Focus
California proposes $100M in energy storage incentives to boost wildfire resiliency
Greentech Media – August 21
California regulators want to direct $100 million in state energy storage incentives to a new class of disadvantaged customers: those living in parts of the state at the highest risk of deadly wildfires. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) issued a proposed decision last week on the “equity budget” within the Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP), the state’s main incentive program for behind-the-meter batteries. The proposed decision would direct $100 million from SGIP’s equity budget to vulnerable households, critical services facilities, and low-income solar program customers in Tier 3 high-fire-threat districts. The proposed decision could be voted on by the CPUC as early as next month.
News
California has five times more clean energy jobs than fossil fuel jobs
The Mercury News - August 20
Clean energy jobs in California now outnumber jobs in the fossil fuel industry five to one, according to a new study released this Tuesday by Environmental Entrepreneurs, a non-profit group. More than 512,000 people are employed in jobs related to clean energy, from installing solar panels to building electric cars. Such studies are often controversial because experts disagree about how clean energy and fossil fuel jobs should be defined. Jim Sweeney, a professor of management and engineering at Stanford University and former director of Stanford’s Precourt Energy Efficiency Center, said the numbers in the new study are accurate and the organizations that released it are credible. But, nearly two-thirds of the jobs described as clean jobs are in energy efficiency, he noted.
Tesla solar panels caused fires at 7 Walmart stores, retailer alleges
Los Angeles Times - August 20
Walmart Inc. sued Tesla Inc., claiming it failed to live up to industry standards in the installation of solar panels on top of hundreds of stores, resulting in multiple fires across the U.S. Tesla is best known for its electric cars, but its solar unit acquired in 2016 had sought to sell solar power plus batteries for storing electricity to commercial businesses eager to reduce their electric bills and carbon footprints. Walmart was an early customer of SolarCity’s rooftop solar panels as well as Tesla’s batteries, and has preordered the company’s electric semi-truck, which is not yet in production.
Projects
If Morro Bay gets a wind farm, here’s who would buy the electricity
The Tribune - August 16
Castle Wind LLC has entered into an agreement with a community choice energy agency, Monterey Bay Community Power, outlining their shared interests in establishing a floating offshore wind project off the Central California coast. Under the memorandum of understanding announced last week, Monterey Bay Community Power will buy about 1,000 megawatts of renewable energy from Castle Wind once a Morro Bay wind project is realized. If awarded a lease from the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Castle Wind anticipates producing 1,000 megawatts of renewable energy by about 2025. Castle Wind, a joint venture between Trident Winds Inc. and EnBW North America Inc., first expressed an interest in a plot of ocean outside of San Simeon, now known as the Morro Bay call area, in 2016.
Avangrid to sell wind energy to CalChoice
North American Windpower – August 20
Avangrid Renewables has announced three new power purchase agreements (PPAs) with the California Choice Energy Authority (CalChoice). CalChoice will buy the entire output of the 22.44-megawatt Mountain View III Wind Farm starting in 2021 on behalf of three of its members: Apple Valley Choice Energy, the Rancho Mirage Energy Authority, and Lancaster Choice Energy. The Mountain View III project is located in Palm Springs. CalChoice is a joint powers authority created by the cities of Lancaster and San Jacinto.
Large solar project proposed in southwest Colorado
The Journal – August 15
Invenergy, a Chicago-based renewable energy company, has submitted a bid to build a $127 million solar project near Pleasant View, Colorado, to provide power for Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association Inc. Selection of a winning bid by Tri-State is expected to be announced later this year. The proposed project would generate 127 megawatts, enough to power 32,000 homes.