SR-100-000-06 (5)
EPWM:CP/EPWM/ADMINSTAFFRPT/SETTIMO
City Council Meeting: November 9, 2004 Santa Monica, California
To: Mayor and City Council
From: City Staff
Subject: Approve Resolution Supporting an Energy Innovations Partnership and
Authorizing the City Manager to Enter into a Memorandum of
Understanding
Introduction
This report recommends that City Council approve a resolution supporting an Energy
Innovations Partnership and authorize the City Manager to enter into a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) with the City of Settimo Torinese, Italy.
Background
During the past decade, Santa Monica has entered into various partnerships with other
cities, non-profit organizations, government agencies, and public and private utilities to
promote energy efficiency, renewable energy and sustainable modes of transportation.
These joint efforts include: the Community Energy Partnership, an association of ten
Southern California cities, Southern California Edison and The Gas Company for the
delivery of innovative energy efficiency programs; the Aspen Accord, a partnership
between Santa Monica, Irvine, Palm Desert, Brea, Nacka and Gothenburg, Sweden,
and the cities’ serving utilities to implement innovative community energy efficiency
programs; and the Cities for Climate Protection, a project sponsored by the International
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Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) that coordinates sustainable energy
and transportation policies in cities throughout the world.
Santa Monica’s participation in these partnerships and in the proposed partnership with
Settimo Torinese will augment and complement the goals of the Sustainable City Plan
and other Council adopted policies, and holds the promise of delivering significant
benefit and value to residents and businesses in Santa Monica.
Discussion
The proposed MOU between the City of Santa Monica and the City of Settimo Torinese
is envisaged as the beginning of a promising energy and environmental innovations
partnership. Despite being located in different nations the cities have in common a
committed citizenry, leadership and concern for investment in clean renewable energy
and sustainable modes of transportation that protect the land, water and air in their
respective regions. The purpose of the MOU is to share information and program
implementation experiences, and explore strategies and programs that demonstrate
innovative, clean and more cost-effective technologies for energy production and
vehicle engines/fuels.
The discussions between Santa Monica and Settimo Torinese originally came about
through the working relationship that had been developed separately by each city with
Woodrow Clark, a former senior energy policy advisor to the California Governor. The
initial conversations that were held between Santa Monica and Settimo Torinese staff
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clearly indicated many mutual policy goals with respect to energy and transportation
issues and resulted in a shared realization that a more formal relationship through the
proposed MOU could provide unique benefits to both entities. From Santa Monica’s
standpoint, the MOU enables access to interesting advancements in renewable energy
and vehicle technologies in Italy and other European Union countries.
Through the MOU, both cities will identify, design and implement innovative approaches
for distributed energy generation in local commercial, residential and institutional
buildings as well as more sustainable vehicle fuels and transportation modes. Both
cities recognize that such projects demonstrate the positive economic outcomes of
investment in renewable energy technologies and will be vital to the long-term
prosperity and sustainability of Santa Monica and Settimo Torinese. The anticipated
exchange of ideas, experience and expertise can be accomplished through current
communication technologies and no commitment to international travel is required of the
cities.
The City of Settimo Torinese’s participation in the proposed partnership will significantly
contribute to its recently launched program aimed at positioning it as one of the most
advanced Italian cities for implementation of innovative energy systems in different
locations focusing on renewable technologies and hydrogen. They eventually hope that
this program will evolve into a network of Italian and international cities sharing the
same vision and commitment. Settimo Torinese is also the location for ASM, one of the
Piedmont Region’s major power companies and one of the most innovative centers for
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energy technologies in the Region. Settimo Torinese and ASM have relationships,
contacts and projects with other regions, local institutions, national governments and the
European Union including development of renewable energy and advanced power
technologies such as photovoltaic systems, biomass plants, fuel cells, microturbines
and hydrogen. Settimo Torinese is enthusiastic to enter into the proposed Energy
Innovation Partnership because of Santa Monica’s well-known reputation for
sustainable energy and transportation policies and Settimo Torinese’s desire to develop
cooperative relationships with cities in North America that share their sustainability
goals.
The City of Santa Monica can benefit from the proposed MOU through potential
demonstration of state-of-the-art renewable energy and alternative fuel vehicle
technologies, technical information, and sharing of successful strategies and
experiences for implementation of programs designed to benefit the broad community.
Staff also believes that the proposed MOU with Settimo Torinese could result in access
to project implementation and technology procurement funding assistance through
federal government and European Union grants and from other non-City sources.
Other than approval of the attached resolution, Santa Monica’s responsibilities under
the proposed MOU would be to authorize ongoing in-kind support to meet the goals of
the partnership, and to implement effective methods to facilitate the open and free flow
of pertinent information on energy innovations between Santa Monica and Settimo
Torinese. Each City would cover its own costs and expenses or seek such outside
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resources as may be necessary to implement the MOU. Implementation of the MOU in
Santa Monica would be assigned to existing staff, is fully consistent with on-going policy
and program implementation goals in the indicated areas, and would not affect the
completion of other assigned duties. In fact, the existence of the MOU should assist
staff in facilitating access to the types of information and technical resources that are
necessary to successfully develop programs and strategies.
Budget/Fiscal Impact
There is no anticipated budget impact to Santa Monica from approval of the
recommendation in this report. Any staff time or associated minor costs for MOU
implementation are already a part of approved budgets in the EPWM department.
Recommendation
It is recommended that City Council approve a resolution supporting an Energy
Innovations Partnership and authorize the City Manager to enter into a Memorandum of
Understanding with the City of Settimo Torinese, Italy.
Prepared by: Craig Perkins, Director, Environmental and Public Works Management
Susan Munves, Energy and Green Building Administrator
Attachments: Resolution
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EPWM:CP/EPWM/ADMINSTAFFRPT/SETTIMO
City Council Meeting: November 9, 2004
RESOLUTION NUMBER ____ (CCS)
(CITY COUNCIL SERIES)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA
MONICA AUTHORIZING THE CITY TO SUPPORT AN ENERGY
INNOVATIONS PARTNERSHIP AND A MEMORANDUM OF
UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
AND SETTIMO TORINESE, ITALY
WHEREAS, the City of Santa Monica significantly benefits from
cooperation and collaboration with other municipalities here and abroad;
and
WHEREAS, during the past decade, Santa Monica has entered into
various partnerships with other cities, non-profit organizations, government
agencies, and public and private utilities to promote energy efficiency, renewable
energy and sustainable modes of transportation; and
WHEREAS, Santa Monica’s participation in these partnerships and in the
proposed partnership with Settimo Torinese will augment and complement the
goals of the Sustainable City Plan and other Council adopted polices and
programs; and
WHEREAS, the Energy Innovations Partnership with Settimo Torinese
holds the promise of delivering significant benefit and value to residents and
businesses in Santa Monica; and
WHEREAS, despite being located in different nations these cities have in
common a committed citizenry, leadership and concern for investment in clean
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renewable energy and sustainable modes of transportation that protect the land,
water and air in their respective regions;
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA
MONICA DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The City Council hereby authorizes the City Manager to
enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with Settimo Torinese, Italy to
implement an Energy Innovations Partnership that will:
(a) Allow the sharing of information and experiences, and explore
strategies and programs that demonstrate innovative, clean and more cost-
effective energy technologies;
(b) Identify, design and promote the implementation of innovative
energy systems for clean and efficient distributed energy generation in
commercial, residential and institutional buildings;
(c) Encourage the development and procurement of more sustainable
vehicle fuels and transportation modes; and
(d) Implement effective methods to facilitate the open and free flow of
pertinent information on energy innovations between the cities.
SECTION 2. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this
Resolution, and thenceforth and thereafter the same shall be in full force and
effect.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
___________________________
MARSHA JONES MOUTRIE
City Attorney
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