Accelerating Solar on a Local Level Update from Austin

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Accelerating Solar on a Local Level

Update from Austin

Solar Power International 2008 San Diego, CA

October 15th

Michael Kuhn, ImagineSolar

[email protected] www.imaginesolar.com

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Palmer

Events Center Parking Garage Austin, Texas

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Dynamics for Success

Creating Breakthrough Models

• Setting goals

• Conducting analysis • Purchasing solar assets • Developing the workforce • Involving the community • Re-visioning our utility

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Dynamics for Success

Creating Breakthrough Models

• Setting goals

» SEED, Public Citizen, Solar Austin, Resource

Management Commission (COA) (2003-2004)

» Climate Protection Plan (2008) • Conducting analysis

• Purchasing solar assets • Developing the workforce • Involving the community

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Public Citizen, Solar Austin, Resource Management

Commission (COA)

• Goals specific for solar energy

• Solar electric integration into demand-side management

• Budget funding for clean energy industry economic development • 20% RPS to replace the 5% goal

• Meeting all future demand for electric power with clean energy • Amendments to AE’s proposed energy resource plan

Results:

Approval of a new RPS of 20% by 2020 to replace the former goal of 5% by end 2004;

Approval of solar rebates for the commercial and residential sectors;

Approval of goals for solar energy of 15MW by 2007, 30MW by 2010, 50MW by 2014, and 100MW by 2020;

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COA Climate Protection Plan

• Achieve 700 MW in savings through energy efficiency and conservation by 2020.

• Meet 30% of all energy needs through renewable resources by 2020, including 100 MW of solar power. • Achieve carbon neutrality on any new generation units

through lowest emission technologies, carbon sequestration and offsets.

• Establish CO2 cap and reduction plan for all utility emissions.

• Power 100% of city facilities with renewable energy by 2012.

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Dynamics for Success

Creating Breakthrough Models

• Setting goals

– SEED, Public Citizen, Solar Austin, Resource Management Commission (2003-2004) – Climate Protection Plan (2008)

• Conducting analysis

» Value of Solar Study (2006)

» Sustainable Energy Roadmap (2008-2009)

• Purchasing solar assets • Developing the workforce • Involving the community

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Source: Austin Energy presentation to the RMC on 09/15/08

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ABIA Taxicab Staging Area

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Sustainable Energy Roadmap

2008-2009

• The City of Austin and Solar Austin have commissioned this policy research project with the LBJ School of Public Affairs (UT) to review options for Austin’s electric utility, Austin Energy, to achieve

sustainable energy generation and become carbon neutral by 2020. • The Roadmap will take into account:

– (a) projected energy needs;

– (b) available and reasonably anticipated technology for energy conservation, efficiency and energy generation;

– (c) economic costs of production and distributing electricity as well as carbon dioxide, nuclear waste and other byproducts of energy

generation;

– (d) planning challenges; and

– (e) options for community investment.

• The goal of this process is to develop a reasonable set of short-term and long-term investments that can become a model for other

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Dynamics for Success

Creating Breakthrough Models

• Setting goals

• Conducting analysis

– Value of Solar Study (2006)

– Sustainable Energy Roadmap (2008-2009) • Purchasing solar assets

» Power SaverTM Program: Solar Rebates _{(2004-Ongoing)} » City of Austin RFP for 30MW (2008)

• Developing the workforce • Involving the community

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PV Rebate Program Summary

Source: Austin Energy

2,425 677 585 550 587 26 kW @ STC AC 3,302,913 928,187 765,537 679,095 886,242 43,852 kWH Savings $10,840,402 $3,012,882 $2,451,580 $2,379,307 $2,867,704 $128,929 Total Rebates $3,292,861 $1,249,082 $700,479 $305,206 $1,026,616 $11,478 Commercial Rebates $7,547,540 $1,763,799 $1,751,101 $2,074,101 $1,841,088 $117,451 Residential Rebates 625 156 148 166 145 10 Total Rebates 48 20 11 4 12 1 Commercial Rebates 577 136 137 162 133 9 Residential Rebates Total FY08 FY07 FY06 FY05 FY04 Fiscal Year

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Rebate Level History

Source: Austin Energy

$ 0.15

$ 4.5

2008

$ 0.15

$ 4.5

2007

$ 0.13 - 0.15

$ 4.0-4.5

2006

$ 0.15

$ 4.5

2005

$ 0.17

$ 5.0

2004

Rebate Level

($/kWh)

Rebate Level

($/Watt)

Year

Assumptions: 1 kW STC AC produces 1500 kWh annually.

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Dynamics for Success

Creating Breakthrough Models

• Setting goals

– Sustainable Energy Roadmap (2008-2009)

• Purchasing solar assets

– Power SaverTM _{Program: Solar Rebates (2004-Ongoing)} – City of Austin RFP for 30MW (2008)

• Developing the workforce

» Austin Community College (2005-ongoing) • Involving the community

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Solar Industry Workforce Development

• Texas State Energy Conservation Office (SECO), Interstate

Renewable Energy Council (IREC), Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), Workforce Solutions, Austin Community College (ACC)

• North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) • Started development in 2005; First classes in 2006; Over 300

students (including Fall 2008 semester) • ACC Department of Continuing Education

– HART 1071 Solar Electric Systems, Entry-Level – HART 1072 Advanced Solar Photovoltaic Installer

– HART 1073 Solar Hot Water and Pool Heating Systems • ACC Department of Electronics and Advanced Technologies

– ELMT 2474 Solar Photovoltaic Systems

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Dynamics for Success

Creating Breakthrough Models

• Setting goals

– Power SaverTM _{Program: Solar Rebates (2004-Ongoing)} – City of Austin RFP for 30MW (2008)

• Developing the workforce

– Austin Community College (2005-ongoing) • Involving the community

» “Austin Smart Energy” public-participation process

(2008-2009)

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Involving the Community

• Last month Austin Mayor Will Wynn and Austin Energy General Manager Roger Duncan announced details of an eight-month

community-wide public participation process to solicit feedback on future power generation options for Austin Energy.

• The “Austin Smart Energy” Public Participation Process • Public information campaign

Resource guide on current energy resources, options Brochures, bill stuffers, ads, Channel 6 video

Web site to inform and solicit public input Documents, Calendar, Blog

• Broad-based, inclusive public input process Town Hall Meetings

Presentations, discussions with stakeholder groups

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Dynamics for Success

Creating Breakthrough Models

• Setting goals

– Value of Solar Study (2006-Ongoing)

– Power SaverTM_{Program: Solar Rebates (2004-Ongoing)} – City of Austin RFP for 30MW (2008)

– Austin Community College (2005-Ongoing)

• Involving the community

– “Austin Smart Energy” public-participation process (2008-2009)

• Re-visioning our electric utility

» Engine of economic growth for the Clean Energy

Industry; from ACE Initiative to Chamber of Commerce

» “The Pecan Street Project”: Austin Energy opens its grid

to entrepreneurs and researchers to test their prototype technologies (2008-Onward)

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The Pecan Street Project

• Create a consortium: The city of Austin will help create and fund a new local, public/private consortium devoted to the research and development of clean energy technologies and distributed generation systems. It will thus work to reduce energy consumption, air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions.

• City as lab: Austin Energy will open its grid to entrepreneurs and

researchers to test a few megawatts of their prototype technologies – after ensuring they pose no threat to our energy system's safety and reliability. • Create business model: As the consortium develops a new distributed

generation system for clean energy, Austin Energy will correspondingly develop a new profitable business model for the utility's services.

• Show the world how it works: Austin will become the first city to test-drive the new system and business model. As a result, we'll enjoy energy savings that will – in theory – prevent the need for an entire new power plant.

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Dynamics for Success

Creating Breakthrough Models

• Setting goals

– Value of Solar Study (2006-Ongoing)

– Power SaverTM _{Program: Solar Rebates (2004-Ongoing)}

– City of Austin RFP for 30MW (2008)

– Austin Community College (2005-Ongoing)

• Involving the community

– “Austin Smart Energy” public-participation process (2008-2009)

• Re-visioning our electric utility

– Engine of economic growth for the Clean Energy Industry

– “The Pecan Street Project”: Austin Energy opens its grid to entrepreneurs and researchers to test their prototype technologies