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Home My WebLink About09-12-2022 Climate Action CommissionIowa City Climate Action Commission Agenda Monday, Sept. 12, 2022, 3:30 — 5:00 p.m. Emma J. Harvat Hall Iowa City City Hall 410 E. Washington St. Meeting Agenda: 1. Call to Order 2. Roll Call 3. Approval of August 15, 2022 minutes 4. Public Comment on items not on the Agenda -Commentators shall address the Commission for no more than 3 minutes. Commissioners shall not engage in discussion with the public concerning said items. 5. Announcements —informational updates a. Action items from last meeting (Staff) b. Upcoming events (Staff) L Speaking of... GHG inventories (Sept. 19, noon-1 p.m.) ii. Climate Fest Kick Off, Big Grove (Sept. 21, 5-8 p.m.) iii. Climate Fest "Climate in Motion," Chauncey Park/FilmScene (Sept. 22, 5-8 p.m.) iv. Climate Fest Party at Weatherby Park (Sept. 23, 5-8 p.m.) v. Climate Fest EV Car Show, Farmers Market (Sept. 24, 8 a.m. —noon) c. Working group updates L Solar Prioritization (Giannakouros, Krieger, Soglin, Sturdevant) ii. Insulation Grant Program (Guerra, Fraser, Leckband) iii. Resilience Hub Prioritization (Grimm, Hutchinson, Eynon -Lynch, Walter) d. Community Based Organization Outreach L Home Builders Association (Krieger), South District Neighborhood (Eynon - Lynch), NAACP, Black Voices Project (Soglin), Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition (Fraser), Lucas Farms Neighborhood (Giannakouros) e. Grant funding updates (Staff) L Income -Qualified Energy Efficiency Grant Program: heat pump pilot — informational update ii. Climate Innovation Grants —informational update f. APA Transportation Award support letter (Staff) 6. Unfinished Business: a. 24/7 Initiative —presentation and discussion L Presentation by MidAmerican Energy (Kathryn Kunert, Michael Fehr) — informational presentation and discussion, no decision required 7. Recap a. Confirmation of next meeting time and location I. Monday, Oct. 10, 3:30-5 p.m., Emma J. Harvat Hall b. Actionable items for commission, working groups, and staff 8. Adjourn If you will need disability -related accommodations in order to participate in this meeting, please contact Sarah Gardner, Climate Action Coordinator, at 319-887-6162 or at sarah-aardner@iowa-city.ora. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs. MINUTES PRELIMINARY IOWA CITY CLIMATE ACTION COMMISSION AUGUST 15, 2022 —3:30 PM— FORMAL MEETING EMMA J. HARVART HALL MEMBERS PRESENT: John Fraser, Stratis Giannakouros, Ben Grimm, Clarity Guerra, Kasey Hutchinson, Matt Krieger, Becky Soglin, Jesse Leckband, Michal Eynon -Lynch, Gabriel Sturdevant, Matt Walter MEMBERS ABSENT: STAFF PRESENT: Sarah Gardner, Megan Hill OTHERS PRESENT: Nancy Bird, Cheryl Miller, Scott Spak, Craig Moser CALL TO ORDER: Soglin called the meeting to order. APPROVAL OF JUNE 6, 2022 MINUTES: Fraser moved to approve the minutes from June 6, 2022. Krieger seconded the motion, a vote was taken, and the motion passed 11-0. PUBLIC COMMENT OF ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA: Nancy Bird (Iowa City Downtown District) shared information about the Downtown District's ideas for a green alley pilot project. The alley behind Studio 13 alley could showcase environmentally sustainable practices in the City, as permeable pavement can reduce flooding and reduce the heat island effect. ANNOUNCEMENTS: Action Items from last meeting: • Questions received regarding the 24/7 Initiative were responded to by IEC and will be included in the September agenda packet. • The initiative for Commission members to connect with community -based organizations (CBOs) is ongoing until the end of the year, and staff continue to provide support. • Bissell is awaiting some responses to schedule the insulation working group's initial meeting. Upcoming events: • Staff noted two events that had occurred earlier that day (Aug. 15), the Small Business Sustainability Focus Group and a "Speaking of..." discussion on Greenwashing. • A Transit Tour was scheduled for August 17 and staff reminded any interested Commissioners were welcome to attend. Climate Action Commission August 15, 2022 Page 2 of 4 Working Group Updates: • Solar Prioritization (Giannakouros, Krieger, Soglin, Sturdevant) — Discussion of the memo was held for later in the meeting under unfinished business. • Insulation Grant Program (Guerra, Fraser, Leckband) — Staff noted they were waiting to hear back from some working group members in order to set a time for the initial meeting. Community Based Organization outreach: • Soglin met with the Black Voices Project and with Kevin Saunders of the NAACP. • Eynon -Lynch met with Angie Jordan from the South District Neighborhood and will be attending the next District Neighborhood meeting. • Guerra is awaiting a response from LULAC. • Krieger reported no updates from the HBA at this time. • Giannakouros has been traveling and unable to connect with his group. • No report from Fraser on Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition. UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Solar Prioritization memo to Council • Soglin gave some background. The Iowa City Solar 2035 report is a collaborative study by Johnson Clean Energy District that was commissioned by the City and was issued in January 2022. • The Solar Prioritization Working Group met three times, discussed what was in the report and what to prioritize, and made three recommendations. Soglin noted the nature of this report as a study means it is something that can be revisited. The current set of recommendations focus on the near term. • First recommendation is to make sure that the City's zoning code is updated to better support solar. This process has already begun. Second recommendation is to have an educational component added to solar projects that the municipality might either own or partner on. Third recommendation is the continuation of conversations with the primary energy provider in the area (MidAmerican) about solar and possible battery projects. • Soglin noted an intention to revise the title of the memo and add some sentences to the introduction, to make clear the near -term intent of these recommendations. • Giannakouros noted when the working group had solar prioritization conversations in the spring, it was not in anticipation of the Inflation Reduction Act being passed. Now the policy landscape has shifted. • Soglin opened the discussion to the public. • Cheryl Miller (Board member of the Johnson Clean Energy District) expressed disappointment that the set of recommendations doesn't convey a larger vision for solar. It doesn't mention community -hosted distributed generation and storage projects such as a joint utility/community solar project to replace the thwarted Waterworks Park utility -owned project. • Scott Spak (Associate Professor of Planning and Public Affairs and lead author on the research phase of the report) noted changes in the policy landscape that are going to require the City to respond. Spak encouraged development of a pilot project to help figure out a strategy for existing buildings, businesses, and operations. Climate Action Commission August 15, 2022 Page 3 of 4 • Giannakouros summarized some of the working group's discussion around the report and its recommendations. He described the group's reasons for prioritizing the zoning code and continued conversation with MidAmerican about projects like a community solar garden (Cedar Rapids' project with Alliant can serve as a model). • Krieger noted differing definitions of resilience hubs, i.e. physical sites vs. community -building among residents. He described how the City's demand -reducing initiatives such as the weatherization grant program and decarbonization efforts are paired with what MidAmerican is doing on the utility -scale production side. • Eynon -Lynch posited that the memo should capture a vision of future hopes; JCED's collaboration on it may be helpful. • Soglin noted that this process has been collaborative, but there are concerns about continuing to have more back -and -forth about the memo, since the study came out in January and ultimately it's the Council's role to decide. • Gardner noted that it would be unusual for a group that produced a study to also be involved in creating a memo in response to that study. • Craig Moser (Board member of the Johnson Clean Energy District) expressed concern that the memo's tone downplays the importance and significance of the study results. He encouraged the Commission to take a more assertive approach. • Giannakouros referenced a new study that shows how distributed energy resources can optimize the ability of utilities to deploy centralized solar. • Cheryl Miller reiterated her wish that the memo should mention distributed generation and storage and show a 10-year proposed vision. • Soglin proposed that the working group meet again. As a conclusion to today's discussion, the commissioners could vote to support whatever changes the working group makes and to trust they get into this memo what's being discussed. Alternatively, the working group could make changes and bring it back to the Commission, which would not be until October because September has a full agenda. • Gardner clarified two paths for the working group. They could revise the tone of the memo which, as an adjustment of wording rather than change of substance, could then be sent on to Council. Or they can revise the projects or priorities of the memo, which would require more deliberation, and possibly cause a delay on the projects already proposed. Gardner noted if there are no objections to the projects that are outlined as priorities, the conversations on community solar development and partnerships could continue separately. • Leckband described MidAmerican's utility scale solar installation operating in Hills as an example of the utility's continued interest in solar projects. • Giannakouros made the motion that the memo would be lightly revised for tone by the working group and then sent on to Council without coming back to the Commission. A final copy would be in the next agenda packet. • Walter seconded the motion. • Some discussion ensued about the memo's capacity to address the concerns of the public who spoke. • A vote was taken and the motion passed 11-0. NEW BUSINESS: Income -Qualified Energy Efficiency Grant Program: heat pump pilot (deferred to Climate Action Commission August 15, 2022 Page 4 of 4 next meeting due to time) RECAP OF ACTIONABLE ITEMS FOR COMMISSION, WORKING GROUPS, AND STAFF: • Next meeting will be Monday, Sept. 12, 3:30-5 p.m., in Emma J. Harvat Hall • Solar Prioritizing Working Group will reconvene to make final edits to the memo before sending it on to Council. ADJOURNMENT: Giannakouros moved to adjourn, Leckband seconded the motion. A vote was taken and the motion passed 11-0. CLIMATE ACTION COMM ISSIONATTENDANCE RECORD 2022 co A N O\i O A N V1 NAME TERM EXP. C, 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Michel Eynon- 12/31/2024 — — — NM X X X X X X NM X Lynch John Fraser 12/31/2024 X O/E X NM X X X X X X NM X Stratis X X X NM O/E X X X O/E NM X Giannakouros UI Rep X Clarity Guerra 12/31/2022 — — — NM X X X X O/E X NM X Ben Grimm 10/31/2023 X X X NM O/E X X O/E X X NM X Grace 12/31/2021 O/E O/E O/E NM -- - -- - -- -- NM -- Holbrook* Megan Hill* 12/31/2022 X X X NM X X X X X NM Kasey 12/31/2022 X X X NM X X X X X X NM X Hutchinson Matt Krieger 12/31/2023 X X X NM X X X X O/E X NM X Jesse MidAmerican X X O/E NM X O/E X X X X NM X Leckband Rep Becky Soglin 12/31/2022 X X X NM X X X X X X NM X Gabe 12/31/2024 — — — NM X X X X O/E X NM X Sturdevant Eric Tate* 12/31/2021 X X X NM - — — — NM -- Matt Walter 12/31/2023 — NM -- — — NM X KEY: X = Present 0 = Absent 0/E = Absent/Excused NM= No Meeting * No longer on Commission 4 r _.- -4 CITY OF I O WA CITY -�� MEMORANDUM Date: July 8, 2022 To: Climate Action Commission From: Daniel Bissell, Climate Action Analyst Re: Air -Source Heat Pump Grant Program In Spring of 2022 the City of Iowa City implemented its Residential Energy Efficiency Incentive grant program. That program covers the 100% of the cost of attic insulation of at least R-49 and up to R-60, and electrical panel upgrades to 200 amps, including burying service lines to make homes more resilient to wind and ice events. Upgraded electrical panels are not an energy efficiency measure in and of themselves, but they make possible the addition of future efficiency upgrades including heat pump or hybrid water heaters, air -source heat pump HVAC, and electric vehicle charging. The purpose of this memo is to present a new grant program to help homeowners offset the cost of installing an air -source heat pump HVAC system. The proposed grant would cover 80% of total cost for income -qualified households, and 50% of the cost for all other households. For the purposes of this grant, "income qualified" means gross household income below 80% median income level for Iowa City. Based on a small number of City -owned properties that are having heat pumps installed, staff recommend piloting the program with a $60,000 budget, which we estimate could benefit about 5 homes in the first year. A letter will be sent to prior participants in the previous insulation and electrical panel upgrade grant, as well as NDS rehab projects encouraging them to take advantage of this grant funding along with a list of qualified contractors. As with the insulation and electrical panel grant, following initial contact from NDS staff, the City will then enter into an agreement with the homeowner to grant the funds for an air -source heat pump HVAC system. The homeowner will choose the contractor, who will then submit an estimate to both homeowner and city staff. The City will agree to cover 80% of the estimated costs and any incidentals related only to the heat pump installation. When work is complete, the contractor will submit an invoice to the City. The City will pay the contractor when staff confirm that a permit was issued for the work, and the homeowner confirms the work has been completed. As with the other grant program, pre -qualified homeowners who have not had an energy audit completed by Green Iowa AmeriCorps will be required to obtain an energy audit as part of the grant program. If the energy audit was completed more than two years prior to entering an agreement with a homeowner, a new energy audit will be performed. Staff will evaluate the program effectiveness on an ongoing basis. Homeowners will be asked to sign a third -party release form with MidAmerican Energy so that staff will have access to utility bills. Staff will access and evaluate utility bills for a 24-month period, 12 months before project completion, and 12 months after project completion. Approved grants will be mapped on GIS overlaid with income and/or race and ethnic data to ensure equity in implementation. The program seeks to offer a roadmap to homeowners to increase efficiency, electrify, and decarbonize their homes using a series of grants to complete upgrades. In future years, the city may offer these same homeowners grants to cover the cost of a heat pump (hybrid) water heater, duct sealing, and electric vehicle charging. Iowa City: Climate Action Plan Equity Implementation Toolkit (June 2021) Step 1: Desired Outcomes and Goals 1a. Project Name: Air Source Heat Pump Grant Program 1b. Project Description: In order to increase energy efficiency of residential heating and cooling, thus reducing the carbon intensity of heating and cooling residential living spaces, the City of Iowa City proposes to offer a rebate on the installation of air -source heat pump HVAC systems, completely replacing any existing air conditioning units, and replacing or supplementing the existing natural gas fi irnnnn In +hn nnnn of c.,,nn1^rn^n+;nn nn ^.;; +;nn nn+i irnl nnn fi irnnnn +L.n 1c. Project Area: Transportation 1d. Project Type: Incentives le. What is the desired outcome for this proposal? The desired outcome is to retrofit as many existing single-family residential homes with air -source heat pump HVAC systems as possible. Those homeowners would benefit from more comfortable homes and lower energy bills. Step 2: Data 2a. Who is the targeted audience for this action? (Select all that apply) ❑ City-wide Ro ❑✓ Residential ❑✓ Single -Dwelling Residential ❑✓ Owner -Occupied ✓❑ Rental ❑ Multi -Dwelling Residential ❑ Owner -Occupied ❑ Rental ❑ Commercial ❑ Small Business ❑ Large Business ❑ Industrial ❑ Other: ❑Public/Non-Profit Institutions ❑ Non -Profit Organizations ❑ University of Iowa ❑Kirkwood Community College ❑ Other: 2b. Are there impacts on specific neighborhoods or geographic areas? ❑ Yes ✓❑ No If yes, which neighborhoods or regions will be impacted by this action? (Select all that apply) Regions Neighborhoods ❑ North ❑ Manville Heights ❑ West ❑ Melrose Ave ❑ East ❑ Miller Orchard ❑ South ❑ Morningside/Glendale ❑ Central ❑ Parkview Ter./Normandy ❑ Northside ❑ Oak Grove ❑ Peninsula Area ❑ Penny Bryn ❑ Bluffwood ❑ South District ❑ College Green ❑ Ty'n Cae ❑ Country Club Estates ❑ Walnut Ridge ❑ Creekside ❑ Waterfront ❑ Eastside ❑ Washington ❑ Galway Hills ❑ Hills Windsor ❑ Goosetown ❑ Ridge ❑ Longfellow ❑ Other: ❑ Lucas Farms Please review the Climate Action Equity Map to consider other geographic factors that may be impacted by the proposed action(s). What are the observations? Why use mapping as a tool to analyze the distribution of city services? It can demonstrate how differently a city action can affect different populations or geographical areas. It can illustrate the community's assets and weaknesses. This action has the potential to impact any residential neighborhood with single-family housing. 2c. What are the primary demographics of those that would be impacted by the proposal? Consider who is being affected or involved in the action and whether all are able to participate and/or benefit to the same degree. (Select all that apply) ❑ Communities/people of color ❑ Young people ❑ People with disabilities Q Older people ❑ LGBTQ+ community ❑ Communities of immigrants and/or limited English proficiency ❑ People without employment ❑ People who depend on public transit or other non -single -driver transportation Other individuals or communities that have been disenfranchised Will remove, or potentially remove, barrier(s) that caused inequity in the first place Qustice) Other: 2d. What is the budget of the work of the action and will that impact the ability to successfully address equity? Staff recommends a pilot program with a budget of $60,000 which has the potential to impact 5 homes this year. 2e. Is the individual or household's personal wealth a determining factor in the ability to benefit from this action? To a degree, yes. People who own their own home or live in single-family housing typically have a higher income. However, the City desires to have a higher -impact on people of modest income. To this end, the City proposes to offer a grant of 80% of the total cost of installation for income -qualified households, defined as gross household income falling below 80% of median income level for Iowa City. All other households will qualify for a grant of 50% of the total cost of installation. 2f. Is there any essential data missing or need further exploration? If an energy audit has not yet been completed on a home, one will be required. It is essential that the home have sufficient insulation so that the heat pump functions efficiently. Staff also requests 12 months of energy bills before, and 12 months after installation. How do you plan to find out the information? Green Iowa AmeriCorps energy audit data, and the requested MidAmerican Energy bills. Step 3: Stakeholder Involvement / Community Engagement Who are the "stakeholders"? Stakeholders are 3a. Who are the stakeholders involved those impacted or interested in the action. Examples include residents, city staff, community in this action? organizations, businesses, etc. Stakeholders include Iowa City residents, property owners, and all MidAmerican Energy rate payers. 3b. Which groups have been part of the decision -making? City staff and local HVAC contractors. 3c. Are there groups that have been missing in the conversation? Which ones? There has been limited outreach to pre -qualified homeowners, some of whom have taken advantage of the insulation and/or electrical panel upgrade grants. Those who have taken advantage of the electrical panel upgrade know that the purpose of that upgrade makes possible future electrification including air -source heat pumps. if yes, what are opportunities for outreach to engage these groups? City staff will continue to reach out to residents and homeowners regarding this program. IOWA CITY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & STAKEHOLDER MAP The Community Engagement & Stakeholder Map from the Addressing Climate Change, Health, and Equity in Iowa City Report is aimed to help the City understand how different stakeholders may be impacted by environmental policies differently due to client vulnerabilities and connectedness to the city. The purpose is to promote engagement between the City and community organizations. Depending on where the stakeholder is located on the map will impact how they will be engaged and reached by the City. Influence in environmental decision -making (time, resources, information, perceived ability to influence outcomes) 3d. Using the Iowa City Community Enqaqement & Stakeholder Map above, where do the involved stakeholders fall in the quadrant(s)? How have the stakeholders or community member/groups been involved in the development of this proposal? (Fill in as applicable) Stakeholder #1: Homeowners & Reside Stakeholder #5: Quadrant: A Quadrant: A 0 Informed ❑ Informed ❑ Consulted ❑ Consulted ❑ Collaborated ❑ Collaborated ❑ Shared Decision -Making ❑ Shared Decision -Making Stakeholder #2: HVAc contractors Stakeholder #6: Quadrant: B Quadrant: A Q Informed ❑ Informed ❑ Consulted ❑ Consulted ❑ Collaborated ❑ Collaborated ❑ Shared Decision -Making ❑ Shared Decision -Making Stakeholder #3: Stakeholder #7: Quadrant: A Quadrant: A ❑ Informed ❑ Informed ❑ Consulted ❑ Consulted ❑ Collaborated ❑ Collaborated ❑ Shared Decision -Making ❑ Shared Decision -Making Stakeholder #4: Stakeholder #8: Quadrant: A Quadrant: A ❑ Informed ❑ Informed ❑ Consulted ❑ Consulted ❑ Collaborated ❑ Collaborated ❑ Shared Decision -Making ❑ Shared Decision -Making 3e. How does the quadrant impact how the stakeholders are engaged? HVAC Contractors in quadrant B were directly engaged in a webinar presentation by an HVAC manufacturer rep. Home owners/residents in quadrant A are being reached out to via a letter and flyer. A If applicable, where do the groups most impacted by the action fall in the quadrant(s) (identified in Step 2c)? Groups most impacted are in quadrant A. 3g. What are the strategies to gather input and feedback from stakeholders? ✓❑ One-on-one interviews ❑ Focus groups J❑ Online survey ❑ small group facilitated workshops ❑ Collaboration on activities or projects ❑ Other: 3h. Do the materials used to market this program need to be translated into other languages other than English? ❑ Yes ❑ No J❑ Maybe ❑ Not Applicable Step 4 — Benefit / Burden Determination 4a. Are there other non -economic or non-direct-GHG-reduction benefits or advantages? (Select all that apply) ❑ Neighbors get to know each other ❑✓ Advances knowledge of some aspect of climate change or sustainability ❑ Provides for childhood learning or development in general ❑ Leads to access to other education or training for adults ❑✓ Improves air, land and/or water quality ❑ Improves healthier living in general ❑ Supports biodiversity ❑ Makes travel/transit easier/efficient, safer or reliable, especially people who are vulnerable ❑ Makes "greener" travel more possible for all by bus, walking, biking, etc. ❑ Otherwise supports part or all of action in one of the other action areas: Buildings, Transportation, Waste, Adaptation, Sustainable Living ❑✓ Easily replicable and scalable Q Engagement with community stakeholders or agencies ❑ Other: 4b. Are there other economic benefits? (Select all that apply) ❑✓ Increases home or building value ❑✓ Adds new or advances existing jobs/profession ❑✓ Supports local economy ❑ Other: 4c. Does it conflict with any other action in the 100-day plan? ❑ Buildings ❑ Transportation ❑ Waste ❑ Adaptation ❑ Sustainable Lifestyle If yes, how? 4d. Which group(s) will be more positively impacted by the outcome of this action? Homeowners and MidAmerican Energy ratepayers will be more positively impacted by this action. 4e. Are there any obstacles that are keeping particular groups from participating in the benefits of this action? (Select all that apply) ❑ Education ❑✓ Financial ❑ Time ❑ Physical accessibility ❑ Lack of cultural sensitivity ❑ Language barriers ❑ Other: 10 Step 5 — Strategies / Recommendations 5a. If applicable, what are the strategies for addressing the potential identified burdens/obstacles? Staff recommends development of a separate program to incentivize energy efficiency improvements in multi -family rental housing. 5b. How can partnerships with stakeholders be continued throughout the implementation process? Open communication and fostering relationships between homeowners, city staff, and HVAC contractors. 5c. What remains unresolved? What resources or internal/external partnerships do you still need to make changes? Educating both homeowners and HVAC contractors regarding the effectiveness of air -source heat pumps in an Iowa climate is needed. 11 Step 6 — Evaluation and Accountability 6a. In what ways would this action be considered "successful" for equity in the Iowa City community? This action will be considered successful from an equity perspective if air -source heat pumps can be installed in income -qualified households. 6b. How can the impacts and outcomes be documented and evaluated over time? Comparing before and after MidAmerican Energy bills of participant households can document the impact of this program. 6c. Is there a clear way for stakeholders or community members to contact with questions or concerns over this action? Yes, all materials direct interested homeowners and enrolled participants to contact appropriate city staff. 12 r -�_-®I, CITY OF I O WA CITY -"'2� MEMORANDUM Date: September 7, 2022 To: Climate Action Commission From: Sarah J Gardner, Climate Action Coordinator Re: Climate Innovation Grants The purpose of this memo is to inform the Climate Action Commission of a new funding mechanism to help support the adoption by Iowa City businesses and organizations of emerging technologies that align with the city's Climate Action goals. This effort supports action item SLI-5 from the Accelerating Iowa City's Climate Action Plan, which calls for the expansion of community climate action grants, and BI-9, which calls for an electrification incentive program. It also supplements action item BI-4, which calls for a TIF-funded climate action incentive program aimed at reducing industrial energy consumption. As the TIF-funded climate action program has matured, staff have encountered funding requests for technology that do not fit the criteria for that program due to the potential to increase rather than decrease energy consumption. Nonetheless, these technologies can be considered a form of beneficial electrification and, as such, result in emissions savings overall. Such requests for funding have often come through other city departments, including Resource Management and Economic Development, and represent potential for collaboration between departments and with organizations and businesses in Iowa City. To date, two such projects have been funded, and a third is anticipated. The first was a collaboration between Resource Management staff, Climate Action staff, and Table to Table (noted in the CAAP update to the Commission in January 2022, action item WE-1) to fund a small-scale commercial food waste processing system. This system reduces bulk and weight by extracting water content from food that has reached the end of its consumable use, allowing Table to Table to reduce the poundage of material transported to the municipal compost facility and frequency of trips, both of which are projected to result in a reduction of associated transportation emissions. As part of the funding agreement, Table to Table agreed to provide energy use data and operational feedback that can be used to determine if this technology could be incorporated into a future program to help Iowa City restaurants address organic waste in the context of the current limited capacity at the City compost facility. Table to Table also agreed to collaborate on a food waste reduction campaign with resource management staff in advance of implementing the technology. The second project was a more recent collaboration between Economic Development staff, Climate Action staff, and Big Grove Brewery to fund a carbon capture and recycling system. This system collects the carbon dioxide (CO2) that is a natural by-product of the brewing process, cleans and condenses the gas, and then uses it to carbonate the beverage. Although this does not represent true sequestration (the CO2 will eventually be emitted when the beer is consumed), shipments of heavy CO2 cannisters made by medium -duty trucks from central Illinois have up until now been received twice weekly at the brewery. Eliminating the need for those deliveries will result in significant transportation emissions savings. As part of the funding agreement, Big Grove has similarly agreed to provide energy use data and operational feedback to determine if this technology would be suitable for other area breweries, as well as promotional activities supporting the City's Climate Action efforts. Tours of this system for community members will be provided during the upcoming Climate Fest in September 2022. September 7, 2022 Page 2 The third project, if it goes forward, will fund electric vehicle charging equipment for a medium - duty delivery vehicle, a project that will help reduce the transportation emissions for the participating business and which can help provide data to help guide the City's efforts to electrify its own larger vehicles, particularly as City staff initiate a zero emissions fleet transition study in 2023. This project is currently being evaluated for possible funding. More information on that project will be provided to the Commission and City Council as it proceeds. Importantly, all of these technologies represent equipment that has not been previously utilized in Iowa City and does not yet have widespread adoption elsewhere. As a result, the costs and risks associated with early adoption are higher than they would be for other more established technologies. By providing this funding opportunity, City staff hope to support businesses and organizations putting themselves at the forefront of climate mitigation efforts while also benefitting from data and insights that can help inform future funding efforts. Because of the unique nature of these technologies, there is no dedicated application form or timeframe in which businesses and organizations must submit a proposal. Rather, businesses or organizations may approach the City at any time to discuss applying for this funding. Following the initial request, Climate Action staff have developed a procedure to evaluate the viability of the technology, estimate the projected emissions savings, determine a funding amount that will reduce the estimated payback period to less than 10 years, and outline the data requests contingent upon receipt of funding. Because Climate Action staff are not experts on industry -specific emerging technologies, these evaluations are conducted in collaboration with other City departments and in conversation with the businesses and organizations themselves, which know their operations best. The proposal is then shared with the City Manager's office and, depending on the size of the funding request, may be sent to City Council for final approval per City policy. Where appropriate, climate action funds may be combined with funds from the collaborating city department to meet the funding request. Due to the highly specific quality of these technologies, it is difficult to fill out an equity toolkit review that anticipates the impact of the Climate Innovation Grant program as a whole. Instead, climate action staff propose to utilize an equity toolkit review on a project by project basis as part of the funding evaluation procedure for those projects in which Climate Action and Outreach is the division charged as the project lead. An equity toolkit for the Big Grove project is included as an example (Resource Management served as the project lead for the Table to Table project). Staff also hope by establishing this program as a separate grant, it can be more easily marketed and in turn increase equitable access to this funding opportunity. As part of this effort, a revised Climate Action Grant page is in development for the City website that will contain information about all three current funding opportunities for businesses and organizations: the Community Action Grants (formally known as Climate Action Grants), the TIF-funded Energy Efficiency Grants, and the Climate Innovation Grants. Finally, as Climate Action Commission members continue to engage residents, businesses, and organizations in the climate action efforts of the city, staff hope they will provide information about this funding opportunity and encourage interested businesses and organizations to contact Climate Action staff for more information. Iowa City: Climate Action Plan Equity Implementation Toolkit (June 2021) Step 1: Desired Outcomes and Goals 1a. Project Name: Air Source Heat Pump Grant Program 1b. Project Description: In order to increase energy efficiency of residential heating and cooling, thus reducing the carbon intensity of heating and cooling residential living spaces, the City of Iowa City proposes to offer a rebate on the installation of air -source heat pump HVAC systems, completely replacing any existing air conditioning units, and replacing or supplementing the existing natural gas fi irnnnn In +hn nnnn of c.,,nn1^rn^n+;nn nn ^.;; +;nn nn+i irnl nnn fi irnnnn +L.n 1c. Project Area: Buildings 1d. Project Type: Incentives le. What is the desired outcome for this proposal? The desired outcome is to retrofit as many existing single-family residential homes with air -source heat pump HVAC systems as possible. Those homeowners would benefit from more comfortable homes and lower energy bills. Step 2: Data 2a. Who is the targeted audience for this action? (Select all that apply) ❑ City-wide Ro ❑✓ Residential ❑✓ Single -Dwelling Residential ❑✓ Owner -Occupied ✓❑ Rental ❑ Multi -Dwelling Residential ❑ Owner -Occupied ❑ Rental ❑ Commercial ❑ Small Business ❑ Large Business ❑ Industrial ❑ Other: ❑Public/Non-Profit Institutions ❑ Non -Profit Organizations ❑ University of Iowa ❑Kirkwood Community College ❑ Other: 2b. Are there impacts on specific neighborhoods or geographic areas? ❑ Yes ✓❑ No If yes, which neighborhoods or regions will be impacted by this action? (Select all that apply) Regions Neighborhoods ❑ North ❑ Manville Heights ❑ West ❑ Melrose Ave ❑ East ❑ Miller Orchard ❑ South ❑ Morningside/Glendale ❑ Central ❑ Parkview Ter./Normandy ❑ Northside ❑ Oak Grove ❑ Peninsula Area ❑ Penny Bryn ❑ Bluffwood ❑ South District ❑ College Green ❑ Ty'n Cae ❑ Country Club Estates ❑ Walnut Ridge ❑ Creekside ❑ Waterfront ❑ Eastside ❑ Washington ❑ Galway Hills ❑ Hills Windsor ❑ Goosetown ❑ Ridge ❑ Longfellow ❑ Other: ❑ Lucas Farms Please review the Climate Action Equity Map to consider other geographic factors that may be impacted by the proposed action(s). What are the observations? Why use mapping as a tool to analyze the distribution of city services? It can demonstrate how differently a city action can affect different populations or geographical areas. It can illustrate the community's assets and weaknesses. This action has the potential to impact any residential neighborhood with single-family housing. 2c. What are the primary demographics of those that would be impacted by the proposal? Consider who is being affected or involved in the action and whether all are able to participate and/or benefit to the same degree. (Select all that apply) ❑ Communities/people of color ❑ Young people ❑ People with disabilities Q Older people ❑ LGBTQ+ community ❑ Communities of immigrants and/or limited English proficiency ❑ People without employment ❑ People who depend on public transit or other non -single -driver transportation Other individuals or communities that have been disenfranchised Will remove, or potentially remove, barrier(s) that caused inequity in the first place Qustice) Other: 2d. What is the budget of the work of the action and will that impact the ability to successfully address equity? Staff recommends a pilot program with a budget of $60,000 which has the potential to impact 5 homes this year. 2e. Is the individual or household's personal wealth a determining factor in the ability to benefit from this action? To a degree, yes. People who own their own home or live in single-family housing typically have a higher income. However, the City desires to have a higher -impact on people of modest income. To this end, the City proposes to offer a grant of 80% of the total cost of installation for income -qualified households, defined as gross household income falling below 80% of median income level for Iowa City. All other households will qualify for a grant of 50% of the total cost of installation. 2f. Is there any essential data missing or need further exploration? If an energy audit has not yet been completed on a home, one will be required. It is essential that the home have sufficient insulation so that the heat pump functions efficiently. Staff also requests 12 months of energy bills before, and 12 months after installation. How do you plan to find out the information? Green Iowa AmeriCorps energy audit data, and the requested MidAmerican Energy bills. Step 3: Stakeholder Involvement / Community Engagement Who are the "stakeholders"? Stakeholders are 3a. Who are the stakeholders involved those impacted or interested in the action. Examples include residents, city staff, community in this action? organizations, businesses, etc. Stakeholders include Iowa City residents, property owners, and all MidAmerican Energy rate payers. 3b. Which groups have been part of the decision -making? City staff and local HVAC contractors. 3c. Are there groups that have been missing in the conversation? Which ones? There has been limited outreach to pre -qualified homeowners, some of whom have taken advantage of the insulation and/or electrical panel upgrade grants. Those who have taken advantage of the electrical panel upgrade know that the purpose of that upgrade makes possible future electrification including air -source heat pumps. if yes, what are opportunities for outreach to engage these groups? City staff will continue to reach out to residents and homeowners regarding this program. IOWA CITY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & STAKEHOLDER MAP The Community Engagement & Stakeholder Map from the Addressing Climate Change, Health, and Equity in Iowa City Report is aimed to help the City understand how different stakeholders may be impacted by environmental policies differently due to client vulnerabilities and connectedness to the city. The purpose is to promote engagement between the City and community organizations. Depending on where the stakeholder is located on the map will impact how they will be engaged and reached by the City. Influence in environmental decision -making (time, resources, information, perceived ability to influence outcomes) 3d. Using the Iowa City Community Enqaqement & Stakeholder Map above, where do the involved stakeholders fall in the quadrant(s)? How have the stakeholders or community member/groups been involved in the development of this proposal? (Fill in as applicable) Stakeholder #1: Homeowners & Reside Stakeholder #5: Quadrant: C Quadrant: A 0 Informed ❑ Informed ❑ Consulted ❑ Consulted ❑ Collaborated ❑ Collaborated ❑ Shared Decision -Making ❑ Shared Decision -Making Stakeholder #2: HVAC Contractors Stakeholder #6: Quadrant: B Quadrant: A Q Informed ❑ Informed ❑ Consulted ❑ Consulted ❑ Collaborated ❑ Collaborated ❑ Shared Decision -Making ❑ Shared Decision -Making Stakeholder #3: Stakeholder #7: Quadrant: A Quadrant: A ❑ Informed ❑ Informed ❑ Consulted ❑ Consulted ❑ Collaborated ❑ Collaborated ❑ Shared Decision -Making ❑ Shared Decision -Making Stakeholder #4: Stakeholder #8: Quadrant: A Quadrant: A ❑ Informed ❑ Informed ❑ Consulted ❑ Consulted ❑ Collaborated ❑ Collaborated ❑ Shared Decision -Making ❑ Shared Decision -Making 3e. How does the quadrant impact how the stakeholders are engaged? HVAC Contractors in quadrant B were directly engaged in a webinar presentation by an HVAC manufacturer rep. Home owners/residents in quadrant A are being reached out to via a letter and flyer. A If applicable, where do the groups most impacted by the action fall in the quadrant(s) (identified in Step 2c)? Groups most impacted are in quadrant A. 3g. What are the strategies to gather input and feedback from stakeholders? ✓❑ One-on-one interviews ❑ Focus groups J❑ Online survey ❑ small group facilitated workshops ❑ Collaboration on activities or projects ❑ Other: 3h. Do the materials used to market this program need to be translated into other languages other than English? ❑ Yes ❑ No J❑ Maybe ❑ Not Applicable Step 4 — Benefit / Burden Determination 4a. Are there other non -economic or non-direct-GHG-reduction benefits or advantages? (Select all that apply) ❑ Neighbors get to know each other ❑✓ Advances knowledge of some aspect of climate change or sustainability ❑ Provides for childhood learning or development in general ❑ Leads to access to other education or training for adults ❑✓ Improves air, land and/or water quality ❑ Improves healthier living in general ❑ Supports biodiversity ❑ Makes travel/transit easier/efficient, safer or reliable, especially people who are vulnerable ❑ Makes "greener" travel more possible for all by bus, walking, biking, etc. ❑ Otherwise supports part or all of action in one of the other action areas: Buildings, Transportation, Waste, Adaptation, Sustainable Living ❑✓ Easily replicable and scalable Q Engagement with community stakeholders or agencies ❑ Other: 4b. Are there other economic benefits? (Select all that apply) ❑✓ Increases home or building value ❑✓ Adds new or advances existing jobs/profession ❑✓ Supports local economy ❑ Other: 4c. Does it conflict with any other action in the 100-day plan? ❑ Buildings ❑ Transportation ❑ Waste ❑ Adaptation ❑ Sustainable Lifestyle If yes, how? 4d. Which group(s) will be more positively impacted by the outcome of this action? Homeowners and MidAmerican Energy ratepayers will be more positively impacted by this action. 4e. Are there any obstacles that are keeping particular groups from participating in the benefits of this action? (Select all that apply) ❑ Education Q Financial ❑ Time ❑ Physical accessibility ❑ Lack of cultural sensitivity ❑ Language barriers ❑ Other: 10 Step 5 — Strategies / Recommendations 5a. If applicable, what are the strategies for addressing the potential identified burdens/obstacles? Staff recommends development of a separate program to incentivize energy efficiency improvements in multi -family rental housing. 5b. How can partnerships with stakeholders be continued throughout the implementation process? Open communication and fostering relationships between homeowners, city staff, and HVAC contractors. 5c. What remains unresolved? What resources or internal/external partnerships do you still need to make changes? Educating both homeowners and HVAC contractors regarding the effectiveness of air -source heat pumps in an Iowa climate is needed. 11 Step 6 — Evaluation and Accountability 6a. In what ways would this action be considered "successful" for equity in the Iowa City community? This action will be considered successful from an equity perspective if air -source heat pumps can be installed in income -qualified households. 6b. How can the impacts and outcomes be documented and evaluated over time? Comparing before and after MidAmerican Energy bills of participant households can document the impact of this program. 6c. Is there a clear way for stakeholders or community members to contact with questions or concerns over this action? Yes, all materials direct interested homeowners and enrolled participants to contact appropriate city staff. 12 IOWA CITY CLIMATE ACTION / MATTERS August 25, 2022 Re: 2022 APA Iowa Chapter Awards Nominations Dear Awards Committee, As chair of the Iowa City Climate Action Commission, I would like to express wholehearted support for the nomination of the Eastern Iowa Electric Vehicle Readiness Plan (EVRP) in the 2022 Transportation Planning category. The Commission centers equity in climate action, including greenhouse (GHG) emission reduction initiatives undertaken by the City. This priority is reflected in the plan, which not only supports increased electric vehicle (EV) adoption as a means of reducing GHG emissions, but also promotes equitable access to EVs and EV charging stations. Multi -family residential properties are rarely considered as part of EV infrastructure plans. However, more than 70% of EV charging occurs at vehicle owners' residences. The EVRP's focus on increasing charging availability at multi -family units will help renters reap the economic benefits of being EV owners. I would also emphasize that EVRP is a first -of -its -kind regional plan for Iowa. The EVRP was developed in response to two factors: the rapidly growing number of EV registrations within the state and the need for regional planning to ensure that residents as well as visitors can use EVs within communities and throughout Iowa during long-range trips. The impressive regional collaboration that underpinned the plan creation has continued during the implementation phase and resulted in further innovation as partners work together. I am confident this sort of collaboration is a strong model for other entities to follow and thereby foster more robust EV infrastructure statewide. On behalf of the Climate Action Commission, I unequivocally support this nomination and urge the committee to consider the Eastern Iowa Electric Vehicle Readiness Plan for a 2022 APA Iowa Chapter Transportation Planning Award. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Becky Soglin, CC-P, Leed Green Associate Chair, Iowa City Climate Action Commission Z} V M 5 WQ oc �w w i w�■■0 i � z ww w FV •S w e6o �a �S i m Y m 0 Qa a O N � 0 70 N N � a g c .0 x L (n + m LO O C C L O N O C t4 U 'C Q5 C C o C C m D a)N C ' cn W C6 (] C } N L i • ■ a> c � 0 0 y is L U L c o CD 7, CD L m L N NO C C C U) C a� a ai L -0 o 0 o m 0 }w US o } o 0 CD 0 CD 0 C 0 C C CS U N L O `L C c C 0 W W c m U U E cu L Q Q } ? M C OR yj 0 0 E CD 7 Z, _Q C_ f � O Z) 2 3 m = > a e C + 07 4 L � C ti � r N a 0 a i O m 0 L s r III r14 L 0 Wa RA ►:_. 0 tiV E 7Ni A a r e ,fa ii��Al l .l.1r�. a 1 lnrp i dig t � . W y.. ]E f liJ1g r � � ■ ■ \ � � � — � | |I Mj fill |�| |�•- All | ! )§ fill' mm�n � § I Ifill' a!| • m ■ � . � k � � R R � �.=l�Ilif► �31'� � �. _ � �I��Tlj�llt��l1 i ; � 1 II?IIIIIa _ f •� �� 1 �}�Iliil !Elul � � 1,! r v 2 r i9aa r i � j I� II�IIIt 31E?till, E 'L a9i i o r 1 � • O 1 j v E E E c O Ca O �, coE Lo E CO E Lap E z ,E iA i#? ,_ O .L m E to E ; E Q n N in r E �, 3 N L O L r L L V O `° C E , I •0 Vi 0 O -p W E L U E C� CEli C: ! Q C Q� U E O W _U W j U W C C = as �- O O F I L QUESTIONS RAISED DURING IEC PRESENTATION TO THE COMMISSION • Is there a road map as to how to move forward if Iowa City were to adopt a 24/7 pledge? • How does energy democratization and resilience fit with this initiative? • Has the IPCC changed the target emissions reduction goals from 2050 to 2030? QUESTIONS FOR IEC • Could IEC provide a summary of the reduction target goals mentioned in their presentation? • Could IEC provide some background as to Synapse as a company and their analysis behind the conclusion if MidAmerican closes coal-fired plants and shifts to 24/7 clean energy provisions it could save ratepayers (customers) $1.2 billion? Is the underlying assumption for the claim all of MidAmerican's territory, or for Iowa only? • It seems there would be only an incremental change in the shift from coal by virtue of Iowa City asking for 24/7. Given that, what happens to rates for Iowa City customers in the interim? How does this affect us compared to neighboring or nearby towns? • Have neighboring Corridor communities also been approached by IEC about adopting a 24/7 commitment? If so, who? • Can IEC provide examples where cities have achieved both a 24/7 commitment and no adverse utility cost (affordability) or provision (reliability) changes to residents? • IEC seemed to say on the one hand there is no federal action on clean energy but later said there is the Executive Order for CFE by 2035 -- possible misheard or misunderstood, but would appreciate clarification. • The list of business in support of this initiative seems fairly limited and does not appear to include industrial entities. Have they been contacted to get their thoughts/input on this resolution? If so, who? QUESTIONS FOR MIDAMERICAN • What are the projected impacts of a 24/7 initiative on rates paid by residents? What are projected impacts on commercial electricity rates? • How does this affect us compared to neighboring or nearby towns? • Can MidAmerican respond to the Synapse report finding that if MidAmerican closes coal-fired plants and shifts to 24/7 clean energy provisions it could save ratepayers (customers) $1.2 billion? QUESTIONS FOR CLIMATE ACTION STAFF • If rates are increased in Iowa City but not in neighboring towns, does this further compound affordable housing issues and potentially work against transportation reduction goals by incentivizing living outside of Iowa City? • Can staff provide examples where cities have achieved both a 24/7 commitment and no adverse utility cost (affordability) or provision (reliability) changes to residents? • Are there any examples of equity safeguards any of these communities have adopted to protect energy -burdened residents? • Can staff ask Des Moines for a summary of what exactly they have committed to and what actually has happened or they expect to happen? • A small subset of Iowa City's electrical needs are not served by MiclAmerican—is that addressed? • What risk do we run of state preemption of Iowa City's ability to negotiate franchise agreements, given that our franchise agreement is not up for renewal for several more years? • Have staff contacted commercial or industrial entities not on the list of supporters to get their thoughts/input on this resolution? 505 Fifth Ave Suite 850 Des Moines IA 50309 515.244.1194 iaenvironment.org TO: Sarah Gardner, Climate Action Coordinator, City of Iowa City FROM: Matt Ohloff, Clean Communities Manager, Iowa Environmental Council DATE: 7.22.22 SUBJECT: Iowa City Climate Action Commission questions on 24/7 carbon -free electricity 1. Could IEC provide a summary of the reduction target goals mentioned in their presentation? The IPCC has clearly defined a goal of net zero by 2050. Net zero means that ALL global greenhouse gases from all sources released into the atmosphere equal the amount of greenhouse gases removed. To avoid the most severe climate change impacts, the IPCC has established the 2050 target in the effort keep global warming below 2' C and ideally below 1.5' C compared to pre -industrial levels. The IPCC issued Climate Change 2022: Mitigation of Climate Change in April of 2022.1 The IPCC report makes clear that in order to limit warming to 1.5'C, global electric generation from coal will require a reduction of 82% from 2020 levels by 2030.2 Importantly, the IPCC report established that the delay or failure to achieve timely reductions in one sector increases the burden to decrease in other sectors.' The United States is a signatory to the Paris Agreement with a goal to keep global warming below 2' C and ideally below 1.5' C compared to pre -industrial levels. The Paris Agreement calls for countries to make their pledges to reduce emissions — called nationally determined contributions (NDCs) — more ambitious every five years. NDCs are at the heart of the Paris Agreement and the achievement of these long-term goals. NDCs embody efforts by each country to reduce national emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change. On April 22, 2021, the United States set an economy -wide target of reducing its net greenhouse gas emissions by 50-52 percent below 2005 levels in 2030.4 The NDC for the electricity sector is as follows: "In developing the NDC, the United States considered sector -by -sector emissions reduction pathways. Each policy considered for reducing emissions is also an opportunity to improve equity and support good jobs in the United States The United States will decarbonize the energy sector, including by cutting energy waste; shifting to carbon pollution -free electricity; electrifying and driving efficiency in vehicles, buildings, and parts of industry; and scaling up new energy sources and carriers such as carbon -free hydrogen. Actions to be pursued include, for example: 505 Fifth Ave Suite 850 Des Moines IA 50309 515.244.1194 iaenvironment.org Electricity: The United States has set a goal to reach 100 percent carbon pollution -free electricity by 2035.. 11 5 The new NDC of a carbon free electricity sector by 2035, effectively eliminates electricity produced using coal and fossil gas after 2035.E 1. Climate Change 2022: Mitigation of Climate Change IPCC AR6 WGIII FinalDraft FullReport.pdf 2. IPCC AR6 WGIII FinalDraft FullReport.pdf page 1061 3.Id. 4. Microsoft Word - United States NDC April 212021 Final.docx (unfccc.int) 5. Id., page 4 6. Fact Sheet: Biden Sets Greenhouse Gas Reduction Targets 2. Could IEC provide some background as to Synapse as a company and their analysis behind the conclusion if MidAmerican closes coal-fired plants and shifts to 24/7 clean energy provisions it could save ratepayers (customers) $1.2 billion? Is the underlying assumption for the claim all of MidAmerican's territory, or for Iowa only? The Iowa Environmental Council, along with the Environmental Law and Policy Center and Sierra Club, hired Synapse Energy Economics, Inc. (Synapse) to evaluate the cost to retire MidAmerican's coal fleet by 2030, and replace the energy and capacity with renewables, battery storage, and energy efficiency. Synapse used modeling to determine whether retiring and replacing MidAmerican's coal fleet with clean energy is a lower -cost option for Iowa ratepayers than continuing to operate the coal plants. Using the Encompass capacity expansion model, Synapse found that retiring MidAmerican's coal fleet by 2030 and replacing it with 2,060 MW of solar photovoltaics, 2,000 MW of wind, 740 MW of battery storage, and energy efficiency would save MidAmerican ratepayers $1.2 to $5 billion over the next two decades compared to MidAmerican's current plans to operate its coal fleet indefinitely. Synapse modeled MISO Zone 3 which is essentially Iowa. The Synapse report has been used in the Iowa Utilities Board docket to review MiclAmerican's long-term resource plans (Docket SPU-2021-0003), and will continue to be used in MidAmerican regulatory dockets at the Iowa Utilities Board including the current Wind Prime Advanced Rate Making docket (Docket RPU-2022-0001). In addition, the report will continue to be used as a part of public outreach by the Iowa Environmental Council and our partners to encourage Iowans to call on MidAmerican to close the coal plants. About Synapse Energy Economics Synapse's staff of 40+ includes experts in energy and environmental economics, resource planning, electricity dispatch and economic modeling, all -sector emissions modeling, energy efficiency, renewable 505 Fifth Ave Suite 850 Des Moines IA 50309 515.244.1194 iaenvironment.org energy, transmissions and distribution, rate design and cost allocation, energy justice, risk management, cost -benefit analysis, environmental compliance, and both regulated and competitive electricity and natural gas markets. Synapse performs operational and planning modeling analyses of electric power systems using industry - standard models such as EnCompass, Strategist, Market Analytics, PROMOD, and PLEXOS to evaluate long-term energy plans, assess the environmental and economic impacts of policy initiatives, and review utility system modeling. Our services include identifying the appropriate set of models to inform clients' analyses; performing modeling studies and analyzing the results; and reviewing, critiquing, and re- running utilities' and project developers' modeling studies and output files. 3. It seems there would be only an incremental change in the shift from coal by virtue of Iowa City asking for 24/7. Given that, what happens to rates for Iowa City customers in the interim? How does this affect us compared to neighboring or nearby towns? Rates would still be determined by the Iowa Utilities Board. This resolution would not impact the rate base for MidAm customers. There is the possibility of lower energy costs for municipal buildings, individual residents, and specific communities in the city who build out renewable energy resources, such as solar and battery storage. Setting a 24/7 CFE goal for the city could facilitate and expedite such projects due to the city having a clear clean energy goal that is informing the city's direction. 4. Have neighboring Corridor communities also been approached by IEC about adopting a 24/7 commitment? If so, who? Neighboring corridor communities have not been approached by IEC to explore a 24/7 CFE goal. IEC has worked to advance a 24/7 CFE resolution with city leaders and community members in Waterloo, which is also served by MidAmerican Energy. The 24/7 CFE resolution passed the Waterloo City Council on 7 18. S. Can IEC provide examples where cities have achieved both a 24/7 commitment and no adverse utility cost (affordability) or provision (reliability) changes to residents? No city or company has yet achieved a 24/7 CFE commitment, but many entities are setting these goals with targets to meet them in the coming decades. Achieving 24/7 CFE means supplying the city's load with clean power around the clock and bringing the resources on the system that can replace fossil fuels and achieve this objective cost- effectively and reliably. MidAmerican's 100% renewable energy strategy relies on producing excess renewable energy (more than customers need at a particular time or over the course of a year) and relying on coal-fired power plants to serve demand when renewable energy is unavailable. A 24/7 CFE approach would accelerate the deployment of long -duration storage and clean firm technologies, ensuring reliability while minimizing air pollution and carbon emissions. 505 Fifth Ave Suite 850 Des Moines IA 50309 515.244.1194 iaenvironment.org 6. Can IEC give examples of cities that have adopted or achieved a 24/7 commitment that has more than one utility service provider, including an REC? No city or company has yet achieved a 24/7 CFE commitment, but many entities are setting these goals with targets to meet them in the coming decades. It is possible to determine the portion of city load that comes from the REC and the portion that comes from MiclAmerican through a request for data from the utilities by the city. Although this is an additional consideration, it should not be seen as a deal -breaker for Iowa City. The REC in question may have an interest in helping the city meet the goals by providing carbon -free resources in needed hours. If not, the city can consider how energy efficiency/demand response, community or distributed solar, battery storage, and other resources may be negotiated, incentivized, or developed to match the remaining fossil load as the process of moving toward 24/7 moves forward. This need not be the first issue addressed but will be an important consideration. 7. IEC seemed to say on the one hand there is no federal action on clean energy but later said there is the Executive Order for CFE by 2035 -- possibly misheard or misunderstood, but would appreciate clarification. 1. The Federal government has made a commitment to achieve 100% carbon -pollution free electricity on an annual basis for its own facilities by 2030, with 50% met on a 24/7 basis, as well as 100% 24/7 CFE by 2035. 2. This presents an opportunity for states and municipalities to work with the federal government to learn from each other, leverage goals to increase purchasing and policy power, and make progress against joint goals for 24/7 CFE. 3. We need collective focus by all consumers on the same goal -clean energy at all hours on every grid - which will help drive down costs and make this achievable for all. The recent Supreme Court decision in West Virginia vs EPA is very troubling in that it limits the EPA's ability to look at the power sector as a whole system when regulating greenhouse gas emissions. The means EPA is stuck with less efficient tools that could be more costly in the end. In contrast, a 24/7 goal is a systems approach that allows for less expensive, clean resources, to replace more expensive, polluting legacy resources like coal plants in a way that is rational and efficient. Local government policymakers can adopt these types of common-sense approaches that create more flexibility for how to achieve carbon reductions, while being clear that 100% must mean 100% carbon -free. That is what a 24/7 goal will do. S. The list of businesses in support of this initiative seems fairly limited and does not appear to include industrial entities. Have they been contacted to get their thoughts/input on this resolution? If so, who? 505 Fifth Ave Suite 850 Des Moines IA 50309 515.244.1194 iaenvironment.org Outreach has focused on more local small businesses. We want to be sensitive to the City's other considerations with industrial entities, who are often also large employers. We are interested in working with the City around any considerations for industrial partners and are happy to be a part of and assist with discussions moving forward. Date: August 29, 2022 To: City Council From: Climate Action Commission Solar Project Prioritization Working Group Sarah Gardner, Climate Action Coordinator Rachel Kilburg, Assistant City Manager Re: Iowa City Solar Strategy: Preliminary Priorities Introduction Following the rejection of the utility -scale solar project at Waterworks Prairie Park, the City was approached by Johnson Clean Energy District (JCED) with a proposal to conduct a solar energy study with the intention of initiating dialogue among stakeholders regarding solar. In April 2021, JCED was commissioned to complete a community -sourced solar feasibility study ("Study") including recommendations. The completed study involved numerous researchers, advisors and reviewers and was delivered to the City in January 2022. JCED and partners gave a presentation / Q&A on the study to the Climate Action Commission ("CAC") in February 2022 and later returned to share more comments / Q&A at the CAC August 2022. In response to the Study and its recommendations, staff formed a course of action for amending high -priority solar activities into the 100-Day Accelerating Actions Report that are aligned with the City's adaptation and mitigation goals. This will accomplish two objectives: (1) clearly communicate the City's solar strategy to both internal and external stakeholders; and (2) place solar activities within the context of other established climate action priorities and budgets. As part of this effort, staff identified two recommendations within the Study that were not deemed feasible at this time. Both of those items and the barriers to implementing them are discussed at the end of this memo. Staff also identified five actions that could be implemented within the next 12-15 months. A working group comprised of Climate Action Commission members was formed and met four times to help prioritize those actions, identifying three that should be pursued first and two that merited further consideration. This focus on five actions by the working group is in no way meant to address the rest of the study. Additional strategies should be developed but in the interest of time and existing capacities, these specific items are the focus of this memo. Notably, the working group's solar initial prioritization memo was drafted prior to the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, which completely changes the renewable energy opportunity landscape in positive ways for the next decade. Rather than go back to the drawing board during this evolving situation, the CAC voted at its August 15th meeting to deliver this memo to council with limited edits --particularly to note the additional IRA context and clarify the preliminary nature of the recommendations. Therefore, the purpose of this memo is to convey to Council the preliminary recommended actions as prioritized by the Climate Action Commission Working Group within the context of competing priorities and available resources, and to provide some explanation as to the basis for these recommendations. There is every expectation that the working group, and by extension the CAC, will return to the study in the context of the IRA and other factors. Recommendations for the near term Both staff and members of the Climate Action Commission Working Group recommend maintaining the current focus of the City's climate action efforts on energy efficiency and beneficial electrification. Such efforts complement the move to renewable energy sources by helping control costs and positioning Iowa City residents to maximize the benefits of clean energy. At the same time, the following three solar -focused actions were deemed top priorities that could be undertaken in the near term to help advance solar development within Iowa City. Accordingly, these projects will be amended into the 100-Day Accelerating Actions Report as Phase 2 projects, which are those designated to be initiated by 2023 and may be ongoing through 2030. 1. Assess and update City zoning codes for solar readiness/friendliness. The City has already adopted a streamlined permitting process for solar installations. Although the City does not have a comprehensive solar ordinance, small scale solar arrays are allowed by right as an accessory use throughout the City, including in residential areas (with some additional review required in Local Historic Districts and Local Conservation Districts), and an amendment to the Code made in 2020 outlined regulations for utility -scale ground -mounted solar energy systems. A comprehensive solar ordinance could help simplify the search process for homeowners and developers wanting to determine what is and isn't allowable for solar installations on both a residential and commercial properties in Iowa City. At the same time a code update could address other potential barriers to solar adoption within the City, such as Homeowners Association (HOA) covenants that are unduly restrictive of rooftop solar. The Climate Action Commission recommends City staff conduct a review of current zoning codes and best practices, to be followed by a code cleanup related to solar ordinances. This project should be completed within the next 9 months. 2. Incorporate an education component into future solar installations on a City property or facility. Planned City facility projects are evaluated for opportunities to add solar, which has resulted in recommended installations at locations such as the new Public Works Streets Facility. Other installations at locations such as the Airport are evaluated as funding opportunities arise. In many communities where such projects are pursued, a public education component is incorporated to illustrate some of the benefits of solar. Such installations are commonly referred to as "demonstration projects." Johnson County has constructed six such solar arrays within Iowa City limits by Johnson County, which were built for both functional and educational purposes. Real time data for these arrays are available through online dashboards that detail energy generation, weather conditions, averted emissions and other pertinent information to provide the public an opportunity to learn more about solar generation. Because this information is readily available to Iowa City residents through the County, the Climate Action Commission does not recommend pursuing a solar project purely on the basis of serving as a demonstration project. However, the Commission does recommend that any future solar projects pursued by the City include an education component, either on site or online. Because the basic functioning of solar energy is now more widely understood than in decades past, educational components should prioritize whenever possible a focus on more unique co -benefits, such as EV charging paired with a solar canopy or ground - mounted arrays paired with prairie plantings. These projects can be implemented on an ongoing basis. 3. Continue conversations with MidAmerican Energy about possible solar or battery storage partnerships. MidAmerican Energy is viewed as a valued partner of the City and is essential to achieving our emission reduction goas. Although the solar project proposed for Waterworks Park was met with some opposition in 2020, a significant percentage of JCED's survey respondents (77%) indicated support for utility companies using solar energy to provide electricity for their homes, followed by a preference for participating in community solar programs (68%). In January, MidAmerican announced a new initiative to invest in enough renewable energy to supply the electricity needs of all Iowans. The company has proposed building 50mW of solar generation and exploring emerging technologies, including energy storage. The City remains interested in serving as a possible host site in accordance with this new commitment or to pilot projects, such as community solar, if the legislative changes necessary are secured. Discussions with MidAmerican Energy about site selection criteria can help identify locations that might be strong candidates for such projects, and a public engagement effort in partnership between MidAmerican Energy and the City could help address any concerns from residents well in advance of site approval. Finally, the following two action items were deemed to be of interest by the Climate Action Commission Working Group. Both represent activities that are already being undertaken but could benefit from additional partnerships or further consideration. More detailed explanations are provided below. 4. Paired solar / resilience grant program. High upfront costs and lengthy payback periods can act as deterrents to solar adoption for nonprofits that might otherwise be interested in rooftop arrays. A $40,000 installation, for example, may only net 6% of that investment in annual energy savings ($2,400), as estimated by Project Sunroof. Recent Climate Action Grants to DVIP and Shelter House, though, show there is interest among nonprofits if installation costs can be lowered. As part of efforts to establish nonprofits as resilience hubs, a grant program could be established to help fund solar arrays in return for an agreement that the resulting energy savings be invested in resilience activities. Such activities could include offering translations of extreme weather preparedness materials, helping distribute preparedness kits, or hosting a Climate Resilience Corps. However, the Working Group identified the number of nonprofits that may not own their own facility as a possible barrier to participation, as well as the potential for nonprofits to dissolve before a full return on the solar investment can be realized. For this reason, the Climate Action Commission recommends staff re-evaluate existing grant opportunities to determine if they are already successfully serving the demand for solar arrays among nonprofits or if some modifications could be made to better serve this demand without creating a separate grant program. s. Advocate for State legislative changes to enable subscription -based community solar. City staff have coordinated with our contracted lobbyists to stay aware of such legislation and support any language that would enable subscription - based community solar projects. The Climate Action Commission Working Group is supportive of the continuation of this approach, as well as a suggestion stemming from discussion of the JCED Study to form an informal regional or statewide sustainability legislative committee to better coordinate cities' legislative and advocacy interests. Because these efforts are already ongoing, the Working Group did not deem it necessary to assign a Phase 2 or 3 priority level to this action. The Working Group also recognizes that these efforts can be bolstered by advocacy from other entities and recommends JCED consider advocating at the state level in collaboration with other Clean Energy Districts for legislative changes that would enable subscription -based community solar programs. Legally infeasible at present There are two prominent recommendations included in the JCED study and promoted through subsequent advocacy which staff and the Working Group do not deem legally feasible under current state law. Although both of these items were recommendations included in the Accelerating Iowa City's Climate Actions Plan (also known as the 100 Day Plan"), the timeframe allocated for the development of that plan did not allow for in-depth legal analysis of each of the sixty-five potential actions. Subsequent investigation prompted by both the JCED study and staff efforts yielded a more robust understanding of the legal landscape and current barriers therein, as follows: 1. Energy Code Adoption The 2012 International Energy Conservation Code has been adopted by the State of Iowa as the enforceable energy code within the state. Iowa Code 103A.8A preempts municipalities from adopting a different energy code or imposing more stringent requirements. In response to assertions by JCED that the City could adopt an appendix of newer versions of the IECC that address solar -ready provisions, the City Attorney's Office has confirmed with the State Attorney General's Office that this would be in direct violation to state law. Localities are not currently preempted by the State in the same way for building and zoning codes so, barring any legislative change to this home rule authority, evaluating an update to these codes for solar readiness was included in the prior recommendations. 2. Community Solar Although the term 'community solar is often used to mean different things, the Study defines 'community solar' to mean "projects in which members — residents, businesses, non -profits, and government — can purchase or lease PV panels at a centralized project and receive credit on their own utility bill, just as they would by installing solar on their own roof." The Study is contradictory about community solar as it both acknowledges the barriers that exist (including some outside of the City's control) yet calls on the City to implement community solar. Based upon staffs research and conversations with MidAmerican Energy, it is our understanding (and in line with the opinion held by the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB)) that legislative changes are necessary for an investor -owned utility, such as MidAmerican, to implement community solar. Metering energy off -site is prohibited by Iowa law and subscription rates would require approval through a tariff, of which has previously been sought by MidAmerican Energy and rejected by the IUB. There is one known investor - owned community solar project in the State of Iowa, which was approved by the IUB as a revision to an existing Interstate Light & Power (ILP) tariff. IUB has held that this is a different circumstance than MidAmerican's proposal and that the original ILP tariff was approved prior to the adoption of SF 583, essentially 'grandfathering' in the action. The JCED Study references several other examples of community solar implemented by municipal electric utilities or electric cooperatives, which are not rate -regulated by the IUB. Creation of a municipal electrical utility solely for purposes of community solar would be a highly ineffective and inefficient use of City resources. Although the City cannot pursue implementation of community solar at this time, staff do recommend supporting legislative efforts that would enable such an initiative, as discussed above. Additionally, staff will continue to monitor changes at the state level that might enable action on these items and will notify City Council should reconsideration be warranted. Next Steps Following these recommendations from the Climate Action Commission, Staff will amend 100-Day Accelerated Actions Report to include action items 1-3. Updates will subsequently be made with other Climate Action and Adaptation Plan items, which are included in the Climate Action Commission agenda packets. Work to update the code has commenced with preliminary research into best practices and is expected to be brought to Council for approval within 9 months. Staff will continue to monitor legislative changes at the state level that would allow for the adoption of more recent energy codes or the pursuit of community solar projects and will keep both the Climate Action Commission and City Council apprised of any such changes. r.® CITY OF IOWA CITY MEMORANDUM Date: September 8, 2022 To: Mayor and Council From: Rachel Kilburg, Asst. City Manager Re: Iowa City Solar Actions Update The September 8, 2022 City Council Information Packet includes a memo from the Climate Action Commission outlining additional solar actions for the City to prioritize alongside the existing Climate Action & Adaptation Plan and Accelerating Iowa City's Climate Actions Report. For additional context, this memo provides a brief summary of recent and ongoing efforts taken by the City to promote solar: • Partnership in the Grow Solar Linn + Johnson Counties program (formerly Solarize Johnson County), which provides "Solar Power Hour" education events and incentivizes rooftop solar for homes and businesses. To date more than 1,380 area residents have attended the Power Hour events, and over 500 kilowatts of rooftop solar have been installed through this program, which employs local companies to install the arrays and trains local residents to deliver the Power Hour presentations; • Completion of a Solar Feasibility Study for municipal facilities by Bluestem Energy Solutions; • New building and development incentives for three projects in the Riverfront Crossings District which require the developer to attempt to provide solar; • Incorporating solar into City facility projects, with projects initiated including a rooftop array at the new Public Works Facility and a ground mounted array at the Iowa City Municipal Airport; • Inclusion of rooftop solar panels combined with energy efficiency upgrades in City housing rehab projects in the South District Homeownership Program, and funding support for rooftop solar panels at a Habitat for Humanity build project in the same neighborhood; • Use of TIF to promote stricter energy efficiency standards and solar at Riverside West Apartments and Hieronymus Square/Element Hotel; • Launch of a new commercial/industrial matching grant program for energy efficiency projects in the Sycamore/First Ave./Heinz/Scott 6 Urban Renewal Areas. To date, these programs have leveraged $237,760 of TIF funding that, combined with federal tax credits and private investment have resulted in solar arrays valued at more than $610,000 with a combined capacity of 357 kW. A video created for the upcoming Climate Fest highlights one of these arrays at Adamantine Spine Moving and encourages other businesses to apply; r.® CITY OF IOWA CITY MEMORANDUM • Launch of a matching grant program for commercial properties in the Downtown/Riverfront Crossings district which requires solar proposals be bundled with an energy efficiency project; • Awards totaling $30,000 to three non-profit agencies (Shelter House, DVIP and the Free Medical Clinic) through the Climate Action Grant program for installing rooftop solar on their facilities. An additional $20,000 has been awarded to two non-profit agencies (Public Space One and the Bike Library) for energy efficiency upgrades to their facilities. The Climate Action Grant program is an annual funding program and other agencies are encouraged to apply; • Upcoming partnership with the Iowa City School District and Housing Fellowship to undertake an affordable housing student -build project which aims to achieve net zero carbon emissions. City staff continue to emphasize enhanced energy efficiency and beneficial electrification as the most impactful approach to the City's net zero emissions goal. Clean energy, including distributed and large-scale solar projects, play an increasingly important role in these efforts and the City's approach that envisions solar as part of an integrated plan of action.