Climate Protection
Why This Initiative? -- The residents of Silicon Valley are worried about the potential impact of climate change. They are taking action at home and at work, and they are contacting City Hall, looking for leadership. City and County operations are small, but significant, contributors to the region’s emissions of greenhouse gases. They manage office buildings, community centers, waste and water treatment plants, street lighting, computer centers, landscaping, and vehicles. Elected officials and staff members want to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, cut energy bills, and set an example for local businesses and residents.
There are many tools and technologies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but some of them are very expensive. Photovoltaic panels (solar cells), hybrid cars, bio-diesel trucks and buses, waste handling and methane capture equipment require long term capital investment. Fortunately, many solutions also reduce energy consumption, saving money on utility and fuel bills. By working together we can change Silicon Valley from a collection of small towns, plus San Jose, into a single, large, buying consortium. A Valley-wide purchasing pool has the potential to get much better prices than single cities, and to arrange for favorable financing terms. In addition, by creating a stable market, the cities and counties can encourage the growth of the clean technology industry in Silicon Valley.
The Valley’s Cities are Already Taking Action. – With the help of Nadine Levin of the City of Mountain View and Susan Loftus of the City of San Mateo, Joint Venture distributed a short survey to the cities and counties in Silicon Valley. Some of the findings (24 responses) are:
- 50% have or plan to conduct an inventory of CO2 emissions by city/county operations
- 25% have already set CO2 emission reduction goals
- 33% already have resident-based organizations advising the city/county
- 79% already have building retrofit programs to reduce energy use
- 87% have installed low energy, light emitting diode (LED), traffic signals
- 58% have already purchased hybrid vehicles
- 45% have already installed solar panels to generate electricity and another 30% have firm plans to invest in solar
The Climate Protection Task Force. -- Formed in May 2007, the Joint Venture Climate Protection Task Force includes representatives from almost every city and county in Silicon Valley, plus several special districts and representatives from Pacific Gas and Electric and SunPower. Representatives of many of the non-profit organizations working on sustainability and energy conservation also attend the meetings.
Charter Statement:
To develop effective, collaborative, solutions for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from public agency operations, by providing a neutral forum for city and county government agencies and special districts to learn from each other and from others about climate protection programs.
Goals:
- Accelerate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by public agencies.
- Use demand aggregation to conserve scarce public resources.
- Encourage and support the growth of the clean technology industry.
- Provide leadership for the region and the world.
Action Plan:
- Conduct inventories of greenhouse gas emissions.
- Develop a vision for the region and set goals.
- Identify and analyzse specific opportunities to reduce emissions.
- Form a procurement pool to obtain the best prices on new technologies.
- Identify and evaluate financing options.
- Pilot solutions and share experiences.
- Measure and report progress toward our goals.
The Task Force will also monitor initiatives and activities at the State level.
Our Role. – Joint Venture: Silicon Valley Network supports the Task Force by organizing meetings, conducting research, and supporting the negotiation of agreements with vendors.
Project Champions:
- John Maltbie, County of San Mateo, Joint Venture Board Champion
- Kerrie Romanow, City of San Jose
- Darren Deffner, Pacific Gas & Electric Company
- Susan Loftus, City of San Mateo
- Brian Moura, City of San Carlos
- Larry Owens, Silicon Valley Power, City of Santa Clara
- Bobby Ram, SunPower