MARION — The Town of Marion fell short of its energy reduction goals in 2022, but this shortcoming is no cause for alarm, said members of the Energy Management Committee during a Nov. 28 meeting.

“The report didn’t say what I hoped it was going to say,” said Marion Energy Management Committee member Bill Saltonstall. “We lost some ground on the percentage of energy reductions.”

The committee anticipated a 20% reduction in energy consumption over the past year and only achieved a reduction of 16.1%, he said.

According to Saltonstall the town’s increased use of diesel fuel in 2022 compared to previous years may have contributed to the level of energy consumption, as well as the Silvershell pump station’s switch from oil to natural gas. 

Committee member Alanna Nelson added that previous years’ Covid-19 restrictions may have caused the town to use less energy, making this year’s energy reduction seem smaller in comparison. 

Saltonstall submitted the report detailing the town’s energy consumption to the state as a part of Marion’s status as a Green Community. 

Marion was designated as a Green Community in 2019 and has since received $346,833 in grant funding from the program.  

The most recent grant of $102,000, which was awarded to the town in April, was used to replace and repair equipment and infrastructure in the Elizabeth Taber Library.

One criteria of being a Green Community is committing to a 20% reduction in energy consumption within five years of being named a Green Community.

“I don’t think there are very many towns that are getting all the way to 20% in five years,” said Saltonstall. “The thing is, the farther we go, the harder it gets.”

According to the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, 27 of the state’s 286 Green Communities have reached this goal. 

The committee proposed replacing some municipal vehicles with electric models, and putting up signs reminding residents not to idle their cars as a way to get closer to the required 20% reduction in energy consumption. 

According to Saltonstall, a representative from the Green Communities program was “quite understanding when I talked about [Marion’s energy reduction] and didn't want me to be discouraged.”

“They can’t blame us for trying,” added committee chair Christian Ingerslev.