Tag Archives: City of Omaha

Small actions can lead to bigger actions in climate change fight

By Brent Weber, WOWT

It can seem daunting, the idea of maintaining sustainability in Nebraska in the face of unprecedented global warming. But many of those we talked to for the 6 News Earth Week series, agreed, we all need to just take a deep breath and do something.

Don Preister is the guiding force behind Green Bellevue and he fights climate change by doing things he’s always done. He hangs his clothes on a line to dry, grows a healthy garden, plants hardy, drought-resistant grass, and captures more energy through his solar cells than he uses. Continue reading here.

From Solar Examples, Nebraskans for Solar
Don Priester’s Home In Bellevue
Project: 8.4-kilowatt, grid-tied, OPPD net-metered system, ground mounted on south-facing slope with 28 optimizers. Installation was completed in December 2016, with enough capacity for all electrical needs in an all-electric residence of 2000 sq. ft. with a geothermal heat pump. There is extra capacity to charge his electric vehicle.
Photo Credit: The Reader 
Installer: Solar Heat & Electric with help from the Preister brothers

More Earth Month News Stories by Brent Weber

Omaha tiny-house village aims to be final step out of homelessness

By Cindy Gonzalez, The Nebraska Examiner

Nebraska’s first modern-day tiny house village — soon to start sprouting in north downtown Omaha — is expected to do more than add affordable-rent dwellings to the trendy urban core. The 50 stand-alone homes, each about 250 square feet, serve a humanitarian purpose: They’re to be occupied by former homeless people who have thrived in other shelter programs and who are ready to take the next step toward independence. Read more here.

Photo Credit: Arch Icon Development Company, whose business philosophy includes “Sustainable Design and Energy Efficiency best practices.”

Related Reading / Viewing

K-Junction Solar Project, west and south of McCool, discussed before county board

By Melanie Wilkinson, York News-Times

The York County Commissioners’ meeting room filled in record time this week, as a large contingency of people from the McCool Junction/Lushton area arrived to hear information about the proposed and likely upcoming K-Junction Solar Project.

So many people arrived that the over-flow was directed to the old commissioners’ meeting room in the courthouse basement, where the crowd could watch and listen to the proceedings via Zoom. Continue reading here.

Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) Resource
Solar Projects Under Development

More Nebraska News
‘Now is the time to do it’: City of Omaha aims for operational streetcar system by 2026, KMTV
The City of Omaha will be giving residents another public transportation option in east Omaha.
After over 13 years of research and planning, Mayor Jean Stothert announced Wednesday that the city plans to build a streetcar down Farnam Street, from 10th to 42nd Streets. 

Midlands Voices: Omaha climate action plan must address multiple issues

Contributed by David E. Corbin, Omaha World-Herald


It has been a long time coming, but the City of Omaha has committed to formulating a climate action plan and to work with other groups, like OPPD, in the Metropolitan Area to make the plan more widespread and comprehensive. With the metro Omaha area joining Lincoln’s already developed climate action plan, a large majority of the state’s population will have a plan. Perhaps this will even encourage the Nebraska Legislature to join the 34 states that have released a climate action plan or are in the process of revising or developing one. Continue reading here.


David E. Corbin, Ph.D. is the chair of the Energy Committee of the Nebraska Sierra Club and is on the advisory board of the American Public Health Association’s Center for Climate, Health and Equity. He has been working on climate issues for decades. 

David is a former member of Nebraskans for Solar’s Board of Directors, serving twice as President. He created our organization’s Facebook page, which he continues to administer. 

Omaha metro area will draft climate action plan

By Nancy Gaarder, Omaha World-Herald

When the plan is in place, Omaha will join several hundred other cities in the U.S. with strategies for confronting climate change. Lincoln, the Kansas City metropolitan area and the Twin Cities already have plans. Des Moines is developing one. The Nebraska Legislature has rejected calls for a statewide plan. Asked “why now?” Mayor Jean Stothert said in an email to The World-Herald that the time is right to take advantage of local efforts. “Omaha has been implementing sustainability measures for some time now without the need for a formal plan,” she wrote. Read more here.

Nebraska’s largest solar farm planned east of Lincoln is looking to clear final zoning hurdles

By Matt Olberding, Lincoln Journal Star

[Sean Harris, vice president of development], said Ranger Power chose the spot outside of Lincoln for several reasons. Among them are that it’s close to an existing substation, which means any power generated can easily be transported to the electrical grid, and that it’s also close to the large population centers of Lincoln and Omaha. Read more here.

Image: Virginia pollinator-friendly solar farm with tree screening surrounding it.

  • Read more about the project here: Salt Creek Solar, Ranger Power
  • Public Meeting Scheduled Today
    Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning Commission Meeting, October 27, 2021, 1 to 4 pm, County/City Building, 555 S. 10th Street, City Council Chambers

NEBRASKA ALSO IN THE NEWS HERE

70 Public Power Utilities Earn Smart Energy Provider Designation, by Paul Ciampoli, American Public Power Association

Designees include Lincoln Electric System (2021), Nebraska Public
Power District (2021). Omaha Public Power District (2020).

Seventy public power utilities have earned a Smart Energy Provider (SEP) designation from the American Public Power Association. The designations were presented on October 26 during APPA’s Customer Connections Conference in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Smart Energy Provider Program Designees

‘Bringing back an icon’: $75 million plan to revive Blackstone Hotel, a former hangout for Gold Coast elite

By Cindy Gonzalez, Omaha World-Herald

In addition to TIF [Tax-Increment Financing], the developers seek “enhanced employment area occupation tax financing” amounting to nearly $10 million. Overall, the bulk of funding would come from a construction loan and investor equity, but also helping to fund the project would be about $6.5 million in federal and state historic tax credits and $3.5 million in Property Assessed Clean Energy financing (PACE is a new financing tool used to upgrade energy, water and utility systems in commercial properties).  Read more here.

Photo by Pat Hawks, Flickr

ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDED READING

BEATRICE – The City of Omaha is the first to adopt an ordinance allowing its use in Nebraska. The City of Lincoln is considering the same.  Now, Beatrice is being asked to consider Property Assessed Clean Energy financing, or PACE, as another tool for economic development.  It’s described as a low-cost, long-term financing mechanism for energy efficiency or renewable energy projects. Chris Peterson, Managing Partner for Pace Sage Capital in Nebraska, worked as a Legislative Aide to former State Senator Heath Mello when PACE was enabled through state law, making Nebraska the 34th state to enact it.

MORE ABOUT PROPERTY ASSESSED CLEAN ENERGY (PACE) 

PACE was named one of the top 20 “world-changing” ideas by Scientific American magazine.
– PACE Nation

Solar Powering Your Community: Fremont, Nebraska

Sponsored by the City of Fremont

Local governments interested in learning about how to make their community solar ready in the Fremont, NE region are invited to a free workshop with national and local experts on Wednesday, May 27th at the Christensen Field Meeting Room. (Please see our calendar for additional details).

This interactive workshop will provide actionable information on creating local-level solar policies and permitting processes.

Areas of focus include:

  1. The benefits and barriers of solar development in Nebraska;
  2. Understanding the regulatory landscape of solar;
  3. Getting Fremont solar ready; and
  4. Innovative financing options for solar projects.

Lunch Provided for Registered Participants
REGISTER HERE.
Email questions to solar@icma.org

The U.S. Department of Energy’s SunShot Initiative Workshop, Solar Powering Your Community: Omaha, which Nebraskans for Solar helped the City of Omaha organize and present, was held on June 7, 2013 at Metro Community College.