Columbia Utilities and climate advocates want to see changes to city’s renewable energy ordinance

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia Water and Light fell short of its renewable energy goal in 2023, and the city's Climate and Environment Commission is meeting Tuesday night to discuss the city's steps toward renewable energy.

A January draft of the city's renewable energy plan for 2024 shows the City had 21.84% renewable energy in 2023. This is slightly down from its goal of 25% for the year.

Leaders of the 100% Renewable Energy by 2030 Coalition are disappointed in the city, with Carolyn Amparan saying the City needs to move forward with renewable energy resources as quickly as it can.

"This isn't something that we can delay a decision any longer," Amparan said. "We need to make a decision and we need to start moving forward so that we can be part of attaining the goals."

Columbia first approved a renewable energy ordinance back in 2004, requiring Columbia Water and Light to increase its purchasing of energy from renewable resources. Data shows the city started with 3,744 megawatt hours of renewable energy in 2005 and was at 265,866 in 2023.

While it didn't hit its goal, 2023's renewable energy percentage was up more than seven percent from 2021 when 14.63% of the city's energy was renewable.

City Utilities Spokesperson Matt Nestor said some things that led to the city not hitting its goal were out of their hands, including a solar contract that fell through with the Boone Stephens Solar Power Purchase Agreement.

The city's website shows its next goal is 30% renewable energy by 2029.

Nestor said the city wants to revise the renewable energy ordinance to not include specific numerical goals, but rather incremental steps to increase renewable energy.

"That's one of the things we're looking at is kind of doing a yearly, put out feelers and see what's being built, what might be available and do the more minimal increments year by year instead of setting this goal for ten years out that may or may not come to fruition," Nestor said.

But the 100% Renewable Energy by 2030 Coalition instead wants to see a goal of 100% renewable energy put on the ordinance. Amparan said there is some debate between the coalition as to whether that would be possible by 2030 or 2035.

"We would like to get a goal set for 100% renewable energy of the utility's retail usage by 2035 at the latest," Amparan said. "We also would like to get a clearer definition of what type of renewable energy is going to be allowed."

Amparan said the coalition would also like to see municipal power plants kept online as backups and for the city to pursue other options if resources and contracts fall through.

A November study by The Energy Authority looked into five possible models for Columbia to reach 100% renewable energy. Amparan said a couple of these options are realistic, including a plan to invest heavily in wind and solar energy and closing the coal plant in Sikeston.

But Nestor said none of these plans are deemed feasible by the city.

"Their report showed that it would cost us hundreds of millions, close to $1 billion depending on the scenario," Nestor said. "Our position is it's not feasible to do that."

The city's ordinance ensures the cost of renewable energy can't increase electric rates by more than 3% from the rates of all non-renewable resources.

The 2024 draft estimates more than 20% of the City's electricity in 2024 will come from already existing renewable resources. It will use sources including wind, solar and landfill gas. It lays out planned additions to the City's renewable energy sources, which includes expansion on the Columbia Landfill Gas Energy Plant. The draft said Water and Light expects to have that operational by this summer.

While Nestor did not mention specific renewable energy projects, the draft said Columbia Water and Light is "evaluating the future expansion of renewables on our grid." It said the advisory board is looking at the current renewable energy ordinance with a goal of increasing renewable energy in a "responsible" way based on the study done by The Energy Authority.

That study further said incremental renewable goals are better than setting one single goal for a certain year due to changing prices over time, showing the cost of both solar and wind energy are expected to decrease in the early 2030s.

Amparan said there needs to be a three-pillar approach to renewable energy, including renewable energy attainment, energy efficiency attainment and energy conservation.

Those at the meeting stated the plan is expected to be revised and the earliest a decision could be made is this summer.