City of Milwaukee 200 E. Wells Street Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202 Legislation Details (With Text) File #: 181537 Version: 1 Type: Resolution Status: In Council-Adoption File created: 1/14/2019 In control: PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE On agenda: Final action: Effective date: Title: Substitute resolution relating to solar facility installations at City-owned buildings. Sponsors: ALD. KOVAC, ALD. BAUMAN, ALD. JOHNSON Indexes: Attachments: 1. Budget Letter, 2. Urban Milwaukee article, 3. We Energies letter, 4. Solar Now and DRER Tariff Pilot Overview, 5. 1-22 letter from EPS.pdf, 6. Yale public perceptions on climate change- Milwaukee County.pdf, 7. Milwaukee leaders have choice words for utility in solar standoff _ Energy News Network, 8. solar email2, 9. solar email, 10. 1-9 letter from WE to Mayor Barrett, 11. solar email3 Date Ver. Action By Action 1/14/2019 0 COMMON COUNCIL ASSIGNED TO 1/23/2019 0 PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE HELD TO CALL OF THE CHAIR 2/13/2019 1 PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE Result Tally Pass 5:0 181537 SUBSTITUTE 1 091066, 131035, 131576, 170337, 171843, 180457 ALD. KOVAC, ALD. BAUMAN, AND ALD. JOHNSON Substitute resolution relating to solar facility installations at City-owned buildings. This resolution authorizes the Department of Administration to enter into a conventional construction agreement with Eagle Point Solar to build up to 210 kilowatts (KW) of solar systems on three library facilities: Central Library, Center Street Library, and Tippecanoe Library. Under the agreement, the City would own 100% of the solar systems and use an existing capital appropriation from the Better Buildings Challenge capital account and Focus on Energy rebates to fund the construction. Whereas, On December 22, 2009, the Common Council adopted File Number 091066, supporting the “25 x 25” goal, which called for generating 25 percent of the City’s electricity from renewable resources by 2025; and Whereas, On December 17, 2013, the Common Council adopted File Number 131035, approving and directing implementation of the City's sustainability plan, ReFresh Milwaukee; and Whereas, The City's sustainability plan calls on the City to reduce energy use 20% by 2020 and increase use of renewable energy to 25% by 2025; and Whereas, On April 2, 2014, the Common Council adopted File Number 131576, directing the Department of Administration-Office of Environmental Sustainability and the Department of Public Works to create an energy independence plan that will, among other things, reduce reliance on fossil City of Milwaukee Page 1 of 3 Printed on 2/13/2019 powered by Legistar™ File #: 181537, Version: 1 fuels for the supply of electricity, natural gas and heat to operate City facilities and infrastructure; and Whereas, On June 20, 2017, the Common Council adopted File Number 170337, expressing the City’s support for the Paris Climate Accord; and Whereas, The City has made a commitment to take action to reduce climate pollution in alignment with the City’s energy efficiency and renewable energy goals, and continues to support the principles of the Paris Climate Accord; and Whereas, On April 17, 2018, the Common Council adopted File Number 171843, directing the Department of Administration-Environmental Collaboration Office to accept $211,882 of incentive funding from the Focus on Energy program and work with a participant investor and solar installer to design, supply, install, commission, maintain and finance 1.1 megawatt (MW) of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels on six City-owned buildings; and Whereas, The Department of Administration issued Request for Proposal #15921 to identify the most financially advantageous proposal from qualified solar installers and participant investors for the solar PV panels project; and Whereas, On July 31, 2018, the Common Council adopted File Number 180457, authorizing the Department of Administration-Environmental Collaboration Office to enter into a Solar Services Agreement with Eagle Point Solar to design, supply, install, commission, maintain, finance, and coown 1.1 MW of solar PV panels on six City-owned buildings; and Whereas, The City executed a contract with Eagle Point Solar; and Whereas, Under the agreement, Eagle Point Solar has already procured and delivered solar panels specifically designed for installation on these City buildings, and the solar equipment is currently in storage in a City of Milwaukee facility; and Whereas, We Energies denied Eagle Point Solar’s application to interconnect the system to the grid, citing We Energies’ belief that Eagle Point Solar is acting as a public utility; and Whereas, The dispute over the denial of the interconnection requests is ongoing and has indefinitely delayed construction of the project; and Whereas, In December, 2018, We Energies received Wisconsin Public Services Commission approval to offer customers solar energy through two new tariffs, referred to as Solar Now and the Dedicated Renewable Energy Resource; and Whereas, The City will carefully review and consider using We Energies’ offer to provide 2 MW of solar PV panels through We Energies’ Solar Now pilot tariff and additional renewable energy under the Dedicated Renewable Energy Resource pilot tariff for future energy projects to help the City further advance its clean energy goals; and Whereas, The City asserts its interest in having a diversified portfolio of clean energy options and demonstrating immediate action on climate change; now, therefore, be it Resolved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee, that the Department of AdministrationCity of Milwaukee Page 2 of 3 Printed on 2/13/2019 powered by Legistar™ File #: 181537, Version: 1 Environmental Collaboration Office is authorized to use existing appropriations under the Better Buildings Challenge capital account, and approximately $45,000 in incentives from the Statewide Focus on Energy program, to enter into a conventional construction agreement with Eagle Point Solar at a total project cost up to $419,000, to build up to 210 KW of solar PV panels on three library facilities: Central Library, Center Street Library, and Tippecanoe Library; and, be it Further Resolved, That the City of Milwaukee will maintain 100 percent ownership of these solar facilities on these three library buildings immediately upon construction completion and project commissioning; and, be it Further Resolved, That the City Attorney’s Office is authorized to draft and execute the appropriate legal agreements for this contract. Environmental Collaboration Office LRB 173450-2 Erick Shambarger/Aaron Michelson 2/11/2019 City of Milwaukee Page 3 of 3 Printed on 2/13/2019 powered by Legistar™