The Marion Energy Management Committee met on November 16 with the goal of expanding on possible expenditures for grant funding provided by the Green Communities Act. The EMC has been working to effectively allocate these funds before the grant reopens in the early months of next year.
Committee Chair Christian Ingerslev provided updates to one use of grant money related to the installation of heat pumps in the Cushing Community Center. Town Planner Gil Hilario provided an update to committee member Bill Saltonstall. According to Saltonstall, the work on the pumps will begin at the Community Center on November 30 and likely take a few days to complete.
In addition to the heat pumps, Green Communities funding is also being assigned to convert the existing pumping station at Silvershell Beach from oil to natural gas. Saltonstall explained that the transition would more efficiently heat the pumps to a temperature to preclude water from freezing within them. Ultimately, the transition saves energy, which saves money.
Saltonstall has also been leading the charge on the annual report to submit to Green Communities regarding the town’s progress on energy consumption. Saltonstall reported that the town had seen an approximately 15 percent decline in energy consumption.
Even with the significant decline in energy use, Saltonstall explained that the actual decrease in energy use could be more extensive. Despite the transition to LED streetlights, the reported energy use for streetlights in Marion has increased. This, Saltonstall reported, could be the result of a mistake in energy figures provided by Eversource. As only a limited number of streetlights are metered, Eversource uses an estimate of energy consumption based on the type of bulb used in the light. Without knowledge of the change to LED bulbs, it is possible that Eversource did not account for a decrease in energy consumption caused by the town’s transition.
Saltonstall projected that, if the change to LED bulbs is accounted for, it is likely that the overall decrease in energy consumption would be closer to 16 percent across the town. Further, the transition to LED lights is postulated to have saved the town $16,000 annually. The projected energy savings of 16 percent moves the committee closer to its two-year goal to decrease energy consumption in the Town of Marion by a total of 20 percent.
Unfortunately, the committee reported minor setbacks in the promotion of electric vehicle usage throughout Marion. According to committee members, two electric vehicle charging stations in Marion have ceased to function. The committee has reached out to the manufacturer to receive replacements for the broken charging stations, and the town will receive a spare station in reserve should the stations fail again.
The importance of the proliferation of charging stations throughout the town is increasing as the committee is making strides to replace the town’s vehicles with hybrid or electric cars. The committee applauded the Marion Police for choosing to acquire a hybrid police car, despite its exemption from regulations promoting their use.
Finally, committee members Jennifer Francis and Alanna Nelson proposed eliminating all plastic bag use in the Town of Marion. Francis explained that the transition away from plastic bags would set a strong example to younger town members about plastic’s impact on the environment. Nelson, who advocated a similar proposal in Melrose, explained that the most efficient way to promote the idea is to ensure that local businesses accept the idea first. Once the local businesses support the idea, it is merely a matter of proposing the legislation.
This meeting was the final Marion Energy Management Committee meeting for the year.
Marion Energy Management Committee
By Matthew Donato