Title: High-Value Integrated Community Solar Project 

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Funding OpportunitySolar Market Pathways
SunShot SubprogramSoft Costs
Location: Lafayette, CA
Amount Awarded: $800,000
Awardee Cost Share: $200,000

Under the High-Value Integrated Community Solar Project, Extensible Energy, LLC, is working with the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), the Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM), and other utilities, to develop a new business model to increase the scale, reach, and value of utility-based community solar. By using strategic solar technologies and design, systematically prioritizing local sites, and integrating companion measures like demand-response and thermal or battery storage, this project can expand utility-based community solar. These measures can directly address solar variability, so that costly distribution-engineering solutions and regional-level ancillary services can be minimized. The core business model will be flexible enough to work in different market and regulatory situations, and offer both residential and commercial customers a compelling new solar option. For more information on this award and the Solar Market Pathways program, visit their website

APPROACH

A multi-stakeholder group will create a plan for the commitment of up to 20 megawatts of utility-owned community-based distributed solar generation in SMUD territory by 2020, and will shape a decision framework for utilities replicating the model. A utility forum of interested distribution utilities and industry partners will enhance the decision framework and speed replication.

INNOVATION

The use of new approaches to demand response, along with thermal and battery storage, are much talked about as part of the ultimate solution to changing energy demands as a result of rising solar penetration. The decision framework that results from this project will open market pathways to such solutions. This project is also unique because it aims to engage utilities directly with their customers in an effort to increase solar deployment, and increase access to solar as power source, in an effort to strengthen the grid and achieve renewable energy goals.