Shared Solar and Distributed Renewables David Desiderato Shared Solar Organizer November 2018
Our Energy Future Fossil fuels helped build our economy. But now we know the harm they cause: • Increasing costs • Climate crisis: extreme storms, floods, fires, global warming We must cut fossil fuels, through: • Efficiency • Renewable energy Best ways to expand renewables in CT: DG, by “prosumers” • Shared / Community Solar (and other renewables) • Virtual Net Metering (VNM) • Commercial Scale Solar • Residential Solar This presentation: • Status of these strategies and challenges today • What we can all do to move them forward now
Status: Residential Residential Solar About 30,000 CT homes Capacity in CT have gone solar 30000 25000 220 2017 20000 mw 180 2016 15000 mw 2015 10000 5000 2014 August 2017 August 2018 2013 0 Sources: US Energy Information Administration Electricity Monthly Updates - Table 6.2.B https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.cfm?t=epmt_6_02_b CT Green Bank: Section 106 data, through 12/31/17: https://www.energizect.com/sites/default/files/Section%20106%20Data%20for%20Web%202017-12-31.xlsx
Status: Larger, Non-utility Solar Developed through Virtual Net Metering, ZREC, C-PACE and other programs Sources: US Energy Information Administration Electricity Monthly Updates - Table 6.2.B https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.cfm?t=epmt_6_02_b
Status: Same old dirty, risky fuel mx Region’s electricity: 80% natural gas and nuclear. 48% Fuel Sources -- % New England, 2017 31% 8% 3% 3% 3% 2% 1% 1% NATURAL NUCLEAR HYDRO WIND REFUSE WOOD COAL SOLAR OIL GAS Source: ISO New England - 2017 Net Energy and Peak Load : https://www.iso-ne.com/isoexpress/web/reports/load-and-demand/-/tree/net-ener-peak-load/
Why We Need Distributed Generation Our electricity is expensive. Source: US Energy Information Agency – Electric Power Monthly – October 2018 https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.cfm?t=epmt_5_06_a
Rates are high because … Transmission Generation & Distribution 137% 65% 135% Distributed generation reduces transmission and distribution costs Sources : CT DEEP, Comprehensive Energy Strategy, p. 148-9 - http://www.ct.gov/deep/lib/deep/energy/ces/electric_power_sector.pdf
Potential for Solar Solar on rooftops alone could technically supply HALF of our power… …WITHOUT clearing forests or using farmland. Source: National Renewable Energy Lab: Rooftop Solar Photovoltaic Technical Potential in the United States: A Detailed Assessment – January 2016 https://www.nrel.gov/research/publications.html
Potential for Solar By 2050, ALL our power could come from renewables Peoples Action for Clean Energy (PACE) is meeting with towns to plan for 100% Source: The Solutions Project: http://thesolutionsproject.org/infographic/#ct
After years of missed opportunities … 2014 2015 2017 2016
… while other states reaped the benefits of the green economy …. Michigan
... 2018 saw steps forward (and backward). The Good: • Utilities must get more power from renewables The Bad: (RPS) • Limited eligibility, • Shared Solar Program caps, delay • Virtual Net Metering • Still capped • Commercial Solar • Retail rate net Incentives Extended metering program for • rooftop solar replaced Green Bank and with restrictive tariff Efficiency Protections The work ahead: • DEEP and PURA -- proceedings on PA 18-50 • Legislature -- get fair pricing for rooftop and commercial solar and expand shared solar • Local -- ID shared solar sites and show demand
2018 Progress: Shared Solar FINALLY, CT has joined other states to start allowing everyone – especially low and moderate-income customers -- access to renewable power. BUT: lots to be worked out. Good: Unknown: Bad: • • 25 mw/year for 6 years = • Rates could be based Need and demand is much 150mw on lowest bid, or cost- more than 150mw plus, or combination; • • “Use or lose” annual Major set-asides for low- could be more than 1 income and low/mod allotment rate income: • Other eligible customers • • Pilot was complicated, 10%+ of every project must demonstrate they are for LI customers risky for developers; “unable” to do rooftop solar • Additional 10%for LI, program needs to be simpler, more doable MI, or LI groups • Lots to be ironed out in DEEP and PURA • What does “unable” • Businesses, the state, proceedings over next year mean? towns, are all eligible (no more than 50% of a project • Rates unclear • Etc. etc. can be for commercial customer) • Start date January 2020 We can all help move Shared Solar forward by participating in DEEP and PURA proceedings to help develop good program rules! Source: PA 18-50. Section 7
Getting Ready for Shared Solar: 4 local steps we can take 1. ID sites 3. Talk with developers 2. ID subscribers 4. Prepare proposals for early 2020 1. Sites Brownfields Big buildings Parking garages Along highways 250+ closed landfills in CT Source: USSolar Website
Getting Ready for Shared Solar: 4 local steps we can take 2. Subscribers • 800,000 potential • Must be in the same utility service area as the source (Eversource or UI) “Communities of interest:” • Neighborhood residents • Tenant or condo assn. members • Faith group members • Subsidized housing residents • Chamber of Commerce members • ______________________ • ______________________ Variety of structures: • Non-profit 3 rd party developer • • Co-op • NOT: utility-owned
Getting Ready for Shared Solar: 4 local steps we can take 3. Talk with Developers 90+ solar companies in CT Three developers selected for Pilot: Other developers: Resources: • • Ameresco REEBA (Renewable Energy and • C-TEC (Bloomfield Pilot Project) Efficiency Business Assn) • • Capital for Change (Thompson Pilot NECEC (Northeast Clean Energy Project) Council) • • Kearsage Energy CT Green Bank • • MSL Group CT Fund for the Environment • • Verogy National: (CCSA) Coalition for • Pinegate Renewables Community Solar Access Sources: PURA Decision in Dkt 17-06-28; attendees of DEEP Scoping Meeting 11/5/18
2018 Action: Larger Solar Installs (businesses, government, farms) A mix of opportunities and limits … • One year of LREC and ZREC funding streams • Capped at 50mw/year for 6 years (300 mw) total (Virtual Net Metering, commercial, government, farm) • Annual “use or lose” • Start date January 2020 • “Procurement” through auctions, lowest bidder, lots of uncertainties – rates, utility control • DEEP and PURA proceedings over next year … that ignores the potential: Sources: PA 18-50; CT Green Bank Comprehensive Plan, revised July 2018. Note: the market is for a range of energy efficiency services as well as renewable generation. TAM = technical potential; SAM = economic potential
Large Solar -- Virtual Net Metering (VNM) VNM = shared solar for towns, farms and the state Source: http://www.reeba.org/system/wp-content/uploads/Panel-5-VNM.ppt
Large Solar -- Virtual Net Metering (VNM) TOWNS Towns have used VNM for 27 projects totaling 27.3 MW through 2017 (Eversource area) Waiting List 4.8 Newtown landfill: • 4-acre array • Power costs at 6.3c/kwh instead of 9.8c. Approved Police, public works, other town 14.0 facilities. In Service 8.5 Woodstock: 9.3 c/kwh instead of 16 c Source : Eversource, Virtual Net Metering Annual Reports, PURA Docket 11-07-05, Compliance Order #2; towns
Large Solar -- Virtual Net Metering (VNM) FARMS CT’s VNM ended long before Farmers want renewables demand was met. Farms have used VNM for 13 projects totaling 12.2 MW through 2017 (Eversource area) Approved 5.0 In Service 7.3 Sources: Eversource, Virtual Net Metering Annual Reports, PURA Docket 11-07-05, Compliance Order #2; CT Farm Energy Survey 2014, CT Farm Energy Program, https://ctrcd.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/2014_Farm_Energy_Survey.pdf
Large Solar -- Virtual Net Metering (VNM) STATE Renew enewables bles - huge potenti huge potential: al: • 3000 electricity accounts Virtual Net Metering? • 600 million kwh a year • 14 cents/kwh • $84 million in annual electricity costs Efficienc Ef ficiency y – same huge pot same huge potential ential “Lead By Example” efficiency program launched in 2012 Sources: DEEP – Reducing Energy Use at State Facilities -- www.ct.gov/deep/lib/deep/energy/lbe/Reducing_Energy_Use_at_State_Facilities_February_2017.pdf and utility annual reports on VNM to PURA.; Acadia Center report on LBE - http://acadiacenter.org/document/status-of-connecticuts-lead-by-example-energy-efficiency-program-for-state-buildings/
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