Inside this Edition of the Freedom Energy Logistics Muni Minute
Freedom Energy Logistics | December 2023
Looking for more energy updates that may impact your Municipality?
Brian White
Municipal Program Director
Explore the untapped potential of natural gas procurement for your municipality. Often overshadowed by electricity procurement, natural gas presents significant cost-saving opportunities, especially during high-usage winter months. Our article sheds light on the crucial aspects of natural gas costs, market volatility, and common misconceptions. Learn how other municipalities have achieved savings and see how a strategic approach to natural gas can benefit your community. Click to read the full article and find out about our free analysis of your natural gas usage..
Carol Anne Watts
Senior Director of Sales and Sales Operations
In municipal energy procurement, decision-makers often grapple with a key dilemma: focus on the lowest rate or the lowest overall cost?
This choice shapes the municipality’s energy strategy on multiple levels. Carol Anne Watts, Senior Director of Sales and Sales Operations, explores these options, discussing the risks and advantages in each. While the rate approach may overlook contractual risks in a fluctuating market, the cost approach considers broader factors, including environmental initiatives. The energy market’s evolution hints at a shift from rate-focused to cost-conscious strategies.
To understand more about this critical rate versus cost debate in municipal energy procurement and how our team can assist, click to read the full article.
Howard Plante
VP of Procurement
Discover the latest trends in electricity pricing with our recent analysis. As of December 12, the average electricity price for the 2024 calendar year plummeted to a remarkable low of 5.18 cents per kWh, a rate not seen in nearly 23 months. This decline is significant, especially considering the 2024 price has now dipped below the 2026 calendar year price for the first time since mid-2021. The drop in 2024 prices is partly driven by corresponding decreases in natural gas costs, which fell below $3 per dekatherm, influenced by favorable storage reports and mild winter forecasts for New England.
Howard Plante’s article provides a detailed look at these pricing trends and the key factors influencing them. Click to read the full article and gain insights into how these trends could affect future electricity pricing.
Part 1 covers: Limited Resources, Sustainability Requirements, Financial Constraints, Confusing Contract Terms & Conditions, and Community Support
Part 2 covers: Account Status, Limited Energy Expertise, Markets are Volatile, Information Overload, and Consistency & Dependability
Important Dates
Upcoming Grant Deadlines
The Biden-Harris Administration has recently announced a massive funding opportunity totaling $3.9 billion. This funding, available for Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025, is part of the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program’s second round. It aims to significantly boost grid infrastructure deployment and encourage the private sector and non-federal public capital to further these goals.
Interested parties should note that submitting a concept paper is the first mandatory step in the application process. The deadline for these papers is set for 5:00 p.m. ET on January 12, 2024.
2023 Clean School Bus Rebate Program Deadline Approaching
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is offering a significant funding opportunity with its 2023 Clean School Bus Program. This initiative provides up to $500 million in rebates for school districts to purchase electric school buses and related charging infrastructure. Applications are open until January 31, 2024, at 4:00 p.m. Don’t miss this chance to modernize your school district’s transportation fleet with eco-friendly buses.
Connect With Us