Electricity

Electricity Sustainability image showing windmills, an electric car, and solar panels supporting a city

Los Alamos County is creating an official plan will help achieve the County Council’s strategic goal of Environmental Stewardship and keep Los Alamos County on target to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

 

Summary

A study to determine the community’s greenhouse gas baseline kicked off June 2023.

 

An overview was presented to County Council at the August 22, 2023 council meeting on how this project will proceed, including the public and stakeholder feedback element. The findings will then be incorporated into a subsequent climate action plan.

 

The final Climate Action Plan will be completed in 16 months or by October 2024. Creating an official plan will help achieve the County Council’s strategic goal of Environmental Stewardship and keep Los Alamos County on target to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

 

As the project progresses, we will share information on the Greenhouse Gas and Climate Action Plan webpage.

 

CAP What is our planning process image including inventory and analyses in summer-fall 2023, strategies and actions winter-spring 2024, draft plan spring-summer 2024, and gathering input summer 2023 to spring 2024

 

History

The Los Alamos Resiliency Energy & Sustainability Task Force (LARES) task force (comprising 20 citizens, seven councilors, and support from more than 14 county staff members) conducted a year-long intensive study, resulting in a final report(PDF, 28MB) presented to councilors on February 22, 2022.

 

The 200-page final report contained numerous recommendations to reduce the county’s carbon footprint and enhance sustainability. Two recommendations, strongly endorsed by the task force, was the need to begin with:

  • A study to determine baseline greenhouse gas emissions from which the county could set reduction targets and measure progress, and A strategic climate action plan that incorporates the findings from the greenhouse gas emissions study and identifies climate mitigation strategies.
  • Los Alamos County Councilors agreed and, in less than one month, authorized a budget revision to perform these services. Staff immediately began working on the procurement process, including developing the scope of work, reviewing six proposals, finalizing this agreement, and returning to the council for approval. On May 23, 2023, a services agreement between Los Alamos County and Cascadia Consulting Group was approved, and the first-ever Community Greenhouse Gas Emissions Study and Climate Action Plan kicked off on June 7.

Why a Climate Action Plan image giving four examples, includeing improved quality of life and public health, resilient community, cost savings, and environmental preservation 3.20.36 PM.png

Electricity Recommendations:

Below is a consolidated list of recommendations for Electricity from the LARES final plan(PDF, 28MB) .

Electricity recommendations screenshot showing a list of recommendations from the LARES final plan