEDBACK.
UM, AND THE STRATEGY THERE IS THAT, UM, THIS PROGRAM, UM, AND THE RAMP DOWNS ARE DESIGNED TO ACHIEVE, UM, THE, THE GOALS THAT HAVE BEEN SET FORTH, UM, FOR OUR PROGRAMS. AND, UM, WHILE YOU KNOW, THAT WHETHER THOSE GOALS WILL CHANGE IN THE FUTURE IS UNCERTAIN.
UM, THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE CURRENTLY.
AND SO I THINK THAT, UM, WITH ANTICIPATING THOSE GOALS AND, AND, UM, USING THESE PROGRAMS TO ACHIEVE THEM, I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR THE INDUSTRY, UM, TO PULL AND SEND AWAY, UM, ALTOGETHER VERY QUICKLY.
UM, SO THAT'S ONE REASON FOR THE RAMP DOWN.
UM, AND, AND TO, UH, ADDRESS, UM, YOUR COMMENT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, IF WE SEE THE PROGRAM SAW LOUD, WELL, UM, THE, WE ARE GONNA, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY BE TRACKING THESE MONTHLY, UM, AS WE MOVE TOWARDS OUR GOAL.
AND IF WE SEE THAT OUR GOAL IS IN RISK, THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'LL DEFINITELY WARRANT ADJUSTMENT TO THESE OFFERINGS.
UM, DO YOU, YOU KNOW, I GUESS KIND OF, AND MAYBE YOU DON'T HAVE A HARD ANSWER TO THIS, BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST TRYING TO THINK, LIKE, SORRY FOR THE BACKGROUND NOISE, UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE, DO YOU THINK THAT YOU WOULD, YOU KNOW, IF YOU, IF YOU RAMPED DOWN AND THEN YOU SEE A DECLINE AFTER A MONTH OR TWO MONTHS OR SIX MONTHS, AT WHAT POINT WOULD YOU CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, MAKING AN ADJUSTMENT, IF YOU DO SEE A NOTICEABLE, SLOW DORY OR ANOTHER, UH, I'M NOT REAL SURE.
UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT'S DEFINITELY YET TO BE SEEN.
UM, AND, BUT AFTER A RAMP DOWN OUT, I'LL TELL YOU THAT WE WILL BE, YOU KNOW, WATCHING THAT PARTICIPATION CLOSELY, I WOULD THINK AFTER SIX MONTHS, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD BE CONSIDERING, UM, YOU KNOW, ALTERNATIVES AT THAT POINT.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE REST OF THE PRESENTATION? DOES IT SOUND LIKE A COHORT TWO? OKAY.
CAN WE PULL THAT BACK UP? AM I THE ONLY ONE THAT'S UNABLE TO SEE THAT THE PRESENTATION.
SO YOU'LL HAVE TO MOVE THROUGH THE FIRST PART OF THAT.
SO SHARED SOLAR, UM, LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY ON CHAIRED SOLAR BACK IN 2015, THIS PROJECT WAS INSTALLED, AND THIS IS HOMESTEAD OAKS.
AND AT THE TIME WE HAD NO SHERIFFS SOLAR SOLUTION IN PLACE.
SO WHAT THAT MEANT WAS, UM, 144 INTERCONNECTIONS INTERCONNECTIONS.
SO WHAT YOU REALLY ARE SEEING THERE ON THAT ROOF, EXCUSE ME, AS 144 SOLAR SYSTEMS THAT COME DOWN ONTO IT TO 144 INVERTERS AND 144 PV METERS.
UM, AND AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, IT CREATES A SPAGHETTI BOWL OF CONDUITS AND WIRES AND EQUIPMENT, AND, UM, IS, UM, YOU KNOW, FINANCIALLY, UH, PRETTY EXPENSIVE, UM, TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT 30% MORE AS IF YOU HAD A SINGLE POINT OF INTERCONNECTION.
SO SHARED SOLAR IS THE IDEA THAT YOU HAVE A INTERCONNECTION THAT OCCURS ON THE UTILITY SIDE OF THE METER, AND, UM, THEN WE NEED, OR THE PRODUCTION OF THE PV SYSTEM.
[01:30:01]
WE TAKE THAT GENERATION AND ALLOCATED TO THE TENANTS VIRTUALLY THROUGH THE BILLING SYSTEM.SO, UM, AND THAT CAN BE, UM, UM, SLICED UP IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
YOU COULD DO IT PROPORTIONALLY TO THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE UNITS, OR YOU CAN SAY, OKAY, WELL, THREE BEDROOM UNITS GET X AMOUNT WHILE TWO BEDROOM UNITS GET Y AMOUNT.
AND SO, UM, IT ALLOWS FOR SOME FLEXIBILITY THERE ON HOW THE SOLAR IS ATTRIBUTED TO THE BILLS.
IT ALSO ALLOWS FOR MULTIPLE INTERCONNECTIONS.
SO YOU COULD HAVE, LET'S SAY YOU HAD SIX MULTIFAMILY BUILDINGS ON A PROPERTY.
YOU COULD HAVE SIX DIFFERENT PV METERS, UM, AND INTERCONNECTIONS ON THE UTILITY SIDE.
AND THEN WE CAN COMBINE ALL OF THE GENERATION FROM THOSE SIX METERS AND THEN ALLOCATED OUT TO THE TENANTS PROPORTIONALLY.
SO IT, UM, INCREASES THE FLEXIBILITY.
SO THAT'S THE INTENT OF SHARED SOLAR NEXT SLIDE.
AND SO THIS IS KIND OF JUST RESTATES WHAT I JUST STATED, UM, THAT THE MULTIFAMILY FAMILY TENANTS, UM, UH, THEN HAVE NOW HAVE ACCESS TO SOLAR.
IT COULD BE THAT, UM, A COUPLE OF BUILDINGS ON THE MULTI-FAMILY PROPERTY ARE UNSHADED AND ONE OF THE BUILDINGS TOTALLY SHADED.
AND SO YOU PUT YOUR SOLAR ON THOSE TWO BUILDINGS THAT ARE UNSHADED, AND THEN YOU CAN DISSEMINATE ALL OF THAT GENERATION ACROSS ALL OF THE UNITS.
UM, SO I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT CASES THAT CAN COME UP, BUT IT REALLY IS VERSATILE, UM, FOR THOSE COMPLEX, UM, KIND OF SITUATIONS.
SO THIS IS REDUCES THE COST AND COMPLEXITY AND, UM, AND ENABLES THE OWNERSHIP AND, AND FINANCING MODELS.
SO, UH, WE STARTED DOWN THE SHARED SOLAR PATH IN 2018 WITH THE PILOT THAT PILOT, UH, OFFERED A DOLLAR W A Y INCENTIVE, UM, FOR THE SOLAR AND THEN AN ADDITIONAL 80 CENTS OF WHY IF THEY WERE ABLE TO ACHIEVE NET ZERO.
UM, SO, UM, THROUGH THE, UM, PILOT 100% OF THE UNITS, UM, FOR HOUSEHOLD EARNINGS, LESS THAN, UM, 80% OF HUD MFI, UM, A MINIMUM OF FIVE UNITS INDIVIDUALLY METERED, AND, UM, GREATER THAN ONE AND A HALF KILOWATTS PER UNIT WAS REQUIRED.
UM, WE'VE BEEN MANUALLY BILLING THOSE PROPERTIES SINCE THE PILOT, UH, WAS LAUNCHED, UM, UNTIL JUST RECENTLY.
UM, AND SO JUST RECENTLY WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STAND UP THIS FUNCTIONALITY IN THE BILLING SYSTEM, UM, AND WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF, UM, PUTTING ALL OF THOSE, UH, MULTIFAMILY PROJECTS INTO THE SYSTEM SO THAT THEY'RE BUILT NATURALLY THROUGH THE SYSTEM.
AND SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO, UM, BUILD THOSE SYSTEMS NATURALLY FOR SIX MONTHS, UM, JUST SO THAT WE'RE SURE THAT THEY'RE, UM, IS NOT GOING TO BE SOME SCENARIO THAT POTENTIALLY BREAKS THAT BILLING.
UM, BUT WE'RE RELATIVELY CONFIDENT THAT IT'S, UH, PRETTY IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE.
THESE ARE THE SIX PROJECTS THAT, UM, ARE IN THE PILOT, UM, AND THAT'S ABOUT 350 UNITS THERE.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD TEST BED.
SO WE'RE IN THE PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT PHASE, UM, AND I WOULD SAY RIGHT NOW WE'RE PROBABLY ABOUT 90% COMPLETE, UM, AND, UM, OUR PROGRAM OFFERING DEVELOPMENT AND ALL OF THE FORMS AND DOCUMENTS AND PROCEDURES THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, OUR INTENTION IS TO LAUNCH A, UM, LIMITED PROGRAM IN JANUARY OF 2022.
AND SO THIS WOULD BE IN PLACE FOR SIX MONTHS OR UNTIL WE GET SIX PROJECTS, UM, AT WHICH TIME WE WOULD OPEN IT UP FURTHER, UM, AT THE INITIAL LAUNCH OF THE PROGRAM, IT WOULD BE, UM, AN INCOME QUALIFIED MULTIFAMILY FOLLOWING THE COMMERCIAL EFFICIENCY
[01:35:02]
PROGRAM GUIDELINES FOR INCOME QUALIFIED, UM, THE PROGRAM.ARE I ALWAYS, UM, SO, AND THEN IT WOULD ALSO, UM, COME ALONG WITH COMMUNICATIONS, UM, THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, BE A STANDARD FOR TENANT COMMUNICATIONS WITH BILL EXPLAINERS, MARKETING AND OUTREACH.
UM, AS WE GET CLOSER TO THE LAUNCH DATE, WE'LL BE, UM, RELEASING DETAILS TO THE CONTRACTING COMMUNITY, UM, IN PARTICULAR, OUR PARTICIPATING CONTRACTORS, UM, ABOUT THE PROGRAM SO THAT THEY CAN GO OUT AND, AND START TO BEAT THE BUSHES AND FIND, UM, PROJECTS TO, TO GET US GOING ON A GOOD START SLIDE, PLEASE.
UM, TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT Y'ALL MIGHT HAVE ABOUT SHARED SOLAR.
UM, CAN I, CAN I ASK A QUESTION? I COULD COMMENT.
UM, FIRST THANK YOU AGAIN, TIM.
THIS IS EXCITING TO SEE BEN A LONG TIME COMING, AND I KNOW IT'S TAKEN A LOT OF WORK, SO THANK YOU.
UM, I JUST, MY ONLY QUESTION IS ABOUT THAT, UM, KIND OF PHASE IN PLAN, AND MAYBE YOU SAID THIS, AND I COULDN'T HEAR IT.
I DO HAVE SOME BACKGROUND NOISE HERE.
UM, BUT JUST WONDERING, UH, WHAT THE TIMELINE IS FOR, YOU KNOW, PUBLICLY KIND OF POSTING THAT NEW PROJECTS CAN START TO APPLY EITHER FOR THAT INCOME QUALIFIED, UM, BATCH OR AFTER THAT.
AND JUST, YOU KNOW, MY THINKING IS, UM, YOU KNOW, IT TAKES A WHILE FOR DEVELOPMENT TO HAPPEN.
AND SO IF SOMETHING IS IN THE EARLY STAGES NOW, YOU KNOW, MIGHT NOT BE BUILT OR WHATEVER, SIX MONTHS OR A YEAR OR WHATEVER.
GIVE NOTICE WHILE ALSO RESPECTING THAT KIND OF PHASING PERIOD.
SO WE'RE PLANNING TO, UM, RELEASE THE PROGRAM DETAILS IN ADVANCE OF, UM, ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS, WHICH WE PLAN TO START IN JANUARY.
SO I THINK AT LEAST, OR SOMEWHERE AROUND TWO MONTHS IN ADVANCE, UM, TO, TO LET THE CONTRACTORS GET OUT THERE AND START, UM, YOU KNOW, PITCHING THE IDEA AND THE PROGRAM, AND THEN WE'LL START ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS IN JANUARY, JANUARY B APPLICATIONS FOR THE INCOME RESTRICTED OR APPLICATIONS FOR THE MAIN YES.
UM, BUT WE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THE BILLING SYSTEM IS HANDLING THE BILLING OF THESE SYSTEMS NATURALLY BEFORE WE GET TOO FAR INTO THE WOODS ON IT.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S THE REASON FOR THE PAUSE.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE SOME OF THESE SYSTEMS, MOST OF THEM IN THE BILLING SYSTEM AND THEY ARE BILLING NATURALLY WITHOUT ISSUES, BUT THAT SAID, UM, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED SOME PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS, UM, THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SO THAT, UM, WE CAN BE, YOU KNOW, REALLY SEAMLESS, UM, AND IN TERMS OF BILLING AND MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE BILLING ISSUES WITH THIS PROGRAM.
SO IN TERMS OF TIMELINE OF NEW PROJECTS ACTUALLY HITTING THE BILLING SYSTEM, THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE THE BETTER PART OF A YEAR FROM NOW.
IS THAT YOUR EXPECTATION? THE, I THINK THAT'S, UM, A GOOD GUESS.
IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS, I'LL MOVE ON TO, UM, THE SOLAR INSPECTION FEES.
SO, UH, CURRENTLY WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH DSD OR AUSTIN ENERGY PERFORMS, THE SOLAR INSPECTIONS, UM, AND THAT'S SO THAT WE CAN UPHOLD THE GUIDELINES THAT WE CREATE THROUGH THE INTERCONNECTION GUIDE AND THE DESIGN CRITERIA, UM, THROUGH WHAT WE CALL THE COALITION AGREEMENT, UM, WITH DSD, UM, AUSTIN ENERGY CURRENTLY RECEIVES 80% OF PERMIT FEES FOR SOLAR AND DSD RECEIVES 20%.
UM, WE GOT TO LOOKING AT THOSE FEES AND DECIDED THAT,
[01:40:01]
UM, WE COULD, UH, MAYBE GET A CLOSER, MORE ACCURATE, UM, COST CUSTOMER BY, UM, LUCKY OUR COSTS TO SERVE THIS NEED, UM, AND ADJUSTING THE FEE.SO WHEN WE HAVE, UM, LOOKED AT OUR COSTS TO ROLL TRUCKS OUT FOR ME INSPECTIONS, AND MAYBE EVEN RE-INSPECTION DO, UM, ONSITE, UM, PRE-CONSTRUCTION PLAN REVIEW WITH THE CONTRACTORS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE NECESSARY COMMUNICATIONS AND SCHEDULING AND WHATNOT TO GO INTO THAT.
UM, WE CAME UP WITH THESE, UM, DIFFERENT FEE AMOUNTS.
UM, SO OUR ANALYSIS ACTUALLY REDUCES THE COST OF THE PERMITS, UM, CONSIDERABLY, UM, ANYWHERE FROM, UM, UH, A HUNDRED DOLLARS TO $250.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S A DSD HAS TAKEN A SIMILAR APPROACH FOR THEIR COSTS TO, UM, PROCESS THESE PERMITS.
AND SO THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL 20 TO $30 ON TOP OF, UM, THESE COSTS HERE.
UM, SO, SO WE'LL SEE SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT DECREASES IN THE COST OF SOLAR PERMITS, UM, MOVING INTO FY 22.
SO WE'VE I REALIZED, UM, THAT WE HAVE NOT BEEN RECOVERING FOR, UH, SOLAR, UM, METERS, THESE METERS RANGE FROM ABOUT $227 FOR A RESIDENTIAL UP TO, UM, $517 FOR CT METERS FOR LARGE COMMERCIAL SYSTEMS. UM, AND SO WE ARE INCLUDING A NEW, UM, PERMIT, I'M SORRY, A NEW LINE ITEM TO RECOVER THE COSTS OF THE METERS FOR THESE SYSTEMS. SO THAT'S A, UM, FOR THE, UH, HALF THE NEW FEE FOR SOLAR INSTALLATIONS, WE HAVE DECIDED TO, UM, TAKE AWAY THE IMPACTS OF THAT FEE BY COVERING THAT FEE THROUGH THE SILVER INCENTIVE PROGRAM.
SO WE WILL DO AN AUDIT OF THOSE, UM, METERS, UM, EITHER QUARTERLY OR AN ANNUALLY.
WE HAVEN'T FIGURED THAT OUT YET, BUT, UM, THERE WILL BE AN AUDIT AND THEN, UM, WE'LL DO A GENERAL FUND TRANSFER FROM MY INCENTIVE BUDGET TO THE BUDGET THAT PAYS FOR THOSE METERS.
UM, WE ANTICIPATE THOSE COSTS TO BE APPROXIMATELY $350,000 A YEAR.
AND THAT WILL OBVIOUSLY VARY WITH, UM, PARTICIPATION AND INCEPTION.
AND, UH, I GUESS I'LL PAUSE HERE AND SOLICIT ANY FEEDBACK.
I THINK THERE'S AN AGENDA ITEM FOR DISCUSSION ON THIS.
UM, DO YOU, I THINK YOU HAD ONE OTHER ITEM ALSO ON, ON YOUR PRESENTATION OR, OR ACTUALLY IT CAME AFTER I DEVELOPED THE PRESENTATION, BUT, UM, I WAS ASKED TO SPEAK ABOUT, UM, THE SOLAR APP.
SO THE SOLAR AND, AND, AND I'M HAPPY TO, TO GO AHEAD AND TALK ABOUT THAT NOW, IF YOU GOTCHA.
WELL, I THINK IT'LL KIND OF LEAD INTO MY COMMENTS.
THAT WAS, THAT THAT QUESTION WAS, WAS FOR ME, BY THE WAY, I GUESS, UM, REAL QUICK, I KNOW YOU GUYS TRACK, UH, THE COST OF INSTALLED ROOFTOP SOLAR IN AUSTIN.
I, UH, DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, BALLPARK WHAT THAT NUMBER IS THE LATEST NUMBER A LITTLE WHILE SINCE I LOOKED AT THAT STAT, BUT, UM, I THINK WE'RE SOMEWHERE AROUND $3 AND 35 CENTS.
WHY, AND THAT'S PROBABLY PRE ITC, I GUESS THAT'S.
AND I'LL TELL YOU THAT, THAT, UM, PRICE ALSO VARIES PRETTY DRAMATICALLY FROM CONTRACTOR TO CONTRACTOR.
NOW WE HAVE CONTRACTORS THAT PRETTY CONSISTENTLY INSTALL IT AROUND $2 AND 20 OR 30 CENTS A WATT.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE CONTRACTORS THAT PRETTY CONSISTENTLY INSTALL IT FOR DOLLARS A LOT.
[01:45:01]
TIM.SO THE REASON I HAD ASKED THE QUESTION ON THE DOE BID, AS WELL AS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, UH, YOU KNOW, HAD, UH, ON THE, THE PERMIT FEES, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE, THERE'S A, I GUESS, THIS PRETTY WELL KNOWN PHENOMENON HERE IN THE, IN THE U S THAT THAT ROOFTOP SOLAR IS MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE TO INSTALL IN THE UNITED STATES THAN IN, UH, KIND OF OUR, OUR PEER COUNTRIES.
AND, YOU KNOW, I LOOKED AT SOME, I TRIED TO LOOK UP SOME DATA FOR WHAT WHAT'S THE LATEST COST TO INSTALL ROOFTOP SOLAR IN THE U S THE NUMBER I PULLED TODAY WAS $2 AND 81 CENTS.
I THINK THAT'S AN AFTER ITC NUMBER.
SO PROBABLY PRETTY CLOSE TO WHAT, WHAT YOU STATED AS FAR AS AN AUSTIN SPECIFIC NUMBER, BUT THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT OTHER COUNTRIES, GERMANY, FOR EXAMPLE, IS A DOLLAR 30, A UK, A DOLLAR 56 AUSTRALIA, LESS THAN A DOLLAR AT 94 CENTS A WATT FOR, FOR ROOFTOP SOLAR IN THOSE COUNTRIES.
AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, AND THIS IS NOT A, THIS IS A PRETTY WELL-KNOWN THING.
AND, AND, UH, THE REASON FOR THAT IS, UH, IT'S, IT'S DRIVEN BY SOFT COSTS, SOFT COSTS IN THE U S ARE MUCH HIGHER THAN, THAN YOU FIND IN OTHER COUNTRIES.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M, I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT WITH, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE CONCERNS I THINK THAT, THAT I HAD ORIGINALLY IS THAT, YOU KNOW, PASSING ON AN ADDITIONAL METER FEE TO CUSTOMERS KIND OF GOES IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION WHERE WE SHOULD BE REDUCING SOFT COSTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, IF WE WERE PASSING THAT ON DIRECTLY, IT'S, IT'S KIND OF, YOU KNOW, GOING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTION.
AND SO I'M, I'M PERSONALLY, I'M REALLY GLAD TO SEE, UH, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE SOLUTION THAT YOU GUYS HAVE COME UP HERE, COME UP WITH HERE.
UM, AS FAR AS THE METER FEES GOES AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF LED ME INTO, YOU KNOW, ALSO THE QUESTION NOTING THAT, YOU KNOW, DOE RECOGNIZES SOFT COSTS, PERMANENT COSTS ARE, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, A TARGET FOR REDUCTION IN THE U S UH, KIND OF DEVELOPING THE SOLAR APP PLUS THAT THEY ROLLED OUT OR ANNOUNCED, I GUESS, ABOUT A MONTH AGO.
UM, YEAH, THAT WAS KIND OF THE GENESIS OF MY QUESTION THERE THAT IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING AT USING, UM, AND HOW YOU THINK THAT COULD PLAY INTO, UM, YOU KNOW, REDUCING OVERALL COST OF ROOFTOP SOLAR.
UH, SO, UM, WE HAVE LOOKED AT, UM, THE SOLAR APP PLUS, UM, AND THE SOLAR APP PLUS FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW IS, UM, A KIND OF IT'S, IT'S THE DOS ATTEMPT TO, UH, CREATE A STANDARDIZED, UM, APPLICATION PROCESSING TOOL, UH, FOR SOLAR, UM, PERMITS.
AND IT'S CAPABLE OF DOING A VERY PRELIMINARY REVIEW OF, UM, RESIDENTIAL, SOLAR, UM, AND THEIR, AND STANDARD USE CASES, SO THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE, UM, ADDITIONS TO, UM, SOLAR ARRAYS OR NEW CONSTRUCTION.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S A, IT'S A VERY STRAIGHT FORWARD, UM, INSTALLATION ONLY.
UM, SO WE, AND, AND CURRENTLY THEY REVIEW TO, UH, NEC 2017, WHERE AS WITH AUSTIN OR IN 2020, UM, AND IT, WHAT IT DOES IS IT PERFORMS THAT REVIEW, UM, AUTOMATICALLY BASED ON INPUT FIELDS AND THEN, UM, PROVIDES A PERMIT WITHIN A DAY OF APPLYING.
UM, SO THAT SAID, UM, WE, WE, WE LOOKED AT THAT AND THEN WE LOOKED AT WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY SEEING, UM, FOR GETTING THAT PERMIT APPROVAL.
UM, AND IT'S FOR US, IT'S RIGHT AROUND THREE DAYS, IT CAN BE UP TO FIVE OR, OR LESS, BUT IT'S TYPICALLY AROUND THREE DAYS, UH, WE REACHED OUT TO, UH, A NUMBER OF INSTALLERS.
THIS DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE A PAIN POINT FOR THEM.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK IN THIS CASE, THERE, THERE IS DEFINITELY A CASE TO BE MADE FOR STANDARDIZING PROCEDURES, UM, ACROSS JURISDICTIONS.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M CERTAINLY INTERESTED IN.
UM, BUT THIS PARTICULAR TOOL AT THE MOMENT, UM, IT'S OUR OPINION THAT IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE BIT NASCENT.
UM, THEY HAVE NET, WE REACHED OUT TO, UM, THE, UM, THE ADMINISTERS OF THAT TOOL AND THEY HAVE NEVER, UM, INTEGRATED WITH A AMANDA, UM, TYPE BILLING SYSTEM.
UM, SO THAT WOULD BE A CHALLENGE.
SO IN THIS, IN THIS CASE, RIGHT NOW, WE FEEL LIKE THAT THE EFFORT WOULD EXCEED
[01:50:01]
THE BENEFIT.UM, AND, UM, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE INTERESTED IN AND WE PUT ON A CALENDAR REMINDERS ON TO, UM, CIRCLE BACK WITH THEM BECAUSE THEY DO INTEND TO EXPAND THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE SYSTEM, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, BRING IT UP TO CURRENT CODES AND, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVE BETTER ABILITY TO MANAGE THE, THE, UM, YOU KNOW, 20% OF THE FRINGE CASES, UM, AND MAYBE EVEN, UM, GET COMMERCIAL INTO IT AT SOME POINT.
SO, YOU KNOW, TO THAT END, I THINK THAT WE ARE INTERESTED IN BEING ON BOARD WITH, UM, OTHER JURISDICTIONS THAT ARE IMPLEMENTING THIS TO STANDARDIZE PROCESSES AND BRING DOWN SOFT COSTS.
UM, BUT AS IT IS CURRENTLY, UM, I DON'T THINK WE'RE, UM, READY.
I DON'T THINK IT'S READY FOR AUSTIN.
AND ONE OF THOSE, ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THAT IS BECAUSE, UM, OVER THE PAST DECADE OR MORE, WE'VE BEEN REFINING OUR PROCESSES, UM, FOR INTAKING, UM, SOLAR APP AT THE BEGINNING OF AND CURRENT PROCESS TO IMPROVE THE AMANDA SYSTEM AND DIGITIZE THE, UM, THE DISTRIBUTION GENERATION PLANNING APPLICATION FORM, UM, SO THAT WE CAN AUTOMATE THAT PROCESS FURTHER, UM, WHERE AUTOMATING, UH, THAT MEDIA RELEASE FROM AMANDA AND INCLUDING ADDITIONAL COMMUNICATION FUNCTIONALITY SO THAT OUR, OUR CUSTOMERS AND CONTRACTORS ARE VERY AWARE OF THEIR STATUS IN THE QUEUE AND, UM, OUR, OUR SCHEDULING AND WHATNOT.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WE HAVE A, PROBABLY A MUCH MORE MATURE, UM, PERMITTING SYSTEM FOR SOLAR THAN MOST CITIES DO.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I THINK IT'S BEST FOR US TO KIND OF, UM, WAIT FOR THAT, UM, TOOL TO BE DEVELOPED A LITTLE BIT FURTHER BEFORE WE START TO TAKE A HARD LOOK AT IT.
AND THEN AT THAT POINT, UM, ONCE A MONTH, WE SEE THERE'S A BENEFIT THERE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET BUY IN FROM DSD TO IMPLEMENT THAT.
I, I KIND OF, UH, SUSPECTED THAT THAT WAS PROBABLY THE ANSWER TO THAT.
UH, YOU KNOW, JUST THE NEWNESS OF THE TOOL COMBINED WITH THE, UM, THAT, THAT YOU GUYS HAVE A LOT MORE EXPERIENCE WITH SOLAR THAN, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A LOT OF OTHER CITIES WOULD HAVE.
I KIND OF FIGURED THAT WOULD BE, UM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE STAGE WE'RE AT NOW, BUT DEFINITELY WOULD BE CURIOUS TO HEAR AS THAT, YOU KNOW, CONTINUES TO EVOLVE.
AND AS YOU GUYS WORK ON, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE REDUCE THOSE SOFT COSTS? HOW, HOW THAT HAPPENS? UM, I GUESS MY, MY, I GUESS MY ONE OTHER QUESTION WOULD BE, UM, YOU KNOW, MOST OF THESE CHANGES THAT YOU'VE MARKED AS PROPOSED, WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP HERE FOR PUTTING THESE INTO, INTO PLACE? WELL, THEY'RE ALREADY BEING PUT INTO PLACE.
UM, SO THE FIRST STEP WILL BE TO GET THAT SOLAR, UM, NEATER FEE ON THE, UM, AS A LINE ITEM ON THE PERMIT.
AND IT WILL ALSO SHOW THAT THE AMOUNT DUE IS ZERO FOR THAT P AND THEN, UM, THAT WILL CREATE AN ACCOUNTING MECHANISM FOR US, SO THAT WE, UM, THEN WE'LL USE THAT TO DETERMINE WHAT THE GENERAL FUND TRANSFER FROM THE INCENTIVE BUDGET TO THAT BUDGET THAT PAYS FOR THE NATURES IS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
AND I THINK THAT, UM, I'M NOT SURE IT MAY BE ANNUAL MAYBE QUARTERLY.
I'M NOT SURE HOW IT DOES THAT HASN'T SETTLED OUT YET.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S STILL IN.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, ANY, ANY QUESTIONS FOR TIM? UM, UH, YEAH, SO THANKS TIM.
UH, JUST ON THE METER, UH, FEED, JUST WANT TO CLARIFY MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT NEEDED TO GO THROUGH COUNCIL, BUT COUNCIL DOESN'T NECESSARILY NEED TO PROVE IMPROVE, UH, SORRY, NEED TO APPROVE THE NEW INCENTIVE.
SO THERE'S NOTHING THAT NEEDS TO GO TO COUNCIL ON THIS, IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH.
IF WE GET TO THE POINT WHERE, UH, OR IF, IF IT'S
[01:55:01]
DECIDED THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE'RE DOING A GENERAL FUND TRANSFER THAT EXCEEDS COUNCIL LIMITS THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE IT TO COUNCIL, BUT I'M NOT, I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD HAPPEN.YEAH, I'M JUST ASKING, CAUSE I HAD ASKED FOR THAT, UM, AGENDA ITEM FOR POSSIBLE ACTION THINKING, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS BACK A MONTH OR TWO AGO, UM, AND THINKING THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, BUT IF NOTHING'S GOING TO COUNCIL, THEN MAYBE WE DON'T HAVE NEED TO DO ANYTHING, BUT ONE OTHER ON YOUR RADAR.
UM, AS WE, UM, GET READY TO LAUNCH THE COMMERCIAL PROGRAM AND IT HAS, UM, CAPACITY BASED INCENTIVES, THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE THAT, UM, THAT WILL RESULT IN SEVERAL RCAS, UM, AND, UM, IN LIGHT OF THAT.
UM, AND, AND I THINK THAT WE COULD MAKE A MORE SOLID PROPOSAL, BUT I JUST WANTED TO, UM, EXTEND THE IDEA THAT, UM, IT MAY BE, IT MAY HELP TO STREAMLINE PROCESSES IF WE CAN TAKE A SIMILAR APPROACH TO WHAT MULTIFAMILY DOES FOR COMMERCIAL INCENTIVES CURRENTLY, WHERE WE GIVE YOU, UM, YOU KNOW, MONTHLY OR QUARTERLY UPDATES RATHER THAN HAVING MULTIPLE RCAS ON ONE NEEDS AGENDA.
ARE YOU, ARE YOU TALKING JUST, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE, UM, THE CAPACITY BASED INCENTIVES, SO OVER, IS ANYBODY ELSE HAVING TROUBLE HEARING TIM? YEAH, IT IS GETTING PRETTY QUIET.
I CAN, I CAN TALK LOUDER, BUT BASICALLY IF WE HAVE A SYSTEM THAT'S OVER A 62 KW CURRENTLY, THAT WOULD GO OVER COUNCIL LIMIT AND REQUIRE AN RCA, UM, WHICH, YOU KNOW, CAN, CAN LEAD TO A POTENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, FOUR, FOUR WEEK WAIT TIME.
UM, AND SO TO STREAMLINE PROCESSES, IT MIGHT BE WORTH CONSIDERING, UM, TAKING A SIMILAR APPROACH AS, UM, COMMERCIAL MULTIFAMILY.
BUT WE CAN, I CAN, UM, PRESENT, UH, THAT OPTION, UM, WITH THE FIRST ROUND OF RCAS THAT WE BRING TO, TO THIS COMMISSION.
DOES THAT SOUND LIKE A GOOD IDEA? I LIKED THE HAVING THE DISCUSSION.
I'D LIKE TO KIND OF GET MORE OF A HANDLE ON THE NUMBERS AND AMOUNTS, UH, PERSONALLY.
I'D LIKE TO JUST CHIME IN THAT.
I THINK IF WE GET A BETTER HANDLE ON WHAT THOSE ODYSSEYS LOOK LIKE AND FEEL LIKE, UM, THEN I THINK IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO ENTERTAIN A SIMILAR APPROACH.
UM, AND THEN SEPARATELY, WHILE I'VE GOT THE MIC, UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UH, OFFER MY, THANKS TO HIM, TO YOU FOR, FOR SHARING THESE UPDATES ON THREE SPECIFIC TOPICS, UM, THAT, UM, I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, ARE ALL OF INTEREST TO THIS COMMISSION, SO REALLY APPRECIATE, UM, THE TIME THAT YOU'VE TAKEN TO GO THROUGH EACH OF THEM AND, AND PROVIDE THESE UPDATES.
I KNOW WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO TRY TO GET THERE FOR AWHILE.
UM, AND THEN SEPARATELY JUST WANTED TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN ON THE SHARED SOLAR, UH, PIECE MOVING FORWARD.
I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE REALLY IMPACTFUL GOING FORWARD.
IT'S MY PLEASURE TO, TO BE HERE.
AND, AND ALSO I'LL SAY A BIG THANKS TO THE TEAMS THAT ACTUALLY DID SO MUCH HARD WORK TO IMPLEMENT THAT.
UM, WE, THIS WAS A, UH, VERY CROSS-FUNCTIONAL, UM, EFFORT WITH AUSTIN ENERGY AND IT TOOK SEVERAL TEAMS TO GET THAT TO THE FINISH LINE.
SO THEY'VE ALL DONE A GREAT JOB.
ANY ANYONE ELSE FOR TIM
UH, TIM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
THIS WAS, WAS REALLY EXCELLENT.
[02:00:03]
UM, MOVING[5. Discussion and possible action regarding solar meter and permit fees.]
ON THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING SOLAR METER AND PERMIT FEES.UM, THIS ITEM, YOU KNOW, WE HAD ORIGINALLY ADDED IN, IN CASE THE COMMISSION PERHAPS WANTED TO, UH, YOU KNOW, COMMENT ON, UM, ANY OF THE METER OR PERMIT FEES AS THEY WERE PROPOSED.
I THINK IN MY OPINION, I MEAN, IT SEEMS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THAT MY CONCERN WOULD HAVE BEEN AN INCREASE IN SOFT COST TO THE CUSTOMER, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOING THE OPPOSITE WAY, UH, DECREASING THE COST OR, YOU KNOW, IN THE, IN THE CASE OF THE METER FEES, UH, HAVING, UH, THE, THE SOLAR INCENTIVE PROGRAM COVER IT.
SO I NOT SURE THAT ANY ACTION IS WARRANTED BY WE'LL, UH, OPEN UP TO THE COMMISSION IF ANYONE ELSE HAS A DIFFERENT OPINION THERE I AGREE.
UM, I DON'T, I DON'T SEE THE NEED FOR ACTION RIGHT NOW.
I AGREE AS WELL, JONATHAN, THIS IS DANA.
I GUESS MAYBE THE EASIER QUESTION DOES, DOES ANYONE SEE A NEED FOR ACTION? ALL RIGHT.
SO HEARING NONE, WE WILL MOVE ON TO,
[6. Discuss potential future agenda items. ]
UH, LAST ITEM ON THE AGENDA, DISCUSS POTENTIAL FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. UH, NATASHA, COULD YOU TELL US WHAT WHAT'S ON TAP FOR FOR NEXT MONTH? OKAY.UH, FOR, UH, NEXT MONTH WE HAVE THE CES BUDGET.
UM, THAT'S COMING TO US FROM OUR CANCEL JULY MEETING.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM AUSTIN WATER IN REFERENCE TO WATER LOSS, AND THOSE ARE ALL OF THE ITEMS WE HAVE FOR SEPTEMBER.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, ANY COMMENTS ON THOSE ITEMS OR POTENTIAL FUTURE ITEMS? SO, JONATHAN, I WOULD LIKE TO BRING BACK UP AND GET A REPORT FROM TEXAS GAS ON THEIR CLIMATE, UM, IN MANIPULATORY, UH, ARE THERE, I'M A GAS INVENTORY, BOTH, UH, FROM THERE AND FROM THEIR OPERATIONS HERE IN AUSTIN AND THEIR SUPPLY CHAIN.
I THINK THERE WAS ALSO SOMETHING IN THAT EARLIER DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT THEIR PLANS ARE AND THE, UH, VANGUARD, UH, CLEAN GAS STRATEGIES THAT THEY WERE USING.
I'M NOT USING THE RIGHT WORDS, BUT IT WAS IN THEIR PRESENTATION.
WE'LL WE'LL WORK WITH THEM TO SEE IF WE CAN GET, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING SPECIFIC ON THOSE TOPICS.
UH, AT OUR, I THINK IT WAS AT OUR LAST MEETING PERHAPS IN JUNE OR WHENEVER IT WAS, WE MET LAST, I THINK KURT STARTED GILL, UH, PRESENTED, AND HE SAID THAT HE WAS GOING TO BE INITIATING A PROCESS TO CONSIDER EVIE READY AND ELECTRIC READINESS.
UM, AND I, I, MY TAKEAWAY WAS THAT IT WAS HAPPENING IMMINENTLY AT THAT TIME, BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING.
AND I KNOW I EXPLICITLY ASKED TO GET INVITATIONS TO WHATEVER IT WAS THEY WOULD BE DOING FOR THAT.
UM, SO I WOULD LIKE TO GET AN UPDATE AND, YOU KNOW, HAVE THIS COMMISSION, YOU KNOW, PARTICIPATE IN THAT PROCESS.
OH, WELL, I'LL CONNECT WITH KURT TO SEE, UH, W WHAT'S THE UPDATE THERE AND, AND, UH, WHAT WOULD BE THE NEXT STEPS? THANKS.
WELL, WITH THAT, THAT BRINGS US TO THE END OF OUR AGENDA.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS THAT HUNG AROUND TO THE END, UM, FOR, FOR YOUR PRESENTATIONS,
[02:05:01]
UH, MUCH APPRECIATED, UH, COMMISSIONERS.THANK YOU FOR JOINING, UH, AS ALWAYS, THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME OUT OF YOUR EVENINGS TO PARTICIPATE HERE.
UH, AND WITH THAT, UH, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND ADJOURN.
SO THANK YOU AND EVERYONE HAVE A NICE NIGHT HERE.