HomeMy WebLinkAboutNantucket Energy Study Committee Minutes 06-02-2011_201402051107353234Nantucket Energy Study Committeehttp://www.ackenergy.org/http://www.ackenergy.org/Press.html
Minutes for meeting on June 2, 2011, 5PM, 2 Fairgrounds RoadNext scheduled meeting: July 7, 2011, 5PM, 2 Fairgrounds Road
In attendance were committee members Anne Kuszpa, Mike Burns. Peter Morrison, H. Flint Ranney, Chris Magee, and John Stover. Absent were Barbara Gookin, and Whitey Willauer. Also in attendance were Consultant Robert Patterson, and PR Coordinator Lauren Sinatra. Zach Dusseau was also in atten-dance as a potential future committee member.
The meeting was called to order by Chairman Kuszpa at 5:05PM.
Minutes of the meetings of May 5 and May 23 were approved. The proposed agenda was approved.
The idea of a Smart Grid for Nantucket was discussed at length. The WPI students this fall will be asked to do their research project on this subject. Mr. Morrison agreed to follow up with Scott Ridley in Dan Wolf’s office, and Mr. Patterson will attempt to contact Mr. Kit Johnson of the Martha’s Vineyard smart grid technical group to see how and what progress they may be making. It was agreed that we may wish to pursue a public relations effort to reach Nantucket residential electric customers with the idea of smart metering their homes through a microgrid company. Committee members would like to gain informa-tion on where smart grid metering has been tested and what are the results.
Our HDC application for the Madaket wind turbines appears to be on hold pending further informa-tion to be provided. It is believed that Gregg Tivnan is working on this. Peter Morrison agreed to write an article explaining the wind turbine project for the Madaket Homeowners July newsletter. Three re-sponses were received for the solar projects, interviews are expected by the end of June, contracts may be awarded by the end of summer, and construction could start within a year following permitting. The Nantucket Energy Plan (formerly the Climate Action Plan) is to come before the NP & EDC on June 6 and would then go to the Board of Selectmen. Coordination is with Gregg Tivnan.
With assistance from Chris Magee and George Aronson, the BOS wrote to National Grid president Tom King on May 26 asking for assistance in increasing the limit on Nantucket solar and wind net metering to coincide in fairness with the limits they have applied elsewhere. The NESC budget for 2012 will include $40,000 for our PR and website consultant (Lauren Sinatra) and $60,000 for an energy project manager, both reporting to Mr. Tivnan. There was discussion on what further efforts this committee should devote to promoting use of alternative energy on the island, including expanding our website with more how-to information and outreach on Plum and Geno TV.
Chairman Kuszpa thanked Mike Burns for his service to the committee at his final meeting.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:47PM.
Respectfully submitted,
H. Flint Ranney Secretary