Northern Westchester Energy Action Consortium

Strategic Plan 2011-2015

December 2010

NWEAC Inter-Municipal Agreement signed April 21, 2010

Mission Statement Goals/Strategies Strategy 1: Address Consumer Behavior to Reduce Energy Demand Strategy 2: Use Regional Scale in Pursuing Energy Solutions Strategy 3: Transform the Region into National Model Using Grassroots Approach Strategy 4: Build NWEACs Capacity to Achieve its Strategic Plan Governance

Constituencies Strategic Direction 2011

Mission Statement

The Northern Westchester Energy Action Consortium (NWEAC) consists of 14 municipalities in Westchester County, New York. Consortium members collaborate to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, save money for our residents, businesses and municipalities, increase energy efficiency in our communities, enable renewable energy generation, increase economic activity and align our local efforts with county, state, and federal initiatives.

Goals/Strategies
 To successfully attain NWEACs short and long term Goals, four broad Strategies have been identified Address consumer energy behavior to reduce energy demand
X X X X X X X X X X X X

Strategy

Goal
Reduce use of fossil fuels Save money Increase energy efficiency Expand use of renewables Increase economic activity Align with county, state and federal initiatives

Use regional scale in pursuing energy solutions

Transform region into national model using grassroots approach

X

Build NWEACs capacity to achieve its Strategic Plan

X X X X X

Address Consumer Behavior to Reduce Energy Demand

Why?

Energy is a consumer market. Consumers must have the tools, inspiration and motivation to change behavior in order to reduce energy usage and demand. By providing focused resources to each of the residential, commercial, industrial, municipal and education sectors, we can move toward realizing our goals.

Address Consumer Behavior to Reduce Energy Demand

How?
 1. Profile current usage patterns

y y


E.g., GHG emissions inventory work Underway in 7 NWEAC municipalities 2. Develop Climate Action Plans Underway in 7 NWEAC municipalities Addressing all sectors Addressing major sources of energy consumption

y y y   


Waste management Transportation Residential and non-residential buildings efficiency

3. Develop/provide enabling programs

y


E.g., Energize Northern Westchester Residential energy efficiency upgrade program 4. Develop consumer-oriented messages for enabling programs Effective in reducing energy consumption Money-saving Easy to use 5, Educate and inform residents about the benefits of changing energy consumption behavior

y y y


y y

Reduced municipal, residential and commercial costs Reduced regional emissions from all sources

Use Regional Scale in Pursuing Energy Solutions

Why?

Regional approach offers greater inspiration and opportunities to address the issues of energy supply and demand. Regional perspective fosters innovation and enables appropriate scale to develop pilot projects in such important areas as micro-grids, alternative energy and energy efficiency upgrades. Regional scale makes projects more viable. Grant applications are more competitive due to larger scale. Per capita project costs are reduced. Scale increases potential to create commercially successful solutions. Regional approach results in greater results. The larger the scale the more impact achieved.

Use Regional Scale in Pursuing Energy Solutions

How?  1. Identify and develop programs that have regional capacities and can be replicated elsewhere  2. Secure government funding for regional pilot initiatives  3. Promote municipal shared services

y Increases operational efficiencies of municipalities

 4. Develop revenue generating projects, e.g.,

y Increase NYISO revenue from verifying energy reductions y Explore revenue from sale of waste management by-products

Transform the Region into National Model Using Grassroots Approach

Why?

NWEAC has the expertise, motivation, access and clout to develop cutting edge, impactful solutions. As such, it has the capability to serve as a national model for regionally-based energy reduction initiatives. NWEAC should take advantage of its abilities to identify, develop, support and promote local sustainable development initiatives that have the potential to be successful regional models. NWEACs expertise and experience can be utilized elsewhere. Benefits of scale can be realized. Grassroots initiatives have the excitement and vitality to develop into broad solutions.

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Transform the Region into National Model Using Grassroots Approach

How?  1. Encourage grassroots initiatives that can be models for other communities

y Develop projects with an eye toward opportunity for regional replication

 2. Identify project champions

y To lead each project y To put together a strong team

 3. Set high standards for processing and reporting

y Build measurable components into each of NWEACs strategic goals y Measure performance
 4. Act as a resource clearinghouse for member municipalities

y Notify of attractive opportunities

 5. Develop and disseminate program-related best practices

y In order to facilitate their replication

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Build NWEACs Capacity to Achieve its Strategic Plan

Why?

In order for NWEAC to have a strong impact, it must optimize its capabilities. To do this, NWEAC must devote resources to build its capacity in order to realize the changes it seeks to bring about.

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Build NWEACs Capacity to Achieve its Strategic Plan

How?  1. Pursue grants and strategic partners y Identify, explore and optimize opportunities y Establish, maintain and enhance professional contacts  2. Maintain a vibrant organizational structure y Maintain a culture of support for cutting edge ideas/bold initiatives y Create an economically sustainable organizational structure y Hire staff as needed y Make minor modifications to governance structure as needed  3. Build NWEAC brand y Recognizable name y Understandable/clear value proposition y Replication capability  4. Work with local groups as conduit to residents y Municipal energy advisory panels y Town Boards y Other community/local/regional environmental groups  5. Obtain widespread participation in NWEAC initiatives y Create marketing strategy framework y Optimize channels of communications y Recruit citizens y Encourage ideas y Be responsive to citizen needs
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Governance
 NWEAC Board of Directors

y One BOD position from each member municipality y Program Director  Can be a municipal selected BOD member  Can be a non-municipal affiliated individual Votes on Executive Committee Non-voting on BOD if non-municipal affiliated individual y Meetings  6 BOD meetings/year  Conference calls/F2F as needed
 Committees to date

y Programs y Waste management y Marketing/Community outreach

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Constituencies
 NWEAC will work with a range of constituents

y y y y y y y y

Residents Businesses Local Institutions Municipalities Funders State and federal government Schools Other mission-related NGOs

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Strategic Direction 2011

 1. Initiate major project to introduce affordable energy efficiency upgrades for homeowners in 14 NWEAC municipalities

y Energize Northern Westchester

 2. Grow and increase the benefit to our communities by developing related but equally important initiatives  3. Work toward self-funded regional solutions  4. Obtain 501-C3 status

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