10/05/2021 EC Minutes

Bethlehem Energy Commission

Tuesday October 5 at 7:00pm

In-Person at Bethlehem Library

 

Attending:  David Van Houten, Dan Crosby, Mary Lou Krambeer , Bruce Caplain, Chuck Phillips

Excused:  Josiah Chamberlain, Melissa Elander (Clean Energy, NH advisor)

Public:  Eddie & Kathy

 

Agenda

Mission: The Bethlehem Energy Commission was established for the study and planning of energy resources for the town. The commission will evaluate existing energy usage in the town and suggest possible improvements in energy efficiency and conservation, as well as potential clean renewable energy solutions in order to reduce expenses and increase self-reliance.

 

Review minutes from last meeting

Dan moves to accept Sept 8  minutes, Chuck seconds.  Unanimously accepted.

 

Town solar project

RFP responses – reading of vendor names and bids

1. Aegis Renewable Energy, Waitsfield, VT Bid= 224Kw DC $506,254
2. KW Management, Nashua, NH Bid =245.15KW DC $495,056
3. BarringtonPower, Barrington, NH Bid = 197.6KW DC $415,000
4. Revision Energy, Brentwood, NH Bid = 215.50 KW DC $605,011
5. PeckSolar a division of iSun, Williston, VT 190,39 KW DC $392,000

 

Timetable

David and Dan will review proposals to identify the strongest proposal.  They will ask additional questions to find missing information.  And recommend a bidder at our next BEC meeting.

We will meet next Wed., October 13 at 7pm at the library.

We will meet with Selectboard on October 18 at 6pm.

Decision on choosing a contractor Oct 18.

Review Process

Sept 16 David will receive proposal

Oct 7 read vendor names and bids at BEC meeting

Next steps

• Who will recommend top proposals? We want to understand how each bidder is going to tackle the project.  We want to keep track of our questions and the bidders’ questions.  What’s included and what is not.  We may want to interview the top contenders by phone, if so, we’ll work on questions.  Who makes phone calls for additional information?
• David and Dan will look over proposals send out an email saying we are vetting contractors and would like to ask you a few questions.
• If a phone call is necessary David will make the call.
• Discuss recommendations at 10/13 BEC meeting

Make recommendation to Selectboard

 

Oct 18 make recommendations to Selectboard

Oct 18 Contact all bidders

 

Funding

Mary Lou and Bruce are talking to many funding sources to figure out what sources we may propose.

They have spoken with USDA RD, Grafton County, NCIC, NHCF, CDFA, Eversource, and BES

David has spoken to Karen Cramton of the Sustainable Energy Division at PUC grants.  We have heard back from NHCF that there is likely $50,000-$60,000 in private, New Hampshire Charitable Foundation Donor Advised Funds, available for the Bethlehem Solar Project possibly in the form of an ARPA Challenge Grant.

 

Profile High School

Hardware has arrived and the installation is underway.

Ribbon-cutting to be worked on.

 

Town Hall HVAC

BEC commissioned the HVAC audit – cost to town $1500.  Looked at A) Heating system considered: 1)fixing current system 2)switch to pellets 3) switch to heat pumps.  B) Ventilation system reviewed.  We talked about looking at improvement in two phases. Phase 1 (soon):  By spending $10,000 on improving and maintaining our current system we can buy ourselves time and save money.

Phase 2 (in a year or two):  Long term question is what is our ideal system regarding cost and environment. We agreed moving toward a partial heat pump system for the town offices might be the best solution as that is where most of the activity is in the Town Building.

 

Motion to fix the current propone system for $10,000 made by David.  Second by Chuck.  Unanimously passed.

 

TO DO:

• We need to figure out our questions for the Town Building engineers. Come to our next meeting with questions for the vendors.
• This interfaces with our need to have a checklist of Town Building duties.
• Local Energy Solutions Conference success stories Oct 8 – David (5-minute presentation)
• RFP for Electric car charging stations on Route 302

Responses to this RFP are due Friday, January 7, 2022 at 4:00PM.  An informational session will be held via webinar on Wednesday, October 6, 2021 at 1:00PM.  Interested parties should register for the webinar at the following link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8539161761798114315

 

Next meeting date

Wed., October 13 at 7pm at the library

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Bethlehem Energy Commission (BEC) is appointed by the Select Board. All meetings are open to the public.

 

Clerical Assistant Nicole McGrath ensures that BEC meeting notices, agendas, and minutes are posted as necessary.

 

To find BEC info go to: www.bethlehemnh.org

-go to government tab

-our committee is listed under: boards and committees tab

-our meetings are posted through Nicole on: agendas and minutes tab

Nicole also posts a hard copy of meeting notices in the Town Hall and at the post office.