California Energy Commission approves first community solar proposal under 2019 Energy Code
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:
- 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
- Energy Performance - The energy savings must match that of rooftop solar
- Dedicated Energy Savings - The generated solar must be dedicated to the building
- Durability - Proposed facilities must be operational for 20 years
- Additionality – Savings cannot be counted to meet other utility renewable requirements
- 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.
Energy Commission Awards $15 Million for Clean Energy Projects at Agricultural Facilities
For Immediate Release: June 12, 2019
Projects also feature electric vehicle fast charging and battery storage
Energy Commission Awards Nearly $4 Million to Support Early-Stage Clean Energy Projects
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.
Energy Commission Awards Nearly $11 Million to Support Clean Energy Projects
For Immediate Release: May 15, 2019
SACRAMENTO - The California Energy Commission today approved nearly $11 million for clean energy demonstration projects, including biofuels, renewable gas, and microgrids.
The Energy Commission approved a $2 million grant to Technology & Investment Solutions to demonstrate a more sustainable and cost-effective process of creating biomethane from food waste at an existing anaerobic digester in El Mirage. The fuel produced is expected to power a local fleet of waste hauling trucks.
The project was funded by the Energy Commission’s Alternative and Renewable Fuels and Vehicle Technology Program, which supports clean transportation innovation.
The Energy Commission awarded a $2 million grant to West Biofuels and nearly $2 million to Taylor Energy for projects demonstrating innovative technologies to produce renewable gas using wood waste from trees killed by the state’s bark beetle infestation and drought.
The projects were funded by the Energy Commission’s Natural Gas Research Program, which invests in technologies and solutions that help the natural gas sector support California’s energy and environmental goals.
The Energy Commission also approved a nearly $5 million grant to Zero Net Energy Alliance to demonstrate advanced microgrids at schools and residential areas in the City of Lancaster. The project’s distributed energy resources will be integrated and managed by a virtual power plant that optimizes cost savings, revenue generation, and grid resilience. The project hopes to serve as a model for the affordable and feasible deployment of solar photovoltaic generation and battery storage technologies in communities throughout the state.
The Electric Program Investment Charge Program, which supports clean energy research, is funding the project.
The City of San Luis Obispo also received a $3 million, 1 percent Energy Conservation Assistance Act Program loan for a solar energy and hydroelectric generation system at the city’s water treatment plant. The project is expected to produce annual energy savings of more than $265,000.
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.
Energy Commission Adopts Renewable Energy Reports Showing Substantial Progress Toward Goals
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.