Pacific Fuel and Electrical Firm (PG&E) introduced the launch of its Microgrid Incentive Program (MIP) and handbook, offering funding, experience and steering for constructing group, native and tribal government-proposed multi-customer microgrids.
The MIP is a brand new, statewide $200 million aggressive grant program that can fund clean-energy group microgrids in deprived and weak communities.
A group microgrid’s distributed power sources may take part within the statewide wholesale marketplace for power and associated companies — creating a possible supply of earnings for the asset proprietor and offering an extra buffer for the California grid.
The MIP stands beside PG&E’s Group Microgrid Enablement Program (CMEP), and collectively the 2 applications present complete monetary and technical help for each the distributed power sources and different prices essential to develop and energize eligible microgrids, in addition to the electrical distribution system upgrades essential to allow the protected islanding of the microgrid. events can apply for both one individually or for each applications collectively.
“PG&E is paving the way in which for extra community-proposed microgrids to be constructed in our service space via the Group Microgrid Enablement Program and Tariff, and the Microgrid Incentive Program will now additionally play a key function in advancing the event and facilitating the commercialization of clean-energy microgrids,” mentioned Jason Glickman, government VP of engineering, planning and technique at PG&E. “A number of further large-scale, group microgrids are anticipated to be deployed all through PG&E’s Northern and Central California service space beneath the Microgrid Incentive Program over the following a number of years, and we sit up for proceed partaking with clients and communities to convey these resilience options to our hometowns.”
The Redwood Coast Airport Microgrid is the primary absolutely renewable, multi-customer microgrid deployed in PG&E’s service space. It serves because the mannequin for added multi-customer microgrids to be deployed in California, and the Group Microgrid Enablement Tariff was additionally a product of its growth.
“Growing the Redwood Coast Airport Microgrid was an unimaginable group effort. We’re proud that an unwavering give attention to replicability resulted in insurance policies and processes which might be broadly relevant,” mentioned David Carter, technical lead for RCAM and principal engineer on the Schatz Vitality Analysis Middle. “We commend PG&E and the Redwood Coast Vitality Authority for forging a brand new partnership mannequin that empowers communities to play an lively function in decarbonizing their electrical energy provide and rising their native resilience.”
Since 2021, PG&E has engaged with greater than three dozen communities to discover potential monetary and infrastructure help choices for creating microgrids via the CMEP. PG&E supplies technical and monetary help on a prioritized foundation for qualifying tasks in areas with the best power resilience wants.
Concerning the Microgrid Incentive Program Handbook and Upcoming Webinars
The MIP Handbook contains details about all of the incentives and allowances obtainable, together with particulars on eligibility, methods to apply for funding and the method for growth of a group microgrid.
Goal candidates embody native and tribal governments and community-based organizations, which is able to accomplice with mission builders and technical companies to design, develop, and function the microgrids. Eligible mission places embody rural, tribal, and low-income communities with better power resilience wants. Particular eligibility standards are described within the handbook.
For communities concerned with exploring creating a multi-customer microgrid, PG&E is internet hosting two upcoming webinars in regards to the MIP:
• Informational Webinar: 12:00 -1:00 p.m. PT, Tuesday, October 17, 2023 – Register right here
• Technical Webinar: 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. PT, Tuesday, October 24, 2023 – Register right here
For the primary MIP utility window, PG&E requires events to submit MIP mission concepts by December 31, 2023, via an e-mail to communitymicrogrids@pge.com.
Information merchandise from PG&E
