Peaker Power Plants: Inefficiency, Injustice, and Insights into an Electrified Future Discussed at Sustainable Westchester Webinar

Authored By: Lauren Kroell

On Thursday, November 10th, Sustainable Westchester hosted a webinar looking at the environmental and social justice impacts of peaker power plants, with guest speakers from the Clean Energy Group (CEG), UPROSE, The Point CDC, and GridRewards by Logical Buildings. Councilwoman Yadira Ramos-Herbert offered opening remarks (District 3, New Rochelle), setting the stage for an insightful discussion on how more mindful energy usage can advance environmental justice.

Peaker power plants – known informally as “peakers” – operate during periods of high energy demand to generate enough electricity to supply the energy grid. Often several decades old and infrequently used, these fossil-fuel powered plants are being seen as an increasingly expensive and inefficient source of energy. Shelley Robbins of the Clean Energy Group (CEG) explained that this is the case in terms of not only the excessive emissions produced, the cost of operation, but also their infrequent time of use – with the average US plant being on less than 5% of the time in a given year.

Speakers also discussed how the close proximity of these peakers to low income populations and communities of color has been a major environmental justice concern – particularly in New York City, which has one of the highest concentrations of peakers nationwide. Victor Davila from The Point CDC noted that exposure to pollutants like nitrous oxide (NOX) – which contributes to the build up of particulate matter (PM2.5) – can weaken cognitive development and increase the rate of cardiovascular disease, both of which are seen in peaker-populated communities. Victor noted that young people in particular “are being given an immediate handicap by being forced to grow up in these conditions.” To capture this, Shelley Robbins took us through the CEG’s Peaker Power Plant Mapping Tool – which offers emissions, operating, and demographic data on peaker plants nationwide. Such a tool offers accessible, empirical evidence of the disproportionate impacts of peaker power plants on marginalized communities.

In breaking down how to address peaker plants, speakers highlighted how past successful movements can offer insightful solutions. Lovinia Reynolds from UPROSE took us through a case study in Sunset Park, where the organization successfully halted repowering plans for one of these peakers – instead replacing it with a battery storage system. Lovinia discussed several other projects currently underway to advance climate resiliency in Sunset Park – including community solar, offshore wind projects, and more.

During the webinar, Westchester residents also learned about how to take action by becoming more mindful energy users. As Lauren Brois, Director of EnergySmart Homes, pointed out, our electricity usage during high-demand times directly contributes to the environmental and social justice impacts associated with peakers. These impacts can be minimized by using GridRewards, an app that offers personalized energy insights to help reduce utility costs and energy waste. Sylvie Binder, Smart Buildings Account Executive at Logical Buildings, explained that reducing our electricity consumption during peak times is the lowest-cost way to manage energy demand – and offers a benefit to participants, as they can be paid for their energy savings.

The webinar saw active engagement from participants and presenters alike about how these discussions connect to current political and economic trends. Funds distributed as part of the newly-passed New York Environmental Bond Act and the mobilization of the Inflation Reduction Act will create clear incentives for the market to invest in renewable energy, thereby reducing our dependence on aging fossil fuel infrastructure like peaker plants. As a result of all the innovation we’re seeing in the world of clean energy and electrification, speakers pointed out that these are actions we can take right now – and indeed being deployed as we speak. Lovinia Reynolds noted that “nothing we do is aspirational, everything is operational…All of this is happening now. If it moves slowly, it’s because it’s never been done before.”

Watch the full webinar at the link here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stFz99947ms

Sustainable Westchester is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Mount Kisco. To learn more about GridRewards visit SustainableWestchester.org or call 914-242-4725.

VICTORY: Sustainable Westchester Celebrates the Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Bond Act’s Passing

Authored By: Lauren Kroell

After several weeks of organizing, distributing materials, and coordinating outreach efforts, Sustainable Westchester joins fellow environmental groups in celebrating the passage of the Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act!

This historic measure enables the allocation of $4.2 billion in funding towards environmental measures seeking to improve public health, resource conservation and protection, and overall quality of life across New York State. In light of the large proportion of votes favoring the Bond Act’s passing, New Yorkers have made it clear that infrastructure upgrades, green job creation, the expansion of public green space, building retrofits, and other environmental actions are widely popular – and indeed necessary to meet statewide climate targets.

An undoubtedly crucial factor behind the Bond Act’s passing was the collaborative efforts among environmental groups to raise awareness about the measure, particularly the importance of flipping over your ballot to see the actual proposition. The Vote Yes for Clean Water and Jobs Bond Act Coalition brought together over 200 organizations – Sustainable Westchester included – to work on joint campaign efforts, which included material distribution, social media outreach, and regional press conferences (including one in Peekskill, with Sustainable Westchester in attendance).

We also cannot forget the support of many Westchester municipalities who passed resolutions in support of the Bond Act, including:

• Town of Ossining: passed by the Town Board on 9/13/22. (Source)
• Village of Croton-on-Hudson: passed by the Board of Trustees on 10/3/2022. (Source)
• Town of Mamaroneck: passed by the Town Board on 10/3/2022. (Source)
• Town of Greenburgh: passed by the Town Board on 10/12/2022. (Source)
• Town of North Salem: passed by the Town Board on 10/25/2022 (Source)
• City of New Rochelle: passed by the City Council on 10/12/2022. (Source)
• Village of Pelham: passed by the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and Board of Trustees on 10/11/2022. (Source)
• Scarsdale Towns: passed by the Village Board on 10/25/2022 (Source)
• Village of Mamaroneck: passed by the Board of Trustees on 10/11/2022 (Source)
• Village of Ardsley: passed by the Board of Trustees on 10/3/2022 (Source)
• Village of Rye Brook: passed by the Board of Trustees on 10/25/2022
• Rye Town: passed by Town Council on 10/20/202 (Source)
• Town of Pound Ridge: passed by the Town Board on 10/11/2022 (Source)
• Village of Dobbs Ferry: passed on 11/7/2022 (newly added from our previous list!)
• Town of Lewisboro: passed on 11/7/2022 (newly added from our previous list!)

We commend our fellow coalition members, community groups, and Westchester municipalities alike for all the time, energy, and resources put into making the Bond Act a reality. This level of community collaboration helped elevate Westchester to be one of the counties most supportive of the Bond Act’s passing, an outcome that would not have been possible without all of the efforts invested.

Now, we join the Bond Act coalition in turning the attention towards its implementation so that all New Yorkers can realize the benefits of a cleaner, greener future for our state.

Spotlighting Our Speakers: Exploring Peaker Power Plants – Inequities and Solutions

Authored By: Lauren Kroell

Ever wondered just how big of an impact your energy consumption patterns can have? Many of us may be familiar with the reminder to turn off the light when you leave a room, or turning down the air conditioning overnight so that your electricity bills aren’t as high as they would otherwise be. However, some of us may not be as aware of the environmental justice impacts of doing so, and how timing can play a crucial role.

That’s why on Thursday, November 10th, 2022 from 7-8PM, Sustainable Westchester will host a webinar on the role that peaker power plants (sometimes known as “peakers”) play in supplying our energy demand, and the severe environmental and social justice impacts that accompany them. Today, we wanted to highlight the incredible speakers who will be talking about their respective group’s efforts to raise awareness and tackle these important issues. Learn more about them below:

Shelley Robbins: Shelley Hudson Robbins is a Project Director at Clean Energy Group. Her work focuses on the Phase Out Peakers Project and the Resilient Power Project. Shelley joined Clean Energy Group after working for Upstate Forever in South Carolina for more than 13 years. At UF, she created the organization’s energy program, fought natural gas pipeline expansion, supported clean energy in both the statehouse and at the Public Service Commission, and worked on energy burden and just transition issues. Shelley has also worked for the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, the Florida Governor’s Office (defending the state from offshore drilling), and the Florida Public Service Commission. She has an economics degree from Duke University and an MBA from Southwestern Oklahoma State University.

Victor Davila: Victor Davila has been a Bronx based community organizer for over 16 years and attended the University of Vermont. They are the co-founder of the environmental education skate group Eco Ryders, Community organizer and ACTION program manager at The Point CDC, and a member of the New York Renews organizing committee.

David Klatt: As the COO of Logical Buildings, David is responsible for analyzing and optimizing building energy performance through the implementation of software and cleantech capital projects across thousands of buildings. He sits on the CREtech Climate Leadership Board, is cleantech 40 under 40 and is a member of the cleantech leaders roundtable. David is passionate about making energy efficiency fun, easy and accessible and using data analytics and technology to effectuate positive environmental change in buildings.

Prior to co-founding Logical Buildings, David was an associate at Castleton Commodities International where he focused on derivatives trading and asset acquisition opportunities across the energy landscape. Before joining Castleton, David began his career as an analyst in the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Power and Energy Investment Banking group working primarily on power generation, electric and gas utilities, and renewable energy M&A.

David graduated summa cum laude from University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics.

If you’re interested in participating and learning more, we invite you to visit the Facebook Event page and register for the event at https://bit.ly/PeakerPlantWebinar.

We hope to see you there!