ASSESSMENT OF THERMAL ENERGY ASSETS AND THERMAL ENERGY NETWORK PRELIMINARY FEASIBILITY STUDY

The Town of Royalton received grant funding from the Vermont Public Service Department through an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant to conduct a preliminary feasibility study on town-wide thermal energy assets and opportunities to develop efficient, low-carbon thermal energy systems, including a potential geothermal energy network to serve the Village of South Royalton. The Town of Royalton is now seeking proposals from qualified consultants (“Consultant”) interested in conducting an integrated thermal energy asset assessment and developing a thermal energy plan that identifies, evaluates, and prioritizes opportunities to reduce thermal energy consumption, transition away from fossil fuels, and implement cost-effective and equitable clean heating solutions for municipal, institutional, commercial, and residential buildings. The preliminary feasibility study will include a technical and economic analysis of: • Existing and potential thermal energy assets, including building loads, distribution systems, and ground or other local thermal resources. • A district thermal energy network to serve municipal buildings in the Village of South Royalton, with potential future extensions to serve the White River Valley School/South Royalton Elementary School, the Village’s downtown commercial businesses and/or residents, and/or buildings owned by the Vermont Law and Graduate School. A map of the area is included in Appendix A. The outcome of the feasibility study will be: • A summary report of the technical and economic analysis of shifting thermal energy fuel sources and reducing energy consumption. • A town-scale thermal energy asset map and characterization. • Conceptual designs for priority clean thermal projects (including but not limited to a geothermal energy network). • A thermal energy plan and suggested implementation roadmap that best reduces energy consumption, peak demand, greenhouse gas emissions, project lifecycle costs, and energy costs while supporting equitable participation by a broad range of building owners