Conservation Commission Member Karen Bieluch coordinated a 5-year energy assessment for the Town of Bethel. Two University of Maine economics students are gathering data and writing the report. Rose Lincoln

BETHEL — Following an energy assessment of Bethel’s five municipal buildings, Karen Bieluch, a member of  the Bethel Conservation Commission, coordinated with two University of Maine economics students to develop a five year energy plan that will be presented to town officials this spring.

Bieluch explained that the Conservation Commission’s focus is on reducing energy consumption and costs, while also enhancing the town’s resilience to changes in energy policy, pricing, and climate-related issues.

Energy assessment

Around 2022 Bethel received a Community Resilience Partnership grant from the State of Maine. After completing minor upgrades like replacing a door at the wastewater treatment plant and replacing lightbulbs with LED lightbulbs in several buildings, the Conservation Commission realized they had unspent funds. They hired Energy Assessor John Snell who delivered a report on all six of Bethel’s municipal buildings: The The Cole Block, The Rescue Building, The Wastewater Treatment Plant, The Fire Department, The Department of Public Works, and Bethel Airport.

Snell’s assessment, completed in the fall and presented to the Bethel Select Board in November, included energy expenditures, weatherization, solar, and new heating systems.

In response, the Select Board requested a five-year energy plan before the Conservation Commission would seek additional grant support.

Bethel Fire Department is one of six Bethel municipal buildings being looked at in a 5-year energy assessment for the Town of Bethel. Two University of Maine economics students are gathering data and writing the report. Rose Lincoln

Five-year plan

The Conservation Commission’s proposal to the students included hypotheticals like, “For example, there are rooftop solar options on numerous buildings and ground-mount solar potential on municipal properties. What are the costs and benefits, and related considerations we should be thinking about for each of these options? What options give us the best bang for our buck? Rather than thinking about solar, should we start with weatherization projects? Are there other communities we can look to as exemplars in energy efficiency?”

Bieluch, an external associate with the University of Maine’s Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions, connected with Dr. Sharon Klein, who studies energy economics. Two of Klein’s students:  Rafiul Ahmed, a Master’s student in the School of Economics and Harry Arden, a Ph.D. student in the Ecology and Environmental Sciences, are creating the cost basis analysis’ spread sheet that will project out five years. Snell’s report has helped as has data gathered by the Conservation Commission. The students have asked for help understanding Bethel’s demographics, too.

“We see this as a great opportunity to get their [economics] expertise and to support their education as well,” said Bieluch, who said their report will help the commission prioritize their next steps.

Bieluch and the rest of the commission, Sarah Southam, Julie Reiff, Jeff Sloan, and Ann Speth, meet with the students every week by Zoom. A recent question the students posed was, “How much of your budget is allocated to energy?” Bieluch is working with Bethel Town Manager Sharon Jackson to find the answer.

Once the report is completed and the students’ classes end, Bieluch hopes they will visit Bethel to see the town they’ve spent so much time studying.