Anonymous
Solar parking canopies shading school buses at Analy High School, a Sage Energy site in the West Sonoma County Union High School District.
Source: Clean Coalition
The Santa Barbara Unified School District (SBUSD) has unanimously approved an ambitious initiative with the Clean Coalition, a nonprofit organization, and Sage Energy Consulting to stage solar-driven microgrids and electric vehicle charging infrastructure (EVCI) at schools throughout the District. The microgrids will feature solar and energy storage that can provide long-duration resilience, along with EVCI that supports District staff and students during the day — and provides overnight charging options for neighbors who have challenges installing electric vehicle chargers where they live.
As deadly wildfires and Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) become the “new normal” in California, communities are increasingly turning to renewables-driven microgrids to maintain power for their most critical loads during grid outages that can last for days or potentially weeks. To bring these communities unparalleled economic, environmental, and resilience benefits, the Clean Coalition has been designing and staging Community Microgrids in California and beyond, including the Goleta Load Pocket Community Microgrid, which can ultimately provide indefinite renewables-driven resilience to the grid-vulnerable Santa Barbara region.
A Community Microgrid is a new approach for designing and operating electric grids. Going beyond traditional microgrids, which serve only a single customer, Community Microgrids can serve entire communities by providing indefinite renewables-driven resilience to the most critical community loads — and serve all loads for significant portions of time.
The levels of solar-driven resilience in this chart are achieved in California via a net zero level of solar combined with energy storage capacity equating to two hours of the nameplate solar production (for example, 200 kWh of energy storage for 100 kW of solar):
Schools are ideal sites for solar-driven microgrids, because they are located throughout our communities and often serve as emergency shelters. With large parking lots, schools are also well situated to benefit from solar parking canopies and EVCI. Schools can facilitate electric vehicle (EV) adoption by significantly increasing the number of publicly accessible charging stations — and providing access to neighborhoods that have limited options for charging at home. Apartment buildings, for example, have been notoriously slow in adopting EVCI.
The Clean Coalition and Sage Energy will conduct feasibility analyses for solar-driven microgrids and EVCI at all 18 SBUSD sites, and as determined to be feasible, follow by designing and executing a request for proposal (RFP) process to select a developer to build, own, and operate the microgrids under a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA). The aim is to contract the developer by June 2020.
The anticipated PPA structure will ensure that the SBUSD is free from any upfront investments and avoids all other obligations beyond paying for delivered energy. Hence, the SBUSD will pay only for electricity delivered by the systems, at a rate anticipated to be no higher than what the District would otherwise pay to Southern California Edison.An initial analysis by the Clean Coalition identified over 15 megawatts (MW) of solar potential on SBUSD schools — the majority in the form of solar parking canopies. Seven of the sites are within low-income communities and could qualify for a pending enhanced energy storage incentive from the State of California that is intended to facilitate community resilience.
“The Santa Barbara Unified School District is showing tremendous leadership in planning solar-driven microgrids and electric vehicle charging to support the community,” said Craig Lewis, Executive Director of the Clean Coalition. “The District is taking a major step toward a resilient electricity system for the Santa Barbara region; and as one of the most important property owners in the region, the District is providing a shining example for others to follow.”
Importantly, in addition to advancing the SBUSD’s commitment to sustainability, these new energy advancements will provide education opportunities in the schools.
“Beyond providing a foundational education, our schools offer places of refuge that are relied upon in times of need,” stated Laura Capps, School Board President, SBUSD, during the public meeting that approved the contract to stage solar-driven microgrids and EVCI. “Sustainability and resilience are critical, and I am proud of the unanimous support being shown in this effort across the District’s Board, Superintendent, and other District leadership — and positive embrace by the broad community is greatly appreciated.”
About the Clean Coalition
The Clean Coalition is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to accelerate the transition to renewable energy and a modern grid through technical, policy, and project development expertise. The Clean Coalition drives policy innovation to remove barriers to procurement and interconnection of distributed energy resources (DER) — such as local renewables, energy storage, advanced inverters, demand response, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure (EVCI) — and we establish market mechanisms that realize the full potential of integrating DER solutions. In addition to being active in numerous proceedings before state and federal agencies throughout the United States, the Clean Coalition collaborates with utilities, community choice agencies, municipalities, and other jurisdictions to create near-term deployment opportunities that prove the technical and economic viability of local renewables and other DER.
About Sage Energy Consulting
Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Sage Energy Consulting provides energy project assessment, planning, development, management and operational support services. Sage has managed more than $2 billion of energy projects for clients, resulting in $300+ million in energy savings for more than 100 public- and private-sector clients. Sage provides industry-leading expertise and project management in solar, energy efficiency, energy master planning, battery storage, microgrids, transportation fleet electrification, zero net energy buildings (ZNE), and asset management.
City of Goleta, where you at?
It would be good to see a summary of how this microgrid compares to other alternatives. For example natural gas backup power costs a small fraction of what solar/battery backup power costs. Why was that alternative rejected?
Probably because, although it’s cheaper at the moment, it’s not smarter for the long term.
Power backup at schools is a great idea to benefit the students and surrounding community in the event of an emergency. As a schools goal is to improve our highest priority resource, this is one area where cost efficiency should trump (please don’t go there) green initiatives.
Sounds good. I hope they’ve thought through the other costs associated with community access to vehicle charging, including security, night lighting, trash pickup and removal, wear and tear of parking and access areas, vandalism, and noise (such as car doors slamming at all hours and travelers hanging out while getting a quick charge).
you did read that this is for us, our city. not travelers per say right? this isnt a super charger station, this is a microgrid to power our city. not saying travelers wouldnt use the system, but that is not the primary use of this, and more than likely NOT what it would be used for. There is a charger at Peabody charter now, and I dont see “travelers” parking there to charge. Just wanted to make sure you read the article in entirety and understand what the term “microgrid” means
It would light up the world if SBUSD successfully educated the majority of students in reading, writing, math and basic skills. But it doesn’t, so cheer your duly elected SBUSD board members for yet another PR savvy local consolation prize. Huzzah, huzzah.
I can just imagine the critics of this program protesting that New Englanders were not buying Clipper ships anymore. Why this resistance and harsh attitude toward those who look forward? Tomorrow will be a lot different than today…let’s work to make that difference nicer.
I read the article, and there’s no info as to how or if the charging stations will be community exclusive, and issues around trash, security, etc remain even with our enlightened local citizenry..