Post on 31-Jul-2020
March 26, 2015
Interconnection: Meeting the Solar “Rush”
Leslie Moynihan, Snohomish PUDJake Wade, Puget Sound Energy
Katie Zook, Seattle City Light
WEBINAR HOUSEKEEPING
•Technical Difficulties: Call (206) 625-1300
•To submit a question or comment: Maximize the “Questions” portion, type your message, and click the “Send” button.
PowerPoint will be available on the Northwest Solar Communities website: www.nwsolarcommunities.org
1. Northwest Solar Communities
2. Interconnection Best Practices
3. Examples
1. Snohomish PUD
2. Puget Sound Energy
3. Seattle City Light
4. Q&A
AGENDA
INTERCONNECTION WORK GROUP MEMBERS
Snohomish PUDPuget Sound EnergySeattle City LightAvista
Pacific PowerPortland General ElectricEugene Water & Electric Board
Solar WashingtonSustainable ConnectionsWashington State University Energy Program
Solar OregonEnergy Trust of OregonOregon Building Codes Division
Facilitator: Oregon Dept. of Energy
Standard Diagrams Best Practices Flyer
Goal: Make solar energy cost-competitive
without subsidy by 2020
THE SOLAR “RUSH” IN WASHINGTON
SNOHOMISH PUD’S PERSPECTIVE ON DG
PUD commitment to meet load growth with
conservation and RE
RPS Requirements
Customer-OwnerDemand
Mutually beneficial
and the right thing to do
MEETING THE RUSH: INTERCONNECTION AND BEYOND
• Meeting the rush isn’t just about meeting the rush of initial applications!
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
Jan '10 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Jan '16(proj)
PUD’s Total # of Customer-Generators
INTERCONNECTION APPLICATIONS: PUD STRENGTHS
PUD Solar Express program is not just about a rebate.
• Free customer workshops and information
• List of PUD-Registered solar installers
Informed customers and installers result in higher quality applications.
Photo Credit: Solar Express Installation
INTERCONNECTION APPLICATIONS: PUD IMPROVEMENTS
Action: • Revised our Net Metering Agreement 1/2015Lessons: • Reduce redundant information • Think ahead to long-term customer relationship
management issues and incorporate all aspects of the long -term relationship into one document.
Action:• Took a look at internal review for individual applicationsLessons:• Document the “familiar applications” you get and review
with team to see if a template for expedited approval occurs naturally.
INTERCONNECTION APPLICATIONS: PUD IMPROVEMENTS
Action: • Developed standard metering diagramsLessons: • If there’s something you are looking for, let
customers/installers know ahead of time.
Action:• Integrated new interconnection applications with billing
database (SAP)Lessons:• 1st in the world to use SAP’s DSM module, so LOTS of
lessons to be learned.• Helping us to let go of one spreadsheet at a time!
MEASURE OF THE WORK STILL TO BE DONE
My “ah HA!” moment
courtesy of John Hargrove,
NV Energy.
Point made: If you or your
customer enters their
name in a system in more
than one place, you are
wasting time and creating
errors!
GOING FORWARD
Challenge Accepted:• Interconnection rush during time of other big changes at PUD
• SAP upgrades (1st in the world to use SAP for DSM programs!)• Move to monthly billing• Changing how we administer the WA State RE Production Incentives (to
align with others in the State).• Training Customer Service Department on solar incentives, billing questions,
etc.
Critical lessons to guide us through this:• “Solar customers” are UTILITY customers. Mainstreaming the customer
service of solar customers requires ongoing training throughout the uti l ity.
• Added benefit of internal training is that you create more all ies for change!
Service Area - 6,000+ square miles in 10 Counties
Electric - Customers 1.05 million
Natural gas - Customers 725,000
1 4 7 16
17 32 43 83 1
76
26
9 44
8 66
9 91
1
12
47
19
06
25
78
27
83
Schematic and agreements sent to PSE
PSE Meter Department approves schematic
System installed and passes electrical inspection
Certificate of Completion sent to PSE
PSE orders and installs meters
WA Dept. of Revenue information sent to PSE
2014 Improvements:
Process
Interconnection Forms
pse.com
netmetering@pse.com
2015 Projects:
Single System of Record (SAP)
Electronic Application Process
Aggregation
New Billing Statement
Jake Wade
jake.wade@pse.com
425-462-3459
Zach Bates
Rachael Brown
netmetering@pse.com
MEETING THE “SOLAR RUSH”
Interconnection Process & Incentive Payments
Katie Zook | March 26, 2015
| 23
SEATTLE CITY LIGHT FACTS
• “Nation’s Greenest Utility”
o 92% hydropower
o 4% wind
oNet-zero carbon emissions
• Statistics:
o 408,000 customer accounts (2013)
o Retail load-9,506,400 MWh/year (2013)
o 1700 solar customers and 9 MW of
installed capacity! (2015)
| 24
SOLAR IN SEATTLE – CITY LIGHT
• Customer Generation
o PV installed on customer owned premises
that are interconnected to City Light
electric grid.
o Benefits include net metering and
Washington Renewable Energy Cost
Recovery Incentive.
• Community Solar
o Utility solar project on public facilities
allows all customers to support renewable
energy in Seattle by purchasing unit(s) of
the project and receiving shared benefits
on net metering and production
incentives.
• Green Up
o Voluntary program that allows
customers to help support new
regional renewable energy
efforts including local solar
installations and education and
outreach.
| 25
STATISTICS – GROWTH
• 2006
o $6,758 paid in incentives for 25 customers
• 2007
o 60 installations
o 120 kWh
o $15,943 paid in incentives
• 2014
o 488 Installations (total 1640)
o Nearly 9 MW (0.1 % of City Light Demand)
o $1.93 million paid in incentives
• 2015
• Estimated Incentive Payments: $3 million
Incentive Payments ~ 2007 - 2014
Solar Installations ~ 2007 – 2014
| 26
RENEWABLE ENERGY OUTREACH PROGRAM
• SolarWise community workshops
o Solar Works In Seattle, Everybody!
• Educational outreach partnerships
o Pacific Science Center, Woodland Park Zoo
and Seattle Aquarium
• Event sponsorship and outreach
coordination
• ‘MobE’ mobile-solar kiosk
o Powering educational presentations, events,
and customer interactions
o Conservation & energy efficiency
information
www.mobe.seattle.gov
| 27
CITY LIGHT SOLAR PROGRAM FOCUS
• Customer Service
o Established dedicated Solar Incentive Program phone line
and e-mail address to allow direct access for customers
and installers to knowledgeable staff.
• Consistency
o Provide consistent communication and information to all
customers, installers, and internal departments via
communication and training.
• Communication
o Improved communication templates and updated website
to ensure information is the same across all platforms.
• Process Standardization
o Modified internal business processes and workflows to
ensure all customers accounts are handled efficiently and
effectively as possible.
| 28
MOVING FORWARD: INTERCONNECTION
• Online Service Application
o Reduce/Eliminate paper documents
o Confirmation E-mail to Installer
o Quicker turnaround
• EZ Interconnection
Application
o <10kW, single inverter and Non
battery-backup
• Installer Webpage
o Installer specific information
o Approved Installers
• Interviews & 5+ verified installs
• New Billing System – CC&B
o Alerts – Easier to recognize solar
o Statements:
• Production meter reads
| 29
MOVING FORWARD: INCENTIVES
• PowerClerk – Expected Benefits:
• Flexible - Implement at your set pace
• Usability
o Standalone – Limited IT involvement
o Integrations – Increased IT involvement
• Transparency
o Customer can see project status
• Improved Communication
o Can download/upload documents directly
• Reduce labor intensive process
o Allow staff to focus more on validation and
communication verses data entry, filing,
printing/mailing letters
• Eliminate paper
o Document Storage – Eliminate paper files
o Automatic task (e-mails) at set statuses
• Qualify/Not Qualify Letter
o Notify customers they have qualified
for incentives and provide program
FAQs sheet
o Advise customers of missing
information and provide direction
• Incentive Credits
o All incentives to be credited to acct.
o DOR payee must be listed as main
acct. holder or co-applicant
• Annual Incentive Calculations
o PVWatts Calculator
o Pre-Metered, Metered, Year-End
CONTACT INFORMATION:
SOLAR INCENTIVE PROGRAM (Already has Solar)
• E-mail: SCL_SolarIncentive@seattle.gov
• Program Tel: (206) 684-5516
• Website: seattle.gov/light/solarenergy
ENERGY ADVISORS (Interested in Solar)
• E-mail: SCLEnergyAdvisor@seattle.gov
• Tel: (206) 684-3800
• Website: www.seattle.gov/light/conserve
OUTREACH AND EDUCATION
• E-mail: Jack.Newman@seattle.gov
• Tel: (206) 684-3800
SERVICE REQUEST AND METER INSTALLATIONS:
• Electric Service Rep (ESR) Maps: www.seattle.gov/light/electricservice
• North Service Center (North of Denny): (206) 615-0600
• South Service Center (South of Denny): (206) 386-4200
Q&A – THANK YOU!
Leslie Moynihan lgmoynihan@snopud.com
Jake Wade Jake.wade@pse.com
Katie Zook Katie.zook@seattle.gov
Linda Irvine linda@nwseed.org
www.nwsolarcommunities.org