6:00 pm- Welcome to the live blog from the Energy Working Group Forum. Please refresh your page (press the F5 key) periodically to see the latest updates.

6:08 pm – Welcome to the Grand Vision Energy Working Group Public Forum! Agenda for the evening:

The five over-arching goals of the Energy Working Group:

Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy, Education, Job Creation and Investment, Greenhouse Gas Emissions.

Tonight's focus will be on the Energy Efficiency goal: "Maximize energy efficiency and conservation to the greatest extent practical across all sectors of the region to realize a net reduction in energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and costs."

6:18 – Jim Cooper from Traverse City Light and Power:

Jim does a lot of marketing for the utility, customers, and the energy wise, energy smart programs. TCL&P has given out over 11,000 light bulbs this year.

Jim is presenting a variety of different products from motors, lighting, and fans that are energy efficient. His presentation is focusing on goals, state regulations of energy efficiency, and programs to increase energy efficiency. For example, the Prescriptive Program which has a lighting program and a non-lighting program (cooling equipment, motor drives, etc.) and how much rebates are for participating in the program.

6:23 pm – The state of Michigan set a goal (through the Prescriptive Program) for utilities to save 423,799 in annual kilo Watt hours. TC L&P had a total of 820,102 saved kilo Watt hours in 2009.

6:29 pm – In 2010, Residential Energy Efficiency Programs TC L&P will continue are for CFLS, LED Holiday lights, refrigerator pick-up, fans, a/c units, appliances, and motors.

Forecasting usage is an important component of energy efficiency. Looking into the future, for 2028, TC L&P is forecasted to have 99.3 (MW) peak demand usage if they use no energy efficiency programs . With energy efficiency programs in place TCLP is forecast to have 83.5 (MW) peak demand usage in 2028.

6:35 pm – Mike Powers one of the Energy Working Group Conveners encourages the audience to make energy pledges. As an example, he explained the pledges he made in regards to energy efficiency. He had an energy audit on his home, he investigated solar options for his home, and he does ten push-ups to get the body heat going when he is starting to feel cold.

6:42 pm – Ric Evans, Paradigm Energy Services.

At Michigan State University, Ric began to take action on campus to conserve energy at MSU. He started Paradigm Energy Services a few years ago. He is an energy auditor, can rate homes for improvements, and can do solar evaluation.

What is an energy audit? Ric says it is "essentially a look at your entire home's (or building's) components: framing, insulation, air infiltration/exfiltration, heating and cooling loads, electrical loads, lighting, orientation and occupants habits. Energy efficiency starts with an energy audit. It can lead to 20-40% Return on Investment."

6:47 pm – Ric says that the costs that show up on our electric bills do not encapsulate the total costs involved in energy production, in regards to health, food production, transportation.

It takes one ton of coal to produce 2,460 kWH of electricity. According to the federal numbers that means 4.3 tons of coal are used for an average home per year in the United States. Only 40% of coal's Thermal Energy is converted to Electricity. Once produced, another 20-50% is lost to distribution transmissions and line-loss. This means that the most used power supply in the United States is only roughly 20-30% efficient. (These are national averages).

6:50 pm – Ric is showing pictures of energy audits he has done on homes in the region, including before and after pictures – before energy efficiency improvements and after them.

6:53 pm – Ric Evans just offered participants this evening $50 off an energy audit for coming out and "being part of the solution."

6:57 pm – An audience member just commented that he had an energy audit done on his home 6 weeks ago from Paradigm Energy Services. He noted that many of the fixes were low-cost and that he has already noticed a difference in his home for the better.

7:07 pm – Derek Bailey, Chairman of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.

Derek says that, "History is affecting us today." We can see that contamination has entered into our areas when we will shy away from fish caught in Lake Michigan, preferring fish to eat from Lake Superior. Derek is speaking to the idea of seven generations, that actions today can affect the next seven generations.  And how some people interpret this idea to mean that we are in the middle of that. Meaning there are three generations before and three generations ahead of us and we are in the middle.

7:20 pm – Gene Davis, Co-Chairman "Green Committee" of the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa

The Green Committee formed in 2007. Green policy was created, green wall was introduced, and monthly meetings were created with department representatives.  Recycling was promoted within departments and within guests rooms. They created a Green policy and made it mandatory for employees to read and engage with the policy. Each new hire receives 15-20 min presentation on the Green policy. The Green wall is a wall that is painted Green and every employee has signed the wall as a pledge to the Green policy.

The Green committee set a goal of receiving the Michigan Green Lodging certification. That is a state recognized certification program designed to evaluate a hospitality property's impact on the environment.

7:27 pm – Energy audits allowed the Resort to replace an old boiler (40% efficient) with a new boiler (90% efficient). Using cold water detergents reduced hot water usage and resulted in $40-50 thousand dollars a year in savings – this amongst other improvements.

May of 2008 Resort was recognized as a leader in "green lodging." Gene made the point of saying that it is not necessary for a business to be staffed with "green" experts. He stressed support from employees and upper management and setting realistic goals.

7:40pm – Comment from the audience: "I am very impressed with what is going on here. I would like to see more emphasis on the peak oil change. Our decisions are going to be energy descent, not just efficiency. They're talking about 2010 being the year for peak oil. We are on the cusp of some very expensive fuel coming up."

7:43pm – Mike Powers said "Really hoping that through this process we can highlight the great leadership in our area and opportunities for leadership."

7:44pm – Comment from the audience: "30 years ago, you couldn't get a group of people to come together on night like this to talk about energy. We're taking action. We're not standing back anymore. There is an economic advantage that hasn't been there before. Consumers are starting to demand more."

7:49pm – Thank you for coming out tonight! There will be a wrap up of this forum posted online tomorrow (Wednesday).

Photo: Windmills on the water by axelivarsson.