MARBLEHEAD — The Green Marblehead Implementation Committee is expecting to cut the town’s energy use by 46% in the next five years, according to Sustainability Coordinator Logan Casey.
Casey said the town is working toward becoming a green community through the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources.
To do this, Marblehead is expected to cut its energy use by 20% over five years; however, after consulting with PowerOptions Inc., a consulting firm located in Boston, Casey said the town is expected to cut its use by almost double by implementing the town’s Energy Reduction Plan in municipal buildings, according to Casey.
He added that the plan will focus on 15 of the town’s most energy-intensive buildings by completing capital projects, such as replacing LED lights and shifting to heat pumps that do not use fossil fuels.
He said the plan includes projects that “might cost a little bit less upfront and have some more immediate energy efficiency benefits.”
Casey said the main buildings that are the most energy-intensive are the school buildings, as well as the Department of Public Works building, and the Mary Alley Municipal building.
He added the main limitation surrounding becoming a green community is that Marblehead operates with a municipal light department, which would need to adopt a renewable energy surcharge, “which it just hasn’t come up for a discussion in Marblehead before in a serious way.”
Casey said the next step for Marblehead to become a green community is for the Select Board and school department to adopt the Energy Reduction Plan.
According to Casey, there are nearly 300 green communities in the Commonwealth.
“So we’re kind of behind. We want to become a green community,” he said.
