While Congress passes legislation raising the vain hope of bringing down oil prices by suing OPEC, OPEC dwindles in numbers. Indonesia has been the only Asian member of OPEC, and the country has increased its own use of oil at the same time that its oil production has dwindled. Since 2005, Indonesia has been an oil importing country, and its projected 2008 production is well under its quota allocated by OPEC of 1.3 million barrels per day. Recognizing that it makes no sense to belong to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries as an importer, Indonesia has officially quit OPEC. It's possible that they're just trying to evade the long arm of US law, which our representatives in Washington seem to think can force Indonesia to squeeze more oil from its rocks and then sell it to us. But I doubt it.

Meanwhile, back in Montpelier, many in the city are serious about the only real leverage we have over how much we pay for energy: Not trying to force rocks or their owners to yield more oil, but reducing our demand for energy.

Last night, the Montpelier Energy Team hosted an energy town meeting at the high school, and over a hundred people showed up to learn what's being done and how they can help. And there are lots of ways to plug in, because so much is happening.

This was the second energy town meeting for the city; the first saw 150 hardy souls show up in a March snowstorm last year. Much of the work presented was from initiatives that grew out of last year's meeting. BecKa Roolf presented the work of the bicycles team, which has started leading students to school in "bike trains" and is looking for "bicycle ambassadors" to pair up with people who would like to bicycle more.

In related news, Colin Gunn of FreeRide bicycle collective showed off the first model of their new set of loaner bikes, cobbled together from old bike parts and new accessories like fenders and racks. The bikes will be lent out to individuals and businesses on a model akin to a lending library, though a deposit may be required. Check out the wonderful front rack (picture below), which supports a shopping basket that holds two bags of groceries!

Colin Gunn models the first FreeRide Montpelier community bicycle

Tim Maker of the Biomass Energy Resource Center described the work of the district heating committee, which is investigating a way to build and finance a central, biomass-fired combined heat and power facility for Montpelier businesses and residences. The state already has a biomass-powered district heating facility in Montpelier (the big smokestack downtown), but they're dragging their heals on expanding it, so the committee is investigating going it alone. The Clean Energy Development Fund has backed the committee's work with a $25,000 grant, and the committee is currently soliciting interest from about 25 companies in designing, building, and/or financing the district heating facility.

Cheryl King Fischer and Johanna Miller reported on the scrumptious doings of Central Vermont Localvores, and they provided some local carrot cake, cider, cheese, and bread outside the auditorium. The food was gone by the end of the evening.

Paul Markowitz reported that the Lighten Up Montpelier initiative had resulted in 12,000 compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) being sold in Montpelier since November 1, both by students going door to door and by Aubuchons. He estimated that the combined effect would be $500,000 in savings for the users of the bulbs, and he reminded CFL owners to take dead lights to Aubuchons or another authorized recipient, so the mercury in them is properly cared for.

Students from a statistics class at Montpelier High School also presented their analysis of a survey that around 200 Montpelier residents completed at voting day in March. Attendees of last night's meeting were encouraged to fill out a survey, if they hadn't already. Some of the results were interesting, but they seemed to be presuming a random sample of Montpelierites, which I don't think one gets by sampling March voters or attendees at a town energy meeting.

The big new initiative announced was the 80% Challenge for fuel oil. Using a combination of weatherization through Central Vermont Community Action Council and installation of pellet stoves or boilers, Ken Jones announced work to reduce carbon emissions from heating in Montpelier by 80%. Right now, anyone in Montpelier who wants a home energy audit can get a $125 discount on it through the Montpelier Energy Team, and the Team will help them find an auditor and hook up with purveyors of pellet heaters. Pellet heaters include stove and fireplace inserts plus a Scandinavian technology for retrofitting oil boilers for pellets. The retrofit has been adapted to US specs by Montpelierite Andy Boutin, founder of Pellergy, who presented the technology to large audiences in two separate talks last night.

There's good work happening in Montpelier!