Flagler County government is looking to go greener with its energy consumption—saving electricity where it can, reducing the wear and tear on its energy hogs such as chillers, and exploring new ways to generate power on site at certain times through its own generators. But some of those ideas may not be possible without wedding county government to a single private contractor for a decade and a half or more.
“You as a board have always wanted us to be more and more green,” County Administrator Craig Coffey told the county commission during an afternoon workshop today, “to look at energy savings in other new technologies, especially when we can realize a monetary, business-type benefit, a return on investment, that kind of stuff.”
The administration has been making some improvements “without getting too complicated, and they aren’t insurmountable as far as costs,” but those improvements have their own limits: you can only do so much with conversion to more energy efficient lighting, for example. Some projects “are beyond our scope,” Coffey said, so much so that they may require to be “bondable”—that is, they must be guaranteed in order to be accomplished. That’s another way of saying that the work must not only be contracted out, but the length of the contract may be much lengthier than government is used to, except when it floats bonds of its own. The contract’s structure turns into something more similar to a mortgage, and as with a mortgage, it may be years before the investment is profitable.
So the administration drafted an Indiana-based company, Energy Systems Group—ironically, a subsidiary of the Vectern Corporation, an electricity and natural gas company—to pitch various energy-saving ideas that can be developed in county government properties, and that the county could not manager or afford on its own. Energy Systems would propose the ideas, the county would sign on, and a long-term contract would then be in place.
“This can kind of move into our budget cycle,” Coffey said.
Big ideas, a long wait for a return on investment, and a serious commitment to one company.
A trio of Energy Systems Group personnel made their pitch to commissioners during the workshop. Their presentation was fascinating, as such things go, proposing potentially serious cost-savings, but also potentially serious costs to get there. The presentation was also very light on specifics: in a 45-minute discussion that was more than half consumed by commissioners’ on speculations, anecdotes or wishes about energy savings, Energy Systems Group produced more of an outline than an analysis of what it may offer, and did so without presenting the sort of methodology that explains how it arrives at the cost-savings it projects.
The company has been around since 1994 that says it’s implemented more than $2 billion in infrastructure improvements to various clients. They’re stepping in where climate change is triggering changes (or responses), in Florida in particular, where the warming planet and consequently rising seas are expected to have vast effects on the coastline. Some companies have been looking to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases they’re spewing by reducing their energy usage. Energy Systems Group seeks to capture that market.
One idea is to convert the cooling system at the county government complex to a geothermal system: the four chillers currently cooling the buildings are doing so well enough, but a geothermal system, using a closed system of water coursing through earth beneath, can increase efficiency by 28 percent, reducing energy and water consumption and saving on maintenance. Water consumption would fall by 50 to 60 percent. The projections, of course, are based on ESG’s estimates, and have not been independently verified. A second idea: The system could also produce ice overnight that could then be used during daytime peak hours, as it melts as chilling water, again adding to energy savings.
Another possibility: Acquiring dual-fuel electric generators (diesel and natural gas) and running those generators more frequently, even without electricity interruptions from Florida Power and Light, as a way to lower peak-time utility costs. The county airport complex, for example, is being studied for its own network of gas lines.
But this is where it gets even more speculative. ESG’s Steven Downs calculates that the three projects together could yield an annual saving of “$175,000 of guaranteed savings.” That money can then in turn could pay for a $3.5 million project. That’s assuming the county stuck with its conversion system for 15 to 20 years.
“So for 15 to 20 years,” Commissioner Barbara Revels said, “we wouldn’t see our budget go down because we’ve done this, because savings is paying the tab to fund the improvements. And if the improvements last longer than the 15 or 20-year funding, that’s when we reap the benefits.”
“That’s correct,” Downs said.
“Technology is going to change in 15 to 20 years and we will have a whole new opportunity then,” Revels said.
Coffey compared the exploration for new technologies to the county’s study of natural-gas buses for its public transportation fleet. “We’ve investigated natural gas buses,” he said. “Some communities have done that. The return on investment is not there for the upfront costs, but it doesn’t stop us to keep looking at those things. Every few years we’re going to keep looking at these technologies because eventually it’s going to get there.”
If the county opts to go with a series of green-energy projects, it would sign on with a company like ESG, which would then be the designer and developer of the chosen projects. ESG in exchange would provide a savings guarantee for the duration of the contract. The corollary to that guarantee is that the county would be stuck with the company, and the chosen improvements, for a very long time. “You’ve got this firm for the life of the project, pretty much,” Coffey said.
In the meantime, the county will float a request for quote—an RFQ that solicits bids for the sort of projects the county has in mind, enabling ESG and other companies to bid.
The Energy Systems Group Presentation (2016)
Click to access energy-systems-group.pdf
r&r says
Anything Coffey is pushing I’d be sceptical of.
Read the fine print says
I agree with you r & r.
This reminds me too much like the red light camera contracts of palm coast. Landon got contracts and then said oh, we can’t get out of the contract and he acted like he didn’t know how long the contracts were in place for. He made sure he got double or more of the cameras up and going before the law changed because he knew what was going to happen and wanted to make sure he took care of his partners before he couldn’t. Favors, favors, favors–you scratch my back and Ill scratch yours. Someone Coffey or a board member(s) know is going to make a bundle. This county is not in any position to look at spending anymore money, they have spent us broke. Our grand children and possibly our great grand children will be paying debt this county incurred over the past 10 years. It’s time to manage and stop spending. If something sounds too good to be true….look out! Let us not forget it was Coffey who was behind the Spartan event and gave away thousands of dollars. Our commissioners will eat anything Coffey feeds them. Time for him to be replaced!
Sherry says
While I love the idea of pursuing green technologies for our county. . . Why is Coffey not following “project development 101” processes by creating a “green” vision for the county and preparing a professional “Request for Proposal” to send to at least 10 vendors nation wide. . . afterward, along with detailed analytical comparisons and comprehensive discussions with past clients? Could it be that he doesn’t follow standard procedures for a particular reason? Why is he only considering 1 vendor with what seems to be very little vetting?
Sounds like this is just SOP (standard operating procedure) for how horrific contracts like the red light cameras were signed.
Justin says
I think it is a good idea to start looking into greener technologies, especially with respect to EV charging stations as I believe these are going to be a lot more popular within the next few years. I would also be interested in where the school district sits on this stance seeing that they share the building with them. I would also like to see what the final RFP’s look like as it seems like there could potentially be a conflict of interest already.
tulip says
I don’t like this idea at all. It appears that some company will control Flagler County energy sources. No!
Plus, going green is super expensive and, even after a gazillion years of “pay back,” by that time we would need new equipment, as it wears out or need expensive repairs.
Today’s air conditioners, etc are now energy savers and cost far less to use than the old ones.. Buying new equipment of that type would be better, especially if the ac temps were kept at such a cold level.
It seems like every idea that comes along that is costly and not really necessary, the administrator wants to buy into it. Enough already!
I certainly hope we will get some new people in the commissioner seats up for election that may not be so willing to just spend on a whim and point out the negative points of a purchase as well as the positive and be fiscally responsible.
confidential says
I totally agree with Read the Fine Printing and rr !! Coffey and company after graft again…and we are in no financial condition to embark on the new technology yet. Besides Coffey looks for one more capital achievement to show in his resume.
Obvious the graft at work with only on entity presenting a proposal by Coffey directives…hello?
Lets start making those plans when we vote the current minions off the FCBOCC and their master mind administrator will be booted. I do not trust them! Don’t need any higher taxes wasted.