East Cleveland News

Euclid City Council recently voted to accept the NXTGEN Clean Energy Solutions Recommendations Report as an official addendum to the City’s Master Plan. NXTGEN provided consulting services for sustainability and clean energy options which were reflected in the recently accepted report including environmentally friendly, clean energy options that will help Euclid meet its goal of achieving a 30% reduction in emissions by 2030. This effort is in relation to Resolution 127-2020 passed through City Council on October 19, 2020, authorizing the City of Euclid to become a Power A Clean Future Ohio (PCFO) community and adopt a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the City.

The NXTGEN report evaluated the City properties, schools, residential neighborhoods, and applicable businesses to determine a path for achieving the 2030 greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal. Clean energy sources including solar and wind generation from micro wind turbines as well as solar street/parking lot solutions are included. The electrification of traditional internal combustion engine vehicles and the supporting charging infrastructure are also captured within the report.

Included in the recommendations are over $100M worth of projects to be completed within the next 7 years (2023-2029). The projects range in size from $20k for the installation of a dual plug level 2 EV charging station to millions of dollars for larger clean energy generation initiatives. The plan is categorized as Short-Term (2022-2023), Midterm (2024-2026), and Long-Term (2027-2029) projects and shows a listing of project types, budgetary costs, estimated ROIs, and upfront capital investment amounts.

Though the overall plan seems like a large investment for the City, NXTGEN offers that if managed correctly, a significant portion of the clean energy generation project costs can be incurred by a 3rd party system owner and not the electricity off taker whether it be the City of Euclid or private businesses. “This plan was not developed with the idea of utilizing millions of taxpayer dollars as the source of capital but rather alternative options allowing a win-win-win outcome,” says NXTGEN in the reports funding conclusion. “The wins, in no particular order, are the economy, the environment, and the City of Euclid in general.”

“The City of Euclid is committed to making Euclid a sustainable city,” said Mayor Kirsten Holzheimer Gail. “This Clean Energy Solutions Recommendation Report provides a blueprint for the city, local businesses and residents to all do their part to help us protect our environment and reduce our carbon footprint.”

The NXTGEN Sustainability / Clean Energy Recommendations Report is available for download in its entirety at www.cityofeuclid.com. 

Original source can be found here.