For Immediate Release February 20, 2020

SACRAMENTO – The California Energy Commission (CEC) today approved Sacramento Municipal Utility District’s (SMUD) Neighborhood SolarShares Program, a proposal for community solar under the 2019 Building Energy Efficiency Standards (Energy Code). 

The Energy Code took effect January 1, 2020, and requires a solar photovoltaic (PV) system on new single-family and low-rise residential homes. When adopted, the updated Energy Code included community solar as an alternative option to rooftop PV systems. 

“Community solar was built into the Energy Code to provide flexibility in satisfying the solar requirement,” said Commissioner J. Andrew McAllister, who is the Energy Commission’s lead on the Energy Code. “We expected that the marketplace and stakeholders would find solutions appropriate for their communities. SMUD has created a proposal to do that by offering builders 100 percent solar power at guaranteed savings to their customers. Other community solar proposals will look different. Openness to diverse cost-effective solutions is a hallmark of California’s innovation economy and key to meeting our goals for clean energy, climate, and resilience.”

The Energy Code provides for Commissioners to consider approving community solar programs based on the following six requirements: 

1. Enforcement - The solar resource must exist at the time the home is permitted and the applicant must work in coordination with the building department for review and enforcement
2. Energy Performance - The energy savings must match that of rooftop solar
3. Dedicated Energy Savings - The generated solar must be dedicated to the building 
4. Durability - Proposed facilities must be operational for 20 years
5. Additionality – Savings cannot be counted to meet other utility renewable requirements
6. Accountability and Recordkeeping – Applicant must keep records and make them accessible for 20 years 

Commissioners voted unanimously that the Neighborhood SolarShares Program meets each of the six requirements. 

In addition, the program guarantees resources that supply power to participating homes will be located in SMUD service territory; renewable power sources will be new and 20 megawatts or less; and assistance to developers and builders to facilitate offering a point of purchase choice option for homebuyers. SMUD also states that participants will see charges and receive credits on their bill at a guaranteed annual net benefit of $10 per kilowatt per year. 

More details are available in SMUD’s revised application and CEC staff review.

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About the California Energy Commission

The California Energy Commission is leading the state to a 100 percent clean energy future. It has seven core responsibilities: developing renewable energy, transforming transportation, increasing energy efficiency, investing in energy innovation, advancing state energy policy, certifying thermal power plants, and preparing for energy emergencies.

For Immediate Release: June 12, 2019

Projects also feature electric vehicle fast charging and battery storage

For Immediate Release: August 14, 2019

Research investments help drive clean energy innovation and entrepreneurship

SACRAMENTO – The California Energy Commission today awarded $3.75 million to 25 early-stage, innovative projects as part of a portfolio of research investments that will help achieve the state’s climate and clean energy goals.

The Energy Commission’s Electric Program Investment Charge program, which drives clean energy innovation and entrepreneurship, funds the California Sustainable Energy Entrepreneur Development (CalSEED) Initiative.

“As we lead the state to a 100 percent clean energy future, funding early-stage concepts will help deliver a new era of sustainability,” said Energy Commission Vice Chair Janea A. Scott. “The technology will also benefit all Californians.”

Since 2017, CalSEED has awarded $12.4 million in EPIC funding to 75 projects statewide to help California entrepreneurs bring early-stage clean energy technologies to market.

Each awardee receives up to $150,000 in initial funding with up to $450,000 available in follow-on funding. In addition to funding, CalSEED provides access to technical expertise, mentoring, and business development training.

Today’s approved grants cover a wide range of early-stage projects in 10 California counties — from the design and demonstration of a solar rooftop-tracking concept to the creation of a small power-generating window that uses microscale photovoltaic cells and quantum dot technology to produce electricity.

A focus of CalSEED is supporting projects that can benefit disadvantaged communities and those impacted by climate change.  Arvind Simhardri of Oakland will use his grant to explore prefabricated affordable housing that includes solar, storage, and community energy management. The homes would provide an affordable, quickly deployed renewable energy solution for those needing transitional housing after disasters such as wildfires and earthquakes.

Another recipient, Takachar of Saratoga, received money for a low-cost, mobile reactor that can turn crop and forest biomass into commercial products such as fuel, fertilizer, or other chemical precursors. Doing so would help reduce carbon emissions and generate power that can produce revenue.

Today’s CalSEED awardees can be found in the following chart.

More details are available in the Energy Commission’s business meeting agenda.

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About the California Energy Commission

The California Energy Commission is leading the state to a 100 percent clean energy future. It has seven core responsibilities: developing renewable energy, transforming transportation, increasing energy efficiency, investing in energy innovation, advancing state energy policy, certifying thermal power plants, and preparing for energy emergencies.

For Immediate Release: March 12, 2019

SACRAMENTO - With another sign that California is reaching its ambitious clean energy goals, the California Energy Commission today approved renewable energy reports covering 40 of the state’s 44 publicly owned electric utilities (POUs).

The Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) establishes intermediate targets for each multi-year compliance period. By the end of the 2014-2016 period, POUs had to procure at least 25 percent of their retail sales from renewable sources. Collectively, 34 of the 40 POUs met or exceeded the requirement. Those 34 represent more than 98 percent of all retail sales by POUs. The remaining six POUs applied for optional compliance measures.

The reports show progress in meeting renewable energy targets since the 2011-2013 compliance period, which required POUs to procure 20 percent of their retail sales from renewable sources. For that period, only 26 POUs met or exceeded the requirement.

The Energy Commission approved two grants totaling more than $4.5 million expected to produce energy savings at different food processing facilities. The grants to Porifera, Inc. through the Bringing Rapid Innovation Development to Green Energy (BRIDGE) program will support an energy savings process for extracting juice concentrate and a water system for treating high-starch wastewater. The facilities are located in the Central Valley and Southern California.

The City of Placerville will save more than $60,000 in annual utility costs by replacing old, inefficient interior and exterior lighting and a heating ventilation and air conditioning system. The 1 percent interest rate loan of nearly $800,000 comes from the Energy Commission's Energy Conservation Assistance Act program, which is a revolving loan program to help local governments, public hospitals and university adopt energy efficiency measures.

Additionally, the Energy Commission approved Los Angeles County's request to adopt enhanced building efficiency standards. Local authorities are required to apply to the Energy Commission to demonstrate their proposed standards are more stringent than state energy standards. The county’s ordinance requires cool roofs for new buildings and alterations to existing buildings. Local standards must be cost effective. Cool roofs reflect the sun rays, reducing the heat that is absorbed into a building.

More details are available in the business meeting agenda.

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About the California Energy Commission
The California Energy Commission is the state's primary energy policy and planning agency. It has seven core responsibilities: advancing state energy policy, encouraging energy efficiency, certifying thermal power plants, investing in energy innovation, developing renewable energy, transforming transportation, and preparing for energy emergencies.