eLab Accelerator 2015

San Francisco Solar + Storage for Resiliency

Project Objective

To accelerate the deployment of PV and create a roadmap for using PV as a viable tool for energy security in the event of an emergency.

Project Team Members

Cal Broomhead, Climate and Energy Programs Manager, City and County of San Francisco
Russell Carr, Senior Engineer, Arup
Chris Lotspeich, Director of Sustainability Services, Celtic Energy, Inc.
David Rubin, Director of Service Analysis, PG&E

Project Description

The overarching goal of San Francisco’s Solar+Storage for Resiliency project is to expand the solar market by serving as a national model for integrating solar and energy storage into an existing Emergency Response Plan. The San Francisco Dept. of the Environment (SFE) will draw on the City’s leadership in municipal renewable energy, energy storage, emergency response planning, and climate readiness, and engage a working group of stakeholders and primary partner Arup to create a road map of solar+storage deployment for resilience that includes technical, financing, and policy considerations. SFE will engage regional, state and national networks using various outreach methods, including a best practices manual, trainings, and workshops to disseminate the plan throughout the country.

Progress Made to Date (pre-Accelerator)

Team received final award notification in early January 2015 and will shortly begin work on the project.

Post-Accelerator Outcomes

Assemble and convene a stakeholder working group to be engaged throughout the 2 year project Review existing disaster preparation plans and issue a summary report with working group verification Issue GIS plans (at least 12) that include buildings with power needs in an extended power outage and group into potential microgrid areas Issue high-level findings for the Road Map (regulatory, technical, and financial) with at least 4 case studies, including a fire station, police station, building used for shelter, and another critical power need building. Issue draft financing report with at least one business case from road map case studies and market potential calculation