HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 07 - Application for the California Resiliency Challenge Grant
Department Name: Utilities
Cost Center: 6002
For Agenda of: March 3, 2020
Placement: Consent
Estimated Time: N/A
FROM: Aaron Floyd, Utilities Director
Prepared By: David Hix, Deputy Director - Wastewater
Chris Lehman, WRRF Supervisor
SUBJECT: AUTHORIZE APPLICATION FOR THE CALIFORNIA RESILIENCY
CHALLENGE GRANT
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Approve of Utility Staff’s preparation and submission of a grant application (Attachment A)
for the California Resiliency Challenge Grant Project; and
2. Authorize the City Manager, or their designee, to execute the required grant application
documentation and, should the grant funds be awarded, make the necessary budget
adjustments.
DISCUSSION
Background
As a result of proximity to fire zones and Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events, the City of
San Luis Obispo’s (City) critical infrastructure may be subject to extended power outages.
Threats to continued operation may also come from extreme weather events such as flooding.
The City seeks to incorporate further resiliency into its critical infrastructure to withstand current
and future climate-related disruptions. The City has also adopted an aggressive Climate Action
Plan with a community goal of carbon neutrality by 2035 which will require thoughtful and
innovative planning to determine the best ways to achieve this objective.
Feasibility Study of a Zero-Net-Carbon Microgrid
To assist in meeting these challenges and further the resiliency of its Water Resource Recovery
Facility (which provides critical wastewater treatment and water recycling services to the
community), staff is seeking a California Resiliency Challenge (CRC) grant to fund the study of
the technical and economic feasibility of a zero-net-carbon microgrid at the City’s Water
Resource Recovery Facility (WRRF). Microgrids differentiate themselves from a traditional grid
configuration in that they allow the customer to disconnect or “island” the facility from PG&E in
the event of an emergency to seamlessly sustain internal operations.
Currently undergoing a major, three and a half year-long facility renovation (SLO Water Plus), a
microgrid could enable the WRRF to generate a significant portion of the around-the-clock
power needed to operate the facility, increase resiliency during power outages, and dramatically
reduce its carbon footprint. This study will analyze a biogas-fueled fuel cell, paired with solar
and energy storage. Emissions generated by the fuel cell are limited to carbon dioxide and water.
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The carbon in the carbon dioxide is from terrestrial biomass and does not result in any net carbon
addition to the environment. This allows for a substantial reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions over the biogas-fueled internal combustion engine currently installed at the WRRF. It
may also allow the WRRF to minimize use of a carbon-intensive diesel-powered backup
generator. Increased operational resiliency, reduced carbon footprint, and the potential to offset
facility operational costs make the fuel cell microgrid system an attractive solution for the City to
explore through this feasibility study.
This funded study would be a collaboration with the Office of Sustainability, the Utilities
Department, and a contracted engineering firm. While the Utilities Department’s WRRF staff
will take the lead in data collection and coordination with the contractor, they will be seeking
collaborative input and guidance from the Office of Sustainability to ensure the direction of the
study is in alignment with the City’s Climate Action Plan. If a grant is awarded to the City, staff
would return to Council for approval and to execute the grant agreement. The feasibility study
would take approximately 12 months to complete. The feasibility study would provide the
technical and economic analysis necessary to fast track a project for design and construction, and
secure significantly enhanced Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) Self Generation Incentive Program
(SGIP) biogas resiliency incentives, as well as new resiliency financing available through
Monterey Bay Community Power’s “Uninterruptable Power Supply” fund. The proposed project
could potentially be incorporated into a larger City project or be constructed at a later date
dependent on any scheduling conflicts and requirements of selected funding mechanisms.
Staff discovered this opportunity late in the process. A grant application was due on February 7,
2020 and has been submitted by staff as the funding for this work effort is consistent with Major
City Goals and current work programs The application can be withdrawn should Council determine
that it does not want to compete for this opportunity..
Policy Context
The project is consistent with the City’s Major Goals of fiscal sustainability and responsibility,
and climate action.
Public Outreach
The City has obtained letters of support for this grant application from various community
climate action groups including the SLO Climate Coalition and Monterey Bay Community
Power. Staff have also involved various California Polytechnic State University faculty in early
project brainstorming discussions.
CONCURRENCES
Community Development concurs with the environmental review findings.
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ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Preparation of the grant application and adoption of the proposed Resolution is not a "project"
under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), because the action does not involve
any commitment to a specific project which may result in a potentially significant physical
impact on the environment, as contemplated by Title 14, California Code of Regulations, Section
15378. Furthermore, as the grant application is a feasibility or planning study, it qualifies for
statutory exemption 15262.
FISCAL IMPACT
Budgeted: N/A Budget Year: FY 19-20
Funding Identified: N/A
Fiscal Analysis:
Funding Sources Current FY Cost Annualized
On-going Cost Total Project Cost
General Fund N/A
State
Federal
Fees
Total 0 0
The proposed grant amount for the Feasibility Study is $200,000. There is no additional fiscal
impact associated with the recommended action to prepare and submit a grant application. There
is no local match portion required for this grant. Grant funding would allow the City to award
contracted services to perform the feasibility study. If awarded, $200,000 is sufficient to perform
the study, and will not require augmentation from the Sewer fund.
ALTERNATIVE
Deny the authorization to prepare and submit the grant application. The Council could
decide to require staff to withdraw the grant application. Staff does not recommend this option,
as there is a favorable likelihood that the City will secure this grant.
Attachments:
a - California Resiliency Challenge Grant Application - San Luis Obispo
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California Resiliency Challenge
Powering Zero Net Carbon Resiliency at San Luis Obispo’s
Water Resource Recovery Facility (WRRF)
Proposed Feasibility Study for a Clean Microgrid to Enable Continuous Facility
Operation, Emergency Vehicle EV Charging, and Ensure Community Health and
Safety in an Extended Power Outage
SUBMITTED BY
City of San Luis Obispo
With: Alternative Energy Systems Consulting, Inc. (AESC)
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Alternative Energy Systems Consulting, Inc. (AESC), our technical partner on this grant
application, will conduct the feasibility study and serve as project manager for this initiative.
AESC brings 25 years of energy expertise and deep subject matter expertise in wastewater
treatment systems, distributed energy resources, the Self Generation Incentive Program, and
resiliency with the following programmatic expertise:
•Wastewater Treatment: AESC currently supports the City's WRRF on facility energy
optimization and emerging technologies evaluations, funded through PG&E' s energy
efficiency programs, and Southern California Edison (SCE) emerging technologies program.
They are working with more than 25 wastewater treatment facilities throughout California on
energy management.
•SGIP Administration and DER Expertise: Since 2003, AESC has administered the Self
Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) on behalf of PG&E, SCE and SoCalGas. They have
been the lead statewide technical and policy advisor and have conducted technical and
economic studies on microgrids, energy storage technologies, and fuel cells. AESC performs
thousands of SGIP and CA Solar Initiative application reviews and inspections each year.
•Resiliency Studies: AESC is currently conducting power resiliency studies for customers
including the State of California and community college districts, supported by their affiliate
company EVA Green Power (EGP), a licensed electrical contractor focused on turnkey
Distributed Energy Resources (DER) implementation. EGP will provide an important role in
the high-level design, sizing and specification of equipment.
For over a decade, the City's WRRF has fostered research, development, and internship
programs in collaboration with California Polytechnic University and Cuesta College to train
operators and engineers of the future and redefine industry standards of wastewater treatment.
We plan to leverage this regional partnership in our resiliency action plan. In 2015, San Luis
Obispo became the first city in the State to implement a design-build energy efficiency program
sponsored by PG&E known as Sustainable Solutions Turnkey (SST). This model has since been
replicated in numerous agencies across the State, an example of the City's dedication to leading
by example.
As recognized municipal leaders in urgently addressing climate action and resiliency, the City is
excited to be first in California to demonstrate the feasibility of a zero-net-carbon microgrid,
base loaded with biogas from our Water Resource Recovery Facility.
Aaron Floyd
Utilities Director
City of San Luis Obispo
afloyd@slocity.org
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California Resiliency Challenge
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
2 – PROJECT SUMMARY DESCRIPTION .................................................................................. 2
3 – GRANT AMOUNT REQUESTED ........................................................................................... 3
4 – RESILIENCE CHALLENGES THE PROJECT ADDRESSES ................................................ 3
5 – OTHER PROJECT ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA ........................................................................... 4
6 – STATE LAW REQUIREMENTS ............................................................................................ 10
7 – SCOPE OF WORK ............................................................................................................... 11
Task 1: Project Kickoff and On-Site Evaluation .......................................................................... 11
Task 2: Biogas Augmentation Analysis ....................................................................................... 12
Task 3: Low Power Operating Mode Analysis and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) ....... 13
Task 4: Initial Resiliency Scenarios Analysis .............................................................................. 13
Task 5: Detailed Resiliency Feasibility Study ............................................................................. 14
Task 6: CRC Case Study ............................................................................................................ 15
8 – PROJECT TIMELINE ............................................................................................................ 16
9 – LOCAL SUPPORT AND APPROVALS ................................................................................ 17
10 – OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDS ......................................................................................... 17
11 – USE OF FUNDS ................................................................................................................. 18
12 – DELIVERABLES ................................................................................................................. 18
Deliverable 1 (Task 1): Kickoff Notes .......................................................................................... 18
Deliverable 2 (Task 2): Biogas Augmentation Analysis Report .................................................. 18
Deliverable 3 (Task 3): Low Power Operating Mode Analysis Report ........................................ 19
Deliverable 4 (Task 3): Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) ................................................. 19
Deliverable 5 (Task 4): Resiliency Scenario Analysis Presentation ............................................ 19
Deliverable 6 (Task 5). Detailed Resiliency Feasibility Study Report ......................................... 19
Deliverable 7 (Task 6): CRC Case Study ................................................................................... 20
13 – ACCESS TO SITE .............................................................................................................. 21
APPENDIX A – LETTERS OF SUPPORT .................................................................................. 21
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2 – PROJECT SUMMARY DESCRIPTION
The City of San Luis Obispo (the City) is seeking California Resiliency Challenge (CRC)
funding to study the technical and economic feasibility of an unprecedented, zero-net-carbon
microgrid at the City’s Water Resource Recovery Facility (WRRF), which provides critical
wastewater treatment and water recycling for the community.
Currently undergoing a major, three-
year facility renovation (SLO Water
Plus), the proposed microgrid will
enable the new facility to provide
around-the-clock services with a
dramatically reduced carbon
footprint. Powered by a clean, 100%
biogas-fueled Bloom Energy fuel
cell and paired with solar and
storage, the grid would be sized to
provide uninterrupted operations and
electric vehicle charging for the City
and other government emergency
vehicles during a planned or
unplanned extended power outage. It
would also enable the City to avoid the use of a carbon-intensive, 1MW diesel-powered backup
generator.
The City and its municipal infrastructure are vulnerable to extended power outages as a result of
proximity to Tier 2 and 3 fire zones and Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events. Threats to
continued operation also come from fire, flood and drought. The City is committed to carbon
neutrality by 2035 and to urgent action that will reinforce its infrastructure to withstand current
and future climate-related disruption.
The City is the lead agency and would coordinate internal efforts between the City’s Transit
Division, Office of Sustainability, Utilities Department, SLO Climate Coalition, Monterey Bay
Community Power, Bloom Energy, and other partners. The Feasibility Study would commence
in the spring of 2020, or upon notice to proceed, and would last approximately 30 weeks.
The proposed project would be incorporated into a larger city project; The City is in the process
of a $140 million project upgrade to their entire treatment process between 2019 and 2023
(“SLO Water Plus”), to rehabilitate critical infrastructure, expand treatment plant capacity, and
reinforce the Facility as a community asset through odor control and expanded educational
programming. The drivers of SLO Water Plus include complying with updated National
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit requirements, modernizing equipment
The City’s WRRF Team
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and processes, and addressing climate change impacts. The City is building additional capacity
to handle new peak wet weather flows from extreme weather events, maximizing flexibility in
operations to handle climate variability, and maximizing recycled water production in line with
statewide goals for expanded recycled water use. Equipment for SLO Water Plus was carefully
selected to maximize compatibility with future potable reuse.
Without a parallel project to SLO Water Plus in the form of the proposed microgrid, the City will
not be able to meet its aggressive carbon neutrality goals. With the electrification of the City’s
entire vehicle fleet, a lack of a robust power source in the event of a power outage could leave
the community vulnerable. The proposed Feasibility Study would enable the City to overcome
these challenges and realize its important goals.
3 – GRANT AMOUNT REQUESTED
A grant of $181,023 is requested to cover AESC’s costs related to completion of the Feasibility
Study deliverables, and the City’s labor and direct costs required to complete the study.
4 – RESILIENCE CHALLENGES THE PROJECT ADDRESSES
The City’s SLO Water Plus efforts mitigates and addresses a myriad of regional climate
resiliency and adaptation needs including safely handling peak wet weather flows and producing
recycled water for use in landscape irrigation, dust mitigation, agriculture and future potable
reuse. Water from the facility also protects and enhances San Luis Obispo Creek, a habitat for
multiple endangered species.
The City’s proposal is focused not only on
the ability to keep this critical
infrastructure operational, compliant, safe
and sustainable in the event of a power
grid failure, but also on ensuring that daily
operations don’t exacerbate the climate
emergency further. Maintaining operations
during fire, flood and drought is critical;
reducing the infrastructure’s carbon
footprint is equally so. The City faces
multiple resiliency challenges:
Vulnerability to Fire – The City and the
WRRF are vulnerable to fire and
unplanned and planned power outages.
The City’s Tier 2 and 3 Fire Threat Zones
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The City territory includes areas identified as both Tier 2 and Tier 3 fire zones according to the
CPUC’s Fire Threat Map.
Vulnerability to Drought – SLO Water Plus was designed to enhance the City’s water portfolio
and ensure drought resiliency. By 2022, the infrastrucure will be in place for the City to consider
potable reuse while simultaneously delivering high quality water to landscape and agricultural
irrigation, air quality control measures, aid in regional efforts to secure a sustainabile
groundwater basin and provide habitat for the endangered steelhead trout and red-legged frog. A
clean-energy micro-grid will allow the City to supply that water with little-to-no embodied
energy.
Vulnerability to Flooding – The WRRF is
situated at the lowest elevation in the City,
by design. This presents unique challenges
to the continued operation of the facility
during extreme weather events like floods.
Without an island-able grid providing
sustained power, flood waters can overtake
the low-lying plant and sweep raw sewage
into protected habitats. There is a homeless
shelter directly across the street that is
equally susceptible to flooding. In an
emergency and power outage, the WRRF’s
grid can provide essential vehicle charging
stations if evacuations become necessary.
Providing Community Power and Vehicle Charging – As part of the City’s climate action
roadmap, there is strong momentum underway to electrify the City’s municipal fleet by 2040,
which would include public transportation, police, fire, and essential public works and utilities
workers. This plan must come with parallel solutions to ensure safe and reliable vehicle charging
when the grid goes down in an emergency. The WRRF is a uniquely situated to provide this
service due to the constant source of baseload in the form of biogas energy generation potential.
5 – OTHER PROJECT ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
5.a – Is the resilience planning effort integrated with or can fast track project
implementation/ delivery?
The proposed power resiliency feasibility study and resulting project will be integrated as a part
of the SLO Water Plus project, which is scheduled for completion by 2023. CRC funding for this
Flood Zones Surrounding WWRF
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feasibility study will accelerate the City’s ability to scope, size, finance and procure the project
as quickly as possible, including the ability to secure incentives, determine terms and conditions
for Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) financing, and procure engineering feasibility services to
complete the microgrid project in coordination with the Water Plus project. Fast-tracking this
microgrid project through this grant opportunity will ensure that committed construction includes
this forward-looking climate resiliency project.
5.b – Does the project enjoy community support from elected officials, neighborhood
associations, business and civil leadership organizations, environmental advocacy and
environmental justice groups, etc.?
The potential measures proposed in the grant application, including exploration of a fuel cell,
PV, and storage, are in alignment with Council’s carbon neutrality target for City operations (by
2030), as well as the City’s 2019-21 Major Goals of fiscal sustainability and climate action
(which includes greenhouse gas emissions reductions and community resilience). The Climate
Action Plan has a stated goal of pursuing renewable energy projects and considering adaptation
strategies to reduce energy transmission requirements to improve energy security for the City.
In addition, the Transportation section of
the Climate Action Plan calls for vehicle
electrification strategies, including an
implementation strategy to investigate local
and federal funding for transit upgrade
projects. As the City strives to model
municipal sustainability regionally, the
City has worked to incorporate these goals
and objectives into the operating charters
of its departments, as well as its major
capital projects and initiatives. The result is
that city planning goes beyond simple first
cost financial metrics to consider
economic, environmental and social
impacts of design decisions.
The proposed feasibility study supports carbon neutrality goals, clean energy goals, vehicle
electrification goals, and potentially organic diversion goals. It also achieves many of the
WWRF goals below which include:
• Economic goals: Optimizing capital investment; maximizing value for ratepayer investment;
incorporating flexibility and scalability to adapt to future conditions; optimizing application
of appropriate technology.
WWRF Fostering Community
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• Environmental goals: Maximizing sustainable resource recovery; incorporating
sustainability practices in planning, design, construction and operation.
• Social goals: Creating and sustaining diverse partnerships that add value to the community;
providing an interpretive center and dedicated features to engage and educate the community;
being a good neighbor; engendering the trust of project stakeholders.
Attached are letters of support from the City’s Utilities Director, Sustainability Manager, a local
501(c)(3), the SLO Climate Coalition, and the Monterrey Bay Community Power CCA.
5.c – Will the project help protect critical infrastructure?
The core goal of this project is to protect critical infrastructure and enabling continuous
operations of the WRRF. Maintaining WRRF operations is critical to ensure public health and
safety. The community’s public health and safety can be seriously compromised by untreated
waste discharges, odors and toxic fumes that can result from interrupted plant operations.
Furthermore, the plant’s current backup solution, a 1MW diesel generator, causes air pollutants
which when operated negatively impact local air quality and exacerbate health and safety
impacts on vulnerable populations. The diesel generator also does not align with the city’s
aggressive climate goals for municipal climate neutrality by 2030. In addition, the project
enables the planned municipal electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
5.d – Will the project benefit disadvantaged or vulnerable communities, and will it help
build or support leadership in those communities?
The proposed project will benefit the entire community of San Luis Obispo, including low
income and disadvantaged populations. By developing a source of clean, reliable, and free
power, the City is insulating key services and ratepayers from fluctuating energy costs.
The proposed microgrid would support municipal operations in an emergency by providing
community power and vehicle charging, enabling transport of low income, elderly, unhoused and
other disadvantaged community members who may lack access to personal transportation in an
emergency. For example, directly
across the street from the WRRF
is the Community Action
Partnership of San Luis Obispo
Homeless Services Center,
providing overnight shelter to
families and individuals in need,
transition support services, and
other emergency services, such
as warming centers and mail or
phone services.
SLO Transit Buses
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Finally, the plan also supports the SLO Regional Transportation Plan. Because many residents of
the region are students and rely on public transportation daily, the City is planning for a regional
transportation hub and connection with local communities. The proposed project would provide
a source of resilient power for transportation in a regionwide outage.
5.e – Does the project achieve multiple benefits across sectors (e.g., public health and safety
is enhanced while also improving environmental conditions)?
The proposed project will ensure operational continuity to support the following public health
and safety and environmental considerations:
• Wet Weather Flows: Ability to treat peak wet weather flows in a severe wet weather event
and avoid overflows which have negative health and safety impacts on the population.
• Recycled Water: Ability to continue to produce recycled water for the following
environmental benefits: 1) municipal irrigation, 2) mitigation of construction dust in the City
which itself has negative health and safety impacts on vulnerable populations; 3) protection
of the ecology of the watershed and the San Luis Obispo Creek, which helps support the
environmental health of a threatened steelhead trout population.
• Air Quality: Improved air quality and reduced GHG due to reduced emissions resulting from
replacing the CHP with a fuel cell and minimizing operations of the emergency standby
diesel generator.
• EV Fleet Charging and Transportation Access to Disadvantaged Communities (DACs):
A power resilient electrified bus fleet will enable evacuating people in an emergency who do
not have access to cars, including the student population, and adjacent homeless shelter.
5.f – Can the project leverage other sources of private, local, state or federal funding?
The City’s climate action and resiliency plan sets aggressive goals to stimulate incremental
sources of funding from grants, programs, incentives and special purpose financing vehicles. To
date, the City has been aggressive and creative in leveraging many funding sources to support the
redevelopment of the WRRF, including energy efficiency and emerging technology funds from
PG&E and SCE, and pioneering programs like PG&E’s Sustainable Solutions Turnkey program.
For the proposed microgrid project, the feasibility study will help evaluate viable sources of
private, local, state and federal funding including:
• Bloom Energy Power Purchase Agreement (PPA): The City is evaluating a proposal from
Bloom Energy for a 20-year PPA to finance a 450kW grid parallel fuel cell to replace our
existing biogas internal combustion (IC) engine. As part of the feasibility study, AESC will
review the inputs and assumptions of the PPA, which estimates over $6M in cumulative
savings for the City when considering avoided IC engine operational and maintenance
expenses, SGIP incentives, and other tax credits.
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• SGIP incentive adders: As of 1/16/20, the CPUC adopted a renewable generation resiliency
adder resulting in an incentive of $4.50/W for renewable generation projects intended for
resiliency purposes, with a max of $5 million per project. At this rate, the biogas fuel cell will
be eligible to receive an estimated $2,025,000 in SGIP incentives. Additionally, AESC will
incorporate available SGIP incentives for the proposed battery storage aspect of the
microgrid.
• Federal Tax Credits: The City intends to leverage the Federal Investment Tax Credit for
Renewable projects. The credit will ramp down from 26% in 2020 to 22% in 2021, and then
will be eliminated.
• Monterrey Bay Community Power (MBCP) resiliency fund: As of December 2019, the
Policy Board of MBCP established a $25M Uninterruptible Power Supply Fund to provide a
revolving financing pool for critical infrastructure facility resiliency investments in order to
alleviate difficulties posed on sectors such as medical, police, fire and emergency operations
centers during grid interruptions. A letter of support from MBCP for the City’s proposed
project is attached.
• Low Interest Bridging Loans: iBank low interest loans may also be available to allow the
City to bridge financing requirements.
• Grid Benefits Revenue and Other Cost Savings: AESC will incorporate energy efficiency
recommendations and available utility incentives identified through parallel activities funded
through PG&E and SCE. AESC will also evaluate opportunities for the WRRF to generate
additional revenue or savings through load shifting and participating in demand response or
California ISO wholesale ancillary services markets.
5.g – Can the project be scaled to provide increased resilience in the future?
The City is planning for 1% growth per year through 2045 and a population increase of 10,000
residents over the next 15 years. As plant capacity expands and biogas production increases in
the future, the city expects to be able to add modular fuel cells to the microgrid, scaling the
system up to be able to support more community assets and critical resources.
5.h – Can the project can be replicated in other geographies?
A successful demonstration of a biogas fuel cell and microgrid at a municipal wastewater
treatment facility, supported by the proposed feasibility study and resulting case study, will
enable the proposed project to be highly replicable for other municipalities in California
balancing resiliency and sustainability goals. Many cities and special districts in the region and
throughout California are dealing with PSPS threats and are in the process of developing
resiliency strategies, specifically for their water and wastewater systems. This project will
provide a blueprint to leverage and scale solutions, and the City is committed and excited to
sharing the findings from this study with other plants across the state.
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Further, biogas-powered fuel cells have not been broadly implemented in the wastewater
industry, due to challenges and costs associated with removing moisture and contaminants from
municipal wastewater biogas. The resulting low-efficiency of these legacy fuel cell installations,
coupled with poor reliability and short life expectancy have produced disappointing results in the
industry. With the Bloom Energy fuel cell and biogas clean-up module the City WRRF will
pioneer to demonstrate viability in a microgrid installation. This feasibility study will provide the
roadmap for other cities and wastewater plants with biogas production to improve resiliency and
reduce emissions from biogas to energy applications.
The City is an ideal place for the demonstration to occur because of the City’s decades of
leadership on climate action and resiliency, and its commitment to education and sharing best
practices. The City’s WRRF Program Charter guiding principles commit to knowledge transfer,
embracing innovation and creativity, understanding the “why”, and expanding the possible.
For decades, the City has actively engaged with its
community and regional stakeholder groups to work on
both regional plans, and to support peer to peer
learning through networks. The City is actively
involved in several sustainability related networking
organizations including the Urban Sustainability
Directors’ Network, Green Cities California, the
Central Coast Climate Coalition, and the State Energy
Efficiency Collaborative. These networks put city staff
in close communication with senior staff throughout
the state and nation and allow for information sharing
and knowledge transfer.
Furthermore, WRRF routinely hosts regional training
workshops and site tours, and creates educational
materials to support scaling of successful projects. As
part of an internship program, the City’s WRRF trains
operators throughout the Central Coast/State of CA.
With a motto of “What’s learned here, leaves here”, the City has built a broad network of current
and future industry professionals, including operators and engineers, and has significant regional
influence on other organizations. The City has trained over 150 operators and water quality lab
analysts and has had over 1600 university students participate in industry research onsite.
5.i – Does the project involve collaboration with neighboring jurisdictions?
Although the feasibility/planning portion of the project does not involve direct collaboration with
any neighboring jurisdictions, the City routinely hosts regional workshops to discuss ideas and
WRRF Internship Participants
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share progress on similar initiatives. There is also an opportunity to directly partner and
collaborate with California Polytechnic University.
5.J – Does the project involve collaboration with the private sector?
Private sector collaborators proposed on this project include Bloom Energy, who would provide
the fuel cell and potential PPA financing, AESC, and PG&E and SCE; Through AESC contracts
with the utilities, PG&E and SCE provide technical energy efficiency funding to the City that
support the overall objectives of the feasibility study.
5.k – Does the project incorporate greenhouse gas emission reduction measures?
The project will reduce emissions from replacing the existing CHP biogas generator with the
proposed microgrid system - both while in standard operating mode and under emergency
operating mode. Biogas emissions with the current system are estimated to be 1.345 lb
CO2/kWh. Emissions generated by the fuel cell are limited to carbon dioxide and water and are
expected to be 0.756 lb CO2/kWh.
• Standard operating mode: By replacing the existing CHP biogas generator with the proposed
microgrid system, it is estimated that the project will reduce GHG emissions by 950 metric
tonnes per year in day to day operations.
• Emergency operations mode: WRRF is currently required to operate a 1MW backup diesel
generator. Each day that it operates it generates 15 metric tonnes in carbon dioxide
emissions. Assuming 7 days per year of grid failure, we estimate that the annual GHG
savings from emergency operations to be 52 metric tonnes.
It is important to note that the carbon in the carbon dioxide emitted (whether from the IC Engine
or the fuel cell) is from terrestrial biomass and does not result in any net carbon addition to the
environment and is considered to be carbon neutral.
Finally, the proposed project would support the City’s Transportation Electrification initiative,
which is estimated to reduce municipal GHG by over 1,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide
equivalent (MTCO2e) per year at full implementation. By providing a source of backup EV
charging, the proposed project would help solve important infrastructure barriers.
6 – STATE LAW REQUIREMENTS
The proposed project is not required under state law but supports the City’s climate and
resiliency goals and represents best practice. This project has the potential to eliminate existing
and reduces further APCD equipment and monitoring requirements that center around the current
combined heat and power system.
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7 – SCOPE OF WORK
The proposed Feasibility Study and scope of work for CRC grant funding will consist of six
interdependent tasks with seven discreet client deliverables. Together, the tasks will aim to
answer the following questions:
1) Is it technically and economically feasible to pair onsite solar and battery energy storage
with the proposed biogas fuel cell to provide an island-able microgrid to power normal
plant operations in a power outage?
2) How much additional biogas could be generated on site through bioaugmentation and
improved mixing and heating of waste, which would improve power output?
3) In an emergency, how can plant operations be modified to free up energy to support
critical emergency operations, such EV Charging for the City’s police, fire, ambulance,
and public transportation fleet, which is on the road map to be electrified by 2040? For
day to day operations, how can the plant shift energy loads for operational demand cost
savings or to enable the plant to participate in demand response or California ISO
wholesale ancillary services markets – which would in turn improve proposed project
financials?
4) How can the City maximize utility incentives, leverage available grants and financing,
and best fast track and integrate the microgrid project into the larger WRRF Project
which is to be completed by 2023?
The six specific tasks are described below. Deliverables are detailed in Section 12.
Task Description
1 Project Kick Off and On-Site Evaluation
2 Biogas Augmentation Analysis
3 Low Power Ops Mode Analysis; SOP Development
4 Initial Resiliency Scenarios Analysis
5 Detailed Resiliency Feasibility Study
6 Develop CRC Case Study
TASK 1: PROJECT KICKOFF AND ON-SITE EVALUATION
AESC, the City WRRF team, and selected vendors will meet at the WRRF site to discuss the
project goals, deliverables, schedule, technologies, and feasibility study roles and
responsibilities. The City’s facility personnel will provide AESC with any available electrical
drawings, the existing energy efficiency audit report, utility interval data for the past 12 months,
and key facility operation information and construction plans. The team will discuss planned
load reductions through energy efficiency measures as well as added new construction loads to
support accurate forecasting of future loads.
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The AESC team will perform an onsite evaluation to understand of the plant’s layout,
infrastructure, and operational needs. They will assess the electrical system for feasibility of fuel
cell coupled with battery installation, PV, and back-up generation, and will evaluate potential
locations for siting new generation and storage, as well as electric vehicle charging.
To support the biogas augmentation component of the project, while onsite the team will
investigate WRRF’s current digester gas production systems, including digester control and
heating strategies, sludge feed rates, and any seasonal variations of digester gas quality.
Along with the physical aspects of the plant, during the visit the team will discuss current
operational practices and non-critical loads and begin brainstorming temporary operating
procedures that will allow the plant to function in a low power mode.
TASK 2: BIOGAS AUGMENTATION ANALYSIS
For improved gas production to ensure stable electricity generation from the fuel cell, AESC will
provide operational recommendations. To help maximize the biogas production from the
anaerobic digesters on site, AESC will assess the current gas production system and make
recommendations for bioaugmentation strategies that will result in enhanced gas production. The
City has recently completed a pilot study to evaluate the application of facultative anaerobic
biology that demonstrated increased biogas production. However, for proper sizing of the fuel
cell and other energy producing systems, it is critical that the team understands the reliability and
consistency of biogas production under current and future operating conditions.
AESC will evaluate current digester gas production and capacity of digesters to fully understand
the anticipated consistency of gas production once augmentation begins. AESC will evaluate the
quality and flow of sludge to the digester from all sources through the plant, including primary
sludge and waste activated sludge (WAS). The analysis will include an evaluation of the relative
proportions of primary versus WAS being fed to the digesters under current and future design
scenarios, as these proportions will impact biogas volumetric production as well as quality.
Similarly, AESC will gather historical data to identify any seasonal variations of sludge feed
ratios. Finally, the team will evaluate the consistency and reliability of digester control, mainly
related to digester heating. Once the existing co-generation engines are removed, the waste heat
that was used to heat the digesters will need to be supplemented with waste heat from the boilers,
and consistent operation will be critical to extending the life of the support systems.
AESC will also evaluate vendor recommendations for which consortia of bacteria will be added
to the digesters, including locations, frequency, and amount. The team will review data collected
during the recent pilot study and determine an appropriate sampling and monitoring protocols to
be used once a vendor is selected to optimize and stabilize gas production as primary objectives.
This effort will culminate in a technical memorandum describing the operational requirements of
the digester, and specifications for facultative anaerobic digester optimization including
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infrastructure upgrades related to biogas handling and cleanup, which can be used as part of an
RFP to procure the solution.
TASK 3: LOW POWER OPERATING MODE ANALYSIS AND STANDARD
OPERATING PROCEDURES (SOP)
Based on the findings from recent PG&E energy audits and SCE Emerging Technology pilot
studies that have been completed by AESC, as well as additional automation evaluation and
following conversations, AESC will make recommendations to enable the shift into low power
mode and for an extended period of time. Examples of potential measures include:
• Shunting influent flow to the upgraded equalization basins, which could be retrofitted with
mixing capabilities and oxygen infusion to allow for deferred treatment for up to two days;
• Powering down the welding area, and reducing pressure on plant water system;
• Over-aeration of oxidation basins to reduce power demand on aeration blowers while
maintaining proper dissolved oxygen levels;
• Removing from service one of the grit tanks and RAS pumps based upon the amount of
inflow into the treatment plant;
• Utilize abandoned in place trickling filter tank to flow pace primary effluent.
Additionally, AESC may recommend hardware and software changes, such as installing a
microgrid controller that ties into the plant’s SCADA system and can shed load, ramp up
generation, or strategically deploy energy storage to instigate low power mode. AESC will draft
set of operating requirements for the low power mode and review this with the City.
Over several site visits the operating requirements will be reviewed, refined and finalized.
Working collaboratively with the City’s team, AESC will capture all important changes from
typical operations and create a Low Power Mode Standard Operating Procedures. This document
will outline the changes agreed to through the course of the conversations, including the
necessary technologies, tools and knowledge the staff will need to prepare for and execute a low
or no power event without compromising the performance for the water treatment.
TASK 4: INITIAL RESILIENCY SCENARIOS ANALYSIS
AESC will evaluate the optimum technology sizing and mix for a variety of power outage
scenarios, including for 2, 3, 5 and 7-day outages. The analysis will utilize historical, current and
projected energy use based on WRRF Project upgrades and forecasted loads. AESC will estimate
how many days the plant can stay fully powered and the associated cost effectiveness of each
scenario. For each scenario, AESC will look at capacity, sizing, other grid benefits, and will
perform a detailed economic analysis, described in more detail below:
• Capacity: AESC will perform a power flow analysis to determine the level of electricity that
can flow bi-directionally through the existing infrastructure, and any upgrades that are
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needed to accommodate each resiliency solution. If necessary, spot metering and monitoring
will be used to determine the sizing of the critical loads and any future modifications to
critical equipment will be considered. Other factors of capacity will also be considered
including the power rating of the equipment to handle power surges. Because the system may
be used for non-resiliency program (i.e. demand response) the system will be designed with a
capacity buffer to ensure that the system will always be available for its resiliency response.
• Sizing: AESC will identify the appropriate size and type of solar, storage, vehicle chargers,
and back-up generation required to augment the fuel cell for various power-outage durations.
• Other grid benefits: While resiliency of critical loads will be the main intent when
designing the system, the team will investigate the use of energy storage systems coupled
with onsite generation to provide grid benefits in the form of ancillary services such as
frequency and voltage regulation and spinning and non-spinning reserve.
• Economic Analysis: AESC will prepare an economic analysis for the resiliency solution.
Costs will include potential transformer upgrades and interconnection costs, and benefits will
include revenue generating opportunities (if any) and societal benefits (such as charging
emergency vehicles). The team will account for all available financing and incentives, and
requirements that need to be met to qualify for them. For example, ensuring that the
scenarios are sized and scoped in such a way as to meeting SGIP Biogas adder and
Resiliency adder, which will enable the City to take advantage of a $4.50/W incentive for the
fuel cell system and enhanced storage incentives
AESC will deliver a presentation to the City, outlining the various resiliency options and will
work with the City to identify the outage duration model provides the best benefits, both from a
cost and societal standpoint, for the City.
TASK 5: DETAILED RESILIENCY FEASIBILITY STUDY
Based on the selected solution in Task 3, AESC will develop detailed project deliverables that
can be inserted into an RFP to procure the solution. As described in full in Section 12, this will
include development of: Project schematics and single line drawings; microgrid system sizing
and siting; EV charging requirements for the City’s municipal fleet; required infrastructure
upgrades; warranty and maintenance recommendations; analysis of other benefits; and a detailed
cost analysis.
Based on the selected solution in Task 3, AESC will create a detailed description of the project
for the City, including information that can be inserted into an RFP to procure the solution.
Elements of the scenario analysis will be expanded upon for the final Resiliency Report.
• Charging requirements: EV Fleet Charging Requirements and WRRF Charging Capacity
including: Based on the City’s municipal electrification plans, sizing of the City’s future
municipal EV fleet and charging requirements including for ambulance, fire, police, and
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public bus vehicles; Sizing of typical other state/local/private emergency operations vehicles
that may need to use charging at WRRF in an emergency; evaluation of excess power
generation potential available based on biogas augmentation for charging the City’s
municipal fleet in non-emergency and emergency operations and charging state/local/private
emergency vehicles (e.g, Cal Fire vehicles) during a climate emergency or power outage
• Cost analysis: Assessing cost impacts due to PG&E’s pending time-of-use rates and ways
the solution will offset those costs, along with in-depth review and integration of financing
and incentives, including: Optimal sizing and scoping of fuel cell, solar PV and battery
storage to optimize available utility, state, local and federal incentives and meet the City’s
goals; Verification of eligibility for the PG&E SGIP Biogas adder and Resiliency adder
which would enable the City to take advantage of $4.50/W for the fuel cell system and
enhanced storage incentives; Evaluation of project financing solutions, combined with
available incentives, that best fit the City’s capital plans and capital availability; Evaluation
of system lifecycle costs; and evaluation of potential to capture revenue from demand
response or participation in California ISO wholesale ancillary services markets
TASK 6: CRC CASE STUDY
AESC will collaborate with the City and CRC to develop a case study to document the project,
the feasibility study approach and outcomes, and key lessons learned throughout the process. The
case study will be available on the City’s and AESC’s websites, and the team will identify
opportunities to publish the case study in industry publications and/or present the study at
conferences and meetings of regional networking organizations discussed in proposal section 5h,
or at PG&E sponsored workshops.
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8 – PROJECT TIMELINE
The project timeline below reflects a six-and-a-half-month project, from kick off to CRC Case
Study completion. By the third week in November the City will have a completed Detailed
Resiliency Feasibility Study which they will use to bid out the project. This schedule provides
ample time for the City to complete the project by Q4 2022.
The project will be billed upon completion of task milestones:
Task
Milestone Payment
Timing
Milestone
Payment
Amount
Task 1: Kick Off Meeting and On-Site Evaluation Mid-June, 2020 $16,772
Task 2: Biogas Augmentation Analysis Mid-July, 2020 $35,420
Task 3: Low Power Ops Mode Analysis Mid-August, 2020 $10,038
Task 3: Low Power Mode Standard Operating
Procedures Early December, 2020 $23,422
Task 4: Initial Resiliency Scenarios Analysis Mid-September, 2020 $28,672
Task 5: Detailed Resiliency Feasibility Study Mid-November, 2020 $42,484
Task 6: CRC Case Study Mid-January, 2021 $24,215
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9 – LOCAL SUPPORT AND APPROVALS
The following organizations have provided letters of support, included in the Appendix.
• SLO Climate Coalition
• Public Utilities, City of San Luis Obispo
• Monterey Bay Community Power
10 – OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDS
The CRC grant is not required to release other funding, and no additional funding is required to
fund the proposed Feasibility Study. However, it should be noted that AESC will be able to
incorporate approximately $130,000 investment in parallel energy efficiency and emerging
technologies studies at the facility, funded by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and
Southern California Edison (SCE):
• Large Integrated Audit (LIA) Study: PG&E’s energy efficiency (EE) program is funding
AESC to perform a $30,000 LIA study at the site to identify both EE and demand response
(DR) measures. This study will directly inform potential load reduction and load flexibility
opportunities that can be incorporated into load forecasting and resiliency sizing and
integrated into the Low Power Mode analysis task and Standard Operating Procedures
deliverable.
• Emerging Technologies Study: SCE’s Emerging Technologies program is providing
approximately $100,000 for AESC to study an innovative energy efficiency technology using
micronized oxygen infusion called NanO2. AESC is evaluating the ability of Nan02 to
reduce odor, corrosion, and aeration energy demand while increasing biogas production by
infusing pure oxygen into the City’s high strength sewage. The findings of study will directly
impact the direction of the biogas augmentation work as well as the amount of renewable
energy needed to power the plant.
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11 – USE OF FUNDS
The table below breaks down the costs to produce all described deliverables.
*staff hours reflect approximately 20 hours per week for an WRRF intern.
12 – DELIVERABLES
Deliverable Description
1 (Task 1) Kickoff Notes
2 (Task 2) Biogas Augmentation Analysis Report
3 (Task 3) Low Power Mode Analysis Report;
4 (Task 3) Low Power Mode Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)
5 (Task 4) Resiliency Scenario Analysis Presentation
6 (Task 5) Resiliency Feasibility Study Report
7 (Task 6) Case Study
DELIVERABLE 1 (TASK 1): KICKOFF NOTES
Following the project kickoff at the WRRF facility, AESC will distribute Kickoff Notes
including meeting minutes, documents received and outstanding, and updates to the scope,
schedule, and responsibilities.
DELIVERABLE 2 (TASK 2): BIOGAS AUGMENTATION ANALYSIS REPORT
The biogas augmentation analysis will culminate in a Biogas Augmentation Analysis Report
describing the operational requirements of the digester, and specifications for facultative
anaerobic digester optimization. Specifications will include potential infrastructure upgrades
related to biogas handling and cleanup, which can be used as part of an RFP to procure the
solution.
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DELIVERABLE 3 (TASK 3): LOW POWER OPERATING MODE ANALYSIS
REPORT
AESC will develop a Low Power Mode Operating Analysis Report which will identify
opportunities to reduce power consumption, estimated load reduction potential, and potential
duration of load modification.
DELIVERABLE 4 (TASK 3): STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES (SOP)
Following completion of Tasks 4 and 5, AESC will develop a Standard Operating Procedures
(SOP) document based on the level of resiliency selected by the City and based on the final
microgrid design. The SOP will detail agreed upon technologies, tools and knowledge the staff
will need to prepare for and execute a low or no power event without compromising the
performance for the water treatment.
DELIVERABLE 5 (TASK 4): RESILIENCY SCENARIO ANALYSIS
PRESENTATION
AESC will deliver a Resiliency Scenario Analysis Presentation to the City, outlining the various
resiliency options to ensure operational continuity for 2, 3, 5 and 7-day outages. For each
scenario, the presentation will describe required capacity, system sizing, potential grid benefits,
and economic analysis that includes costs, savings, and incentives, AESC will work with the
City to identify the outage duration model that provides the best benefits, both from a cost and
societal standpoint, for the City. The option selected by the City will inform which scenario
AESC will utilize to perform Task 5.
DELIVERABLE 6 (TASK 5). DETAILED RESILIENCY FEASIBILITY STUDY
REPORT
The Resiliency Feasibility Study Report will include detailed outputs that will support the City to
plan, finance, and procure the selected power resiliency option that meets the level of resiliency
as identified in Task 4. The final Detailed Resiliency Feasibility Study Report will include:
• Schematics: single line drawings of the fuel cell integrated into the supplemental systems,
schematics for solar and storage, including high-level drawings. If determined necessary,
professional engineer stamped drawings, ready for construction permit submittal following
the feasibility study; Single Line Diagram, Grounding Diagram, Communication Diagram,
Power Plan, Enlarged Plan, Electrical Calculations, Equipment Details, Electrical Details,
Placard Details. AESC/EGP designs systems in compliance with pertinent safety standards,
UL Standards, NEC, NFPA National Fire Prevention Agency, building codes and shall
conform to IEEE 1547 (including the harmonic specifications)
• Sizing: Energy storage technologies that are most appropriate for the system sizing and
required discharge duration, including the most effective battery charge/discharge profile to
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minimize peak demands during charges and maximizing any ancillary services that may be
introduced in the future; PV sizing to generate the necessary power during sunlight hours;
additional generation, if needed, to supplement power PV, fuel cell and storage during
prolonged outage
• EV Charging requirements: EV Fleet Charging Requirements and WRRF Charging
Capacity including: Based on the City’s municipal electrification plans, sizing of the City’s
future municipal EV fleet and charging requirements including for ambulance, fire, police,
and public bus vehicles; Sizing of typical other state/local/private emergency operations
vehicles that may need to use charging at WRRF in an emergency; evaluation of excess
power generation potential available based on biogas augmentation for charging the City’s
municipal fleet in non-emergency and emergency operations and charging state/local/private
emergency vehicles (e.g, Cal Fire vehicles) during a climate emergency or power outage
• Siting Locations: Identification of the suggested locations for each technology, including if
adequate space exists for each technology; appropriate locations for necessary electrical
connections, and a review of building and electrical plans to provide a high-level schematic
of the solar and energy storage systems and their interconnections with the existing
infrastructure.
• Required Upgrades: Infrastructure upgrades required to make the microgrid a reality.
• Warranty and Maintenance: Suggested warranty conditions and maintenance for any new
technology, including: recommending specific performance, warranty and ongoing
maintenance guarantees; detail which aspects of maintenance will be assumed by the owner
of the system; Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) to review reliability of fuel cell
production, sludge pumping systems and digester temperature control.
• Other Benefits: Ways the community will benefit from this solution, including charging the
City’s fleet, especially emergency vehicles; health and safety and greenhouse gas reductions
• Cost analysis: Assessing cost impacts due to PG&E’s pending time-of-use rates and ways
the solution will offset those costs, along with in-depth review and integration of financing
and incentives, including: Optimal sizing and scoping of fuel cell, solar PV and battery
storage to optimize available utility, state, local and federal incentives and meet the City’s
goals; Verification of eligibility for the PG&E SGIP Biogas adder and Resiliency adder
which would enable the City to take advantage of $4.50/W for the fuel cell system and
enhanced storage incentives; Evaluation of project financing solutions, combined with
available incentives, that best fit the City’s capital plans and capital availability; Evaluation
of system lifecycle costs; and evaluation of potential to capture revenue from demand
response or participation in California ISO wholesale ancillary services markets
DELIVERABLE 7 (TASK 6): CRC CASE STUDY
Using the Case Study template provided by CRC, AESC and the City will describe the project
process, completed project outcomes, and lessons learned. The Case Study will include any
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appropriate maps, photos, drawings, and other specifications, along with links to all other
deliverables, and will emphasize the decision points along the way that may help guide other
wastewater facilities as they pursue similar projects. As this project is very replicable at other
plants, the Case Study will be the first resource to aid in duplication of this work.
13 – ACCESS TO SITE
The City owns all access required to implement the study and the proposed project and will not
have any issues concerning access or permissions.
APPENDIX A – LETTERS OF SUPPORT
Please see subsequent pages for letters of support from:
• SLO Climate Coalition
• Public Utilities, City of San Luis Obispo
• Monterey Bay Community Power
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January 29, 2020
To the California Resilience Challenge Grant Board:
San Luis Obispo is going carbon neutral by 2035 and the SLO Climate Coalition has five major initiatives that are
designed to help the City meet that goal. At the top of the list is decarbonizing electricity: in 2019, 13.5% of the
City’s carbon emissions came from electricity use. In 2020, because of the City’s adoption of community choice
aggregation through partnership with Monterey Bay Community Power, that number is now 0%. 100% of the
City’s power comes from clean sources like solar, wind and hydro.
We have been in communication with the City of San Luis Obispo’s Water Resource Recovery Facility (WRRF)
regarding their desire to maximize onsite energy generation. Currently the WRRF produces 25% of its
electricity by burning biogas in a combined heat and power unit. As with all internal combustion engines, the
result of converting gas to power is carbon emissions. Initial exploration of adopting fuel cells, photovoltaics
and batteries have revealed the WRRF could triple its energy generation and significantly reduce its carbon
emissions. The 2020 California Resiliency Challenge Grant will help create a source of renewable energy for a
critical and vulnerable piece of community infrastructure.
We are encouraged by the dedication of the City to reach its ambitious goal and hope you review this
application favorably.
Please let me know if you would like to discuss our endorsement further.
Highest regards,
Eric Veium
Chair
SLO Climate Coalition
eric@carbonfreeslo.org
805.835.3669
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Monterey Bay Community Power 70 Garden Court, Suite 300, Monterey, CA 93940 info@mbcommunitypower.org
City of Arroyo Grande
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February 5, 2020
Bay Area Council
Attn: Adrian Covert, VP of Public Policy
353 Sacramento St., 10th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94111
RE: California Resilience Challenge – Support for the City of San Luis Obispo Water Resource
Recovery Facility (WRRF) Proposal
Dear CRC Advisory Committee and Staff,
The City of San Luis Obispo was unanimously approved by Monterey Bay Community Power’s
(MBCP) Policy Board as a member agency back on December 5, 2018 and their leadership
jump started a campaign to help unify the Central Coast through MBCP as the regional
Community Choice Energy agency. Communities across the five counties of Santa Cruz, San
Benito, Monterey, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara are and will soon benefit from MBCP’s
carbon-free power mix, cost savings, and energy programs.
MBCP recognizes the need to support greater energy resiliency across its growing service
area, considering impacts from climate change and potential Public Safety Power Shut-off
events. In December the Policy Board established a $25M Uninterruptible Power Supply Fund
to provide financing for critical infrastructure facility resiliency investments. This program
should alleviate difficulties posed on sectors such as medical, police, fire and emergency
operations centers during grid interruptions.
The City of San Luis Obispo’s decision to submit an application to enhance and build out
greater onsite energy through multiple renewable energy sources for their WRRF is an
innovative and resilient model to ensure this facility can operate in light of the Public Safety
Power Shutoff (PSPS) or other events that impact grid reliability. It is in this cooperative spirit
MBCP supports the City of San Luis Obispo’s proposal for funding energy resiliency at their
WRRF.
Sincerely,
Tom Habashi
CEO
Monterey Bay Community Power Authority
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