Community Energy and Emissions Plan (CEEP)
What is a Community Energy and Emissions Plan?
A Community Energy and Emissions Plan (CEEP) guides the community's priorities and efforts with respect to this energy consumption and identifies how to support activities that reduce our daily impacts at home, at work, and in between. Delta's CEEP will define:
Why create a Community Energy and Emissions Plan?
In the future it will be our children who live, work and play in Delta and we want to ensure that our community continues to be a great place to call home. The decisions we make today about energy and emissions related to our homes, businesses and transportation will affect future generations.
The Corporation of Delta is committed to helping the community reduce its contribution to climate change. The CEEP describes a course for the community to achieve this commitment. There are many additional benefits to taking action to reduce energy consumption and GHG emissions, including:
- Reducing energy costs for the community (for residents and businesses);
- Reducing vulnerability to energy markets through reduced reliance on fossil fuels;
- Creating local economic development opportunities in energy efficiency and green energy;
- Supporting the community's goals for creating a livable, complete, green, planned, prosperous, and involved community.
Where we are
The first step in creating a CEEP is to understand what activities we do consume energy, how much energy we do use, and how much GHG emissions we create because of those activities. This is called an energy and emissions inventory. The inventory for 2007 shows that residents and businesses consumed almost 14 million Gigajoules of energy - mostly in the form of natural gas, electricity, gasoline and diesel fuel. This led to a total of 680,000 tonnes of carbon emissions, or about 7 tonnes per person.
The 2007 GHG emissions inventory breaks down as follows:
Transportation: Almost 60% of our GHG emissions come from using fossil fuels in our vehicles. We use a combination of gasoline, diesel and propane to get ourselves around (to work, to school, to shop, to recreation activities), and to move people and goods for our businesses. This inventory includes only vehicles registered in Delta.
Buildings: Almost 40% of our GHG emissions come from heating, cooling and powering our buildings. The majority of these GHG emissions are from burning natural gas (almost 90%), with the remaining from using electricity from the grid. Although we consume almost as much energy in the form of electricity as natural gas, the GHG emissions are less from electricity in BC (because it is mostly generated from hydro-electricity).
Solid Waste: A portion of our GHG emissions come from our waste that goes to landfills where it decomposes and releases methane gas, a potent GHG. This inventory only includes GHG emissions from the solid waste generated by residents and businesses located in Delta.
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Where we want to be
Through the CEEP development process, a vision, goals and targets will be established that describe where we want Delta to be in 25 years with respect to energy efficiency, energy sources, and our impact on climate change. This process will take place from July to December 2011 and will involve Corporation of Delta staff and Council, key stakeholders and community members.
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How to get there
The CEEP will define strategies, policies and measures that will help the community reach its vision, goals and targets. Although the CEEP will focus on policies and measures for the municipal government to undertake, it will be imperative for residents, businesses and other organizations in Delta to do their part in achieving the vision, goals and targets.
What can residents, businesses and organizations do now?
- Renovate old buildings to be energy efficient
- Replace old furnaces and hot water tanks
- Install solar panels for hot water, geo-exchange systems for heat, or other alternative energy systems
- Walk, bike or ride transit whenever possible
- Make sure your next vehicle is fuel efficient, or get a hybrid or electric vehicle
- Shop locally as much as possible
- Choose products with minimal or reusable packaging
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More Information
For more information about the Community Energy and Emissions Plan, please contact:
- Mike Brotherston, Manager of Climate Action and Environment mbrotherston@corp.delta.bc.ca (604) 946-3281
- Angela Danyluk, Senior Environmental Officer adanyluk@corp.delta.bc.ca (604) 946-3283
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