Renewable Energy was the main focus at the work session with Columbia City Council and the Water and Light Advisory Board  Monday afternoon.

Originally, the city wanted 100% of the energy it uses to be renewable by 2030. Currently, the city is at 21.8% of renewable energy.

At the work session, one of the slides shown included research from The Energy Authority (TEA), stating the earliest possible year to reach 100% renewable energy is 2043.

The City has now decided adjust to reach 40% of renewable energy by 2035, instead of 100%.

The City has an existing ordinance that shows the percentage from its total portfolio that that should come from renewable energy.

Mayor Barbara Buffaloe said, “Last year, the City Council asked the Water and Light Advisory Board to review the ordinance and identify the opportunities to increase the amount of renewable energy that can generated locally, purchased and brought to Columbia.” .

The board came with recommendations, including dates of the percentages of renewable energy.

The ordinance has been modified to:

• 25% by Sepetember 30, 2023
• 30% by Septemeber 30, 2029
• 40% by September 31, 2035

Buffaloe said the concern is that if renewable goals are too high, then the cost for the residents will be too high. 

“The council today was then asking, ‘How do we help put the information out there we want more renewable energy,”‘ Buffaloe said. “We also understand, we want to be fiduciarily responsible (sic) and make sure that we are not breaking the bank or adding too much cost to rate payers,”   Buffaloe said.

The changes to the updated ordinance will be presented to the council in February.

Water and Light Advisory Board presents updates to Columbia City Council