We’ve received a number of comments and questions regarding our Power For The 21st Century (P21) initiative and what it means for our community. Below are excerpts from some of the comments, along with our responses:
As a resident of Park Township and a BPW customer I want to know why the experts at BPW don’t just produce a number of scenarios and ask for comments regarding them.
It seems to me that, with all the shale gas coming on-line in the future, the solution would be to plan a gas fueled station as it will be more economical and practical than solar, wind and biomass. These green things sound exotic but, in truth, I have not seen any serious evidence that they would be cost effective and efficient in producing large quantities of electricity in the foreseeable future.
We like your suggestion on producing a number of scenarios. In fact, that is the approach we are presently taking. We have taken a number of scenarios from the recently released Community Energy Plan, plus a few more developed over the last few years. HDR, Inc. is the engineering firm we contracted to construct an objective model to analyze each scenario. Those scenarios are scheduled to be completed sometime early next year. In the meantime, we felt it important to start building awareness around the issues.
Thank you for making such an effort to include the public in your decision making. I am glad you are looking at sustainable options like wind turbines. It is unfortunate that they cannot provide enough power to meet the demands of our community. Your site listed a couple of other innovative solutions. Of the two listed, I think the Combined Cycle Gas Turbines make a lot of sense. Not using them seems like a waste. Thank you for your efforts to serve our community in a respectful and informed way.
It would be great if your site included a concise list of the pros and cons of the various options (biomass, solar/wind…) so that consumers could make a comparison and provide feedback.
We appreciate your email – we will share your comments with our Board Members. When we have completed our sustainable return on investment (SROI) analysis we will have available a comprehensive report on the costs and benefits of the options available to us. The goal at the end is to be able to compare all the options side-by-side and see in a clear way what the best options are for Holland. We’re looking forward to sharing those results with you.
My interpretation from the letter I received this week from (Holland BPW) is that there is no doubt Holland’s future energy will be no longer be exclusively derived from fossil fuels. There is a reason fossil fuel continues to be the dominate source for energy. It is very efficient, it is dependable, and due to the abundant supply, it is by far the most cost effective. Solar power in West Michigan is absurd. It would take years to recover the expense associated with upfront costs of wind power. Battery power for what? Holland snow plow fleet? Get real. I am getting the sense that some who are pushing hard for alternative energy sources are expecting energy consumers to pay higher costs for green energy and make extreme sacrifices in an effort to conserve. If going green increases my energy costs or makes the work environment uncomfortable, I may be forced to decide on which staff must go or whether to relocate my business to a more conducive environment.
Balancing economic and environmental concerns is the most difficult part of evaluating future energy generation for our community. We believe the best solutions will be those that balance the needs of all of our stakeholders, and we believe those solutions are available to us. It is a complicated equation. For instance, did you know that state law requires that a minimum of 10 percent of the power the Holland BPW supplies must come from renewable energy sources by 2015?
We are actively researching the best “green energy” values for our customers. We see the many environmental benefits of renewable energy and understand that adding renewable energy must be done in a fiscally responsible manner. In the end, our goal is to have a decision that will benefit our community well into the future, and continue to attract businesses with reliable service at a lower cost than our competitors.
Is the main purpose of this study and ultimate action being driven by the “new Battery plant”? It seems to be the only excuse according to this website.
Absolutely not. The Holland BPW has been evaluating the need for new base load power for a number of years. Black & Veatch, a global energy engineering firm, confirmed the need for new power generation in a power supply study for us in March of 2010. You can see the study by clicking on the link below.
The recently completed Community Energy Plan (CEP) is also projecting an increase in energy use for our community. We used the example of a new battery plant because it’s easy to understand. It helps to explain that a single new manufacturing facility can use as much power as 12,000 residential meters, an issue that many people may not be aware of.
The reality is that 82 percent of the power we produce is used by industrial and commercial customers. Our business customers already work smart to conserve energy because doing so helps their bottom line. But the idea that we can meet our future energy needs through conservation alone just isn’t one that holds up.
