BLOCK ISLAND a IMES. How to supply power to an island Fivo-clay summit discusses the issues ‘By Rende Meyer (On Wednesday, April |, a group of notyourtypical tourists arrived on Block Island ‘take part in two-day New England Islend Energy Exchange “site visit” The trip was ‘coordinated by Suzanne MacDonald, comunity energy director for the Island Institute, @ non-profit cegnnization in. Rockland, | Maine, | F With her she brought “islanders” from | | ‘Monhegan and Matinicus Islands, Isle au | | Hin, and Star Island. Some of them had taken a trip to the small island af Samso, off the coast of Denmark, slong with 15 university students last October to attend | the Samso Energy Academy. Samso, oie er : ‘Town Planner Jane Weidman addresses the ‘community dependant on diesel and coal: fatal in mringy Camas bag af ee ne Saaee aes Block Island residents Kim Gaffett, De. Peter Baute, and Bryan. Wilson, as well as cemplayces of Block Island Power Company (BIPCo} and Town Planner Jane Weidman all participated in some aspect of the two day exchange. ‘The first activity for the Visitors was a tour of the BIPCo plant. t was followed by a inner at Red Gate Farm, and then on Thursday, pril 2, they gathered at Town Halll to hear presentations by Weidman and Deepwater Wind. As does Block Island, all of these small islands are challenged to meet their energy reeds, and some of ther pay more for each kilowatt hour than Binck stand. ‘On Monhegan, in Maine, electricity costs 70 cents per kilowatt hour, a flat rate, ‘compared to the fluctuating rate charged by BIPCo, which varies according. to the price of diesel fol to run its generators. (For contrast, one BL. resident's bill showed a net cost of 37 eents per kurh for the month carmen, of February 2015, down from 58 cents last July} A two-turbime ‘Page IPower Continued from Page i offshore wind farm has been proposed close ta Monhegan, the Aqua Ventus wind fare, but the University of Maine led praject has ‘met not only with problems in funding the Project, but opposition as well, including the town of Bristol, which voted against allow- ing the transmission cable to go through its town, ‘Out cn Isle au Haut, also in Maine, where there were 172 housing units, and 73 resi denis according to the 2010 census, there is another problem. They have a cable to the mainland, but itis 30 years old and past its Usefallife. What course to follow next, was the question, Star Island, off the coast of New Hampshire, has been working for a few years on becoming more sustainable in several ways. This small island is privately owned by the Star Istand Corporation, a ‘hon profit that purchased the island in 1916, They run a family retreat and conference center on the 47 acre island, “Star Island ‘was founded on the traditions of Unitarian- Universalism and the United Church of Christ,” according to its web-site. One of ‘their missions is to become a model of a sustainable community. Just as Block Istand does, although on a much smaller scale, Star runs. a reverse- osmosis: water and wastewater disposal plant, and up to recently produced all of its electricity with diesel generators. They have taken many steps in the past few years to reduce energy costs, largely through more efficient uses of water— the reverse- osmosis plant requires quite a bit of energy. To that end, how they do laundry and wash dishes has undergone change. Toilets are ‘hushed with salt water, Star Island achicved a milestone-in. 2084 when a solar array, years in the making, finally went “online” in November. That array is expected to provide 60 percent of the island's electricity, and after the group departed Block Island, they were heading Up to Star Island to tourit Town Planner Jane Weidman took the gfoup through Block Island's creation of ‘an energy plan, a part of the town's state= required, comprehensive plan with the assis- tan of former Town Councilor Baute, who was instrumental in. its creation, having chaired the group that developed it ‘The plan deals with not only electric and other sources of power such as fuel oil, propane, and gasoline, but with solid waste processing, and water and sewage disposal as well. Each scction has “Goals” and “Implementing Actions." Goals in the plan range from small to large. One such small item is banning ies BF = for “solar collectors, clotbeslines, or other energy devices based on renewable resourc= es, fiom being installed on buildings erected ‘on the lots or parcels covered by the deed restrictions, covenants, or binding agree ‘One of the grandest goals was exploring the possibility of a land-based, tmunicipally ‘owned wind turbine at the transfer station, ‘That project met with a ot ofresistance. One ‘of Weidman's “slides” showed the text: "The Process —~ Be ready for controversy.” She said that when the plan was first presented as a draft at a Planning Board meeting, it ‘was the “most vitriolic meeting Ihave been to in30 years.” “Throughout the presentation, ideas were shared within the group. MacDonald spoke about the concept of “aggregating demand" whereby purchasers pool together for the bulk purchasing of products such as LED. light bulbs, or services such as energy audits, Baute cautioned the group on energy audits, saying you had to be careful thatthase doing the audit were using reasonable information to form their conclusions. This ‘was a problem when Block Island fhad audits performed on its municipal buildings a few ‘years ago, he told the group. ‘Marion. Chioffi, from the Monhegan Plantation Power District, and who also uns an inn, spoke of the need for educat- ing tourists on the importance of water and energy conservation, On Monhegan, Taminated information-on recycling and the ‘importance of conservation is hung in remal bhomes and hotels, She has also instituted a “towel system” in her inn to encourage visi- tors to use towels more than once in order to save water. (Some of the inns and hotels on Block Island da this as well) “Little things add up.” she said, Chiff also spoke of involving and edu- ‘cating the kids, Smart meters at the school have allowed the students to: monitor how rovch electricity the building is using, and ‘when and winy usage goes up. She said that ‘her kids began monitoring their electric use ‘at home also, and when they saw haw mich ‘power running a hair dryer used, gave them up. ‘All agreed that involving the local com= ‘munities was the key to forming goals and. implementing policies. Weidman told the ‘group that they “used. or-island talent” to develop the energy plan for Block Island, ‘a document that is 57 pages long, and was approved by the state in 2012, Baute said ‘that Block Island's plan was the first one in ‘the state to be filed and approved. ‘As Block Island is poised to be the site of ‘the United States? fir off-shore wind farm, ‘here was of course much interest in how the ‘project, in the works since 2008 has come to the brink of reality. Bryan Wilson, of Deepwater Wind, pre- sented next, and discussed how to “sell” the idea to the public. “Your primary concer is public relations.” Wilson stressed the need ‘See Power, Page 17Power Continued from Page U1 to get information out to the people, identify concerns and get feedback, and to indentify stakeholders. Are they sea~ sonal or year-round, vacation-home rent- ers or daystrippers? “Who counts? Are they significant? I think the answer is “everyone counts.” Wilson told the group that Deepwater had largely done this through open- houses and “meet and greets” and he added: “If you offer refreshments you get a better turnout.” Wilson also stressed the importance of always being honest about the proj- eet with the public. To help, “you need a bag of tricks,” he said opening a portfolio, He showed the group a pie- ture of what the wind farm will look like from the Southeast Lighthouse that Deepwater had commissioned. Then he showed one that detractors had come up with, showing the turbines as much larger. “Opponents can say anything they want,” said Wilson. ‘As the Block Island Wind Farm is a demonstration project, Wilson said: “We don’t want to fail” It would not only be a failure for Block Island but for “offshore wind as a nascent industry in the United States.” : Tt didn’t hurt that there is an “eeo- tourism ethos on-island” and a concern for the environment that spreads through the children and schoo! programs. Sovial aspects of the project are “how we teach our children about the stewardship of the planet,” said Wilson, He also spoke of the trickle down effects in reduced clee- trie rates, from savings in town budgets that would free up money for other uses, to lower prices for groceries and meals. One ofthe many arguments against the wind farm has been its potential impact on wildlife, and Wilson described the various studies taken as part of the proj- -ect’s Environmental Impact Analysis, including a bird and bat analysis that had ‘taken place at the Southeast Lighthouse cover the course of three years. Studies of birds, fish and marine mammals will be ongoing — "ih advance, during and after ‘construction,” said Wilson. Bleck Island may be the first offshore ‘wind farm in the ULS, to be built, but it ‘is not the first envisioned, and Wilson ‘said that the company had learned a lot from the proposed Cape Wind Project in Massachusetts, He did acknowledge though that there had been problems in Narragansett, where the cable will tand on a state beach, At first, the cable ‘was to land at a town-owned beach, but ‘opponents, and there were not many, according ta Wilson, objected. There ‘was little support for the project. “There ‘was no counter-balance” to the detrac- ‘tors in Narragansett. “Most people didn't care” Deepwater went to its “Plan B,” land- ‘ing the cable at a state beach operated by the Department of Environmental ‘Management, which received $7 million dollars for providing the casement. The town of Narragansett got nothing, Wilson said Deepwater had spent a Jot of time on Block Island, but not in Narragansett. “That was our fundamen- tal mistake” = = ‘After three hours at Town Hall, the group was eager to get outside and to tour some of the “sites of interest including cable interconnect and view- point af project site,” according to the itinerary. So off they went to the Fred Benson town beach and the Southeast Lighthouse, before heading back to the mainland on the ferry.Suzann ated at far right, addresses p of repre e3 front sirall ‘slands 9 the same challenges of energy production and distribution as Block Island. The group met for a two-day gathering, Puoro av Lass Transco