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Clean-energy work group focuses on large energy users; grant would create business cohort with nature-based solutions
Summary
The Clean Energy work group is concentrating on large energy users (72% of reported emissions) through a roundtable with utilities, schools and higher education. A grant proposal would fund a cohort of businesses to measure and reduce emissions and include nature-based solutions as a condition for participation.
Jenny Brinker, lead of the Clean Energy work group, told the commission the group has been “laser focused” on large energy users because those users represent a major share of the city’s reported emissions. She said the roundtable includes Focus on Energy, New North, the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council, Green Bay Public Schools, NWTC and UWGB, and that meetings have included training and data-collection planning.
The roundtable is exploring how to help businesses measure and manage energy and greenhouse-gas emissions; Jenny noted challenges such as accounting for business growth when tracking energy per square foot. The group highlighted free resources, including an industrial assessment center at NWTC that provides energy audits and planned webinars for businesses on reading energy bills, benchmarking and solar basics.
A representative from the Sustainable Business Council said the council applied for a grant (Daybreak fund / similar regional fund referenced in the discussion) to fund a cohort offering coaching and hands-on support to small and midsize businesses to measure and reduce energy and emissions. The grant reviewers encouraged the applicants to include nature-based solutions; commission members discussed examples (green roofs, shade trees, permeable pavement, white roofs, green stormwater infrastructure) and noted that some businesses do not own their buildings, which could limit certain measures. Staff noted the city’s citywide Green Stormwater Infrastructure Plan could help identify priority sub-basins where nature-based measures would have co-benefits for stormwater and heat reduction.
Jenny also mentioned upcoming events and deliverables: a WPS energy-efficiency summit at Lambeau Field on June 10 and a planned clean-energy plan presentation for six schools. The commission voted to receive and place the Clean Energy work-group update on file.
