Community Solar Workshop & Fair Woodbury · Community Solar Workshop & Fair. Woodbury. Agenda. 1....
Transcript of Community Solar Workshop & Fair Woodbury · Community Solar Workshop & Fair. Woodbury. Agenda. 1....
Community Solar Workshop & Fair
Woodbury
Agenda1. Energy Efficiency – best bang for your buck2. Context for Clean Energy in Minnesota3. Renewable Energy Options4. Questions5. Chat with resource experts and solar
developers
READY FOR SOLAR? WHY ENERGY EFFICIENCY MATTERS
Terry ChaneyNeighborhood Energy Connection | Home Energy Squad Outreach Specialist651-338-6226 | [email protected]
Energy Efficiency Solves Problems
• Lower monthly energy consumption • Lower monthly energy costs• Solve comfort problems like drafts and cold spots• Prevent issues like ice dams• Address uncontrolled moisture and ventilation problems
…all through efficiency improvement projects (and earn rebates and other incentives and use competitive financing, if needed)
Energy Efficiency Means What Again?Using less energy to provide the same service
Energy efficient homes have:
• Fully insulated attic & walls• Efficient lighting and appliances
• Efficient heating system• Efficient water heater
Energy Efficiency: The Smart Step Toward Solar
The cheapest energy is the energy that you do not use.
increases the % of your home that is powered by solar energy.
Reducing the amount of energy you consume,
Energy Efficiency Lowers Energy Bills
MN
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55% Heating and Air Conditioning
15% Lights & Electronics15% Appliances
15% Water Heating
The average Roseville household spends
$1,852/year on gas & electric utilities.
Energy Efficiency, with The NEC Every Step of the Way
SOLAR ENERGYWINDOWS
APPLIANCES
WATER HEATING
HEATING & COOLING
INSULATING & VENTILATION
AIR SEALING
LIGHTING
LOW COST/NO COST
BEHAVIOR
Have an Energy Auditor analyze your homeYour home is unique!
HOME ENERGY AUDIT
Infrared Camera Scan Blower Door Test CO2 Test & More
Get those low cost measures installed by the pros
Sign up today for either a $40 or $20 visit.
HOME ENERGY SQUAD: A quick, hands-on service that installs key energy-saving measures in your home.
After the presentation, stop by the NEC table
• Ask us questions• Figure out your best next step• Learn about potential energy efficiency rebates
Sign up for an Xcel Energy audit: $100 Infrared Audit or a $60 Blower Door Audit
Combine it with a $20 Home Squad Visit
Community Solar Gardens 101Lissa PawlischClean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs)UM Extension Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships
Statewide Partnership & Collaboration
CERTs: We’re here to help
CERTs Mission: Connect individuals and their communities to the resources they need to identify and implement community-based clean energy projects
Agenda1. Energy Efficiency – best bang for your buck2. Context for Clean Energy in Minnesota3. Renewable Energy Options – On-site Solar,
Community Solar, Green Pricing4. Questions5. Chat with resource experts and solar
developers
Photo credits: http://realhousewivesofmn.com/category/minnesota-activities/
Minnesota Key Energy Policies1. Conservation Improvement Program (electric and gas):
o Requires utilities to spend a certain amount of annual revenue on efficiency investments (Gas .5%, Electric 1.5%, Xcel 2%)
2. Net Metering (electric): Customers must be compensated for electricity they generate and feed into the local utility’s grid (1,000 kW limit for investor-owned utilities, 40 kW limit for coops and muni’s)
3. Renewable Energy Standards (electric):o Xcel Energy – generate/procure 30% by 2020, plus 1.5% solaro Investor-owned utilities – generate/procure 25% by 2025, plus
1.5% solaro Cooperative and municipal utilities – generate/procure 25% by
2025
Consumer Solar Technologies
1. Electric (PV)
2. Thermal: Air Heat
3. Thermal: Hot Water
The Current State of Solar
• Now over 30 GW of solar PV installed in US
• Enough to power > 6 million homesSEIA Solar Market Insight Report
Solar Prices are Falling
Source: http://cleantechnica.com/2014/09/04/solar-panel-cost-trends-10-charts/
The Solar PV Future
Is there Enough Sunlight?
Is My Site Good For Solar?• Do I have a south facing roof or location? • Are there shade issues?• When do I anticipate re-roofing? • Is my roof structurally sound? • Am I going to be in the
home for a while? • Is my home energy
efficient?… talk to a solar installer!
The Minnesota Solar Suitability App displays solar insolation and solar photovoltaic (PV) potential with 1 square meter resolution for the entire state of Minnesota. It was created using Lidar data and GIS technology.
mn.gov/solarapp
mn.gov/solarapp
The Minnesota Solar Suitability App displays solar insolation and solar photovoltaic (PV) potential with 1 square meter resolution for the entire state of Minnesota. It was created using Lidar data and GIS technology.
mn.gov/solarapp
Other Options: Rooftop Solar
Community Solar Gardens
Point to yours!
Definition:Centrally-located solar PV systemsthat provide electricity to participating subscribers
Community Solar Gardens
solargardens.mncerts.org
How does it work?Xcel Energy Program
OPERATOR: primary group running the solar garden
UTILITY: approves garden, tracks production, provides credit.
SUBSCRIBERS: individuals or groups to get solar power
3rd Party Operator develops & runs garden. Maintains relationship w/ subscriber for payment. Utility provides subscriber w/ bill credit.
Subscribing to a Solar Garden
Source: WaterproofPaper.com
Subscribing to a Solar Garden
Washington CountyActive Application: 64MW Active Applications: 48Initial: 1In Review: 2Reviewed: 33Design and Construction: 28Complete: 0
Developers with Solar Gardens Serving Washington County
Here at the event tonight:• Able Energy• MN Community Solar / Novel Energy• Cooperative Energy Futures
Selling but not in attendance:• NRG• SolarCity
Sold out in Washington County:• Community Energy• GreenMark / Ameresco• SunShare
Not currently working with residents:• Geronimo Energy• Innovative Power Systems• SoCore
How to get started?
1. Determine how much electricity you use per year
2. Decide how much of your usage you want to offset/can offset.
3. Sign up via subscription model that’s right for you.
4. Watch for credits on your bill
1. What is your annual electricity usage?
Subscribing to a Solar Garden (Xcel Energy Program)
1. What is your annual electricity usage?
o 9,600 kWh
Subscribing to a Solar Garden (Xcel Energy Program)
1. What is your annual electricity usage?
o 9,600 kWh
2. How much of your usage do you want to offset with solar?
Subscribing to a Solar Garden (Xcel Energy Program)
1. Determine how much electricity you use per year
o 9,600 kWh
2. How much of your usage do you want to offset with solar?
o 100%
Subscribing to a Solar Garden (Xcel Energy Program)
8 kW of solar could provide 100% of the electricity
used by the typical MN home
1. Determine how much electricity you use per year
o 9,600 kWh
2. How much of your usage do you want to offset with solar?
o 100%
3. Which company has an offer that meets your goals?
Subscribing to a Solar Garden (Xcel Energy Program)
8 kW of solar could provide 100% of the electricity
used by the typical MN home
AVAILABLE CSG PROJECTS
cleanenergyprojectbuilder.org
Research Solar Developers…
Visit the CERTs table later to get a flyer with the web
address!
Find a company that you like
• Pricing: What is the pricing structure? Is payment tied to production?
• Transferability or Early Termination: What happens if you move or want to cancel? What are the fees associated with that?
• Project Construction and Timing: At what stage in the process is the project? When can you expect your first bill credit?
• YOUR Goals and Values: Garden location? Developer business model? Customer service? Cost Savings?
Subscribing to a Solar Garden (Xcel Energy Program)
1. Determine how much electricity you use per year
o 9,600 kWh
2. How much of your usage do you want to offset with solar?
o 100%
3. Which company has an offer that meets your goals?
Pricing: $.14/kWh x 1.0275 each year(2.75% escalator)
Subscription paymentBill credits
How much does it cost?
$/kWh$/kWh
Set annually by Public Utilities Commission, based on average
electricity prices
Set by developer, explained in contract
Once the garden begins producing electricity…You will… Key DetailsA) Begin making payments
to the developer for your subscription
• Pay in dollars per unit electricity produced (most contracts)
• Payment rate set by developer in contract• Most contracts have starting rate x annual escalator
Polar Solar Pricing: $.14/kWh x 1.0275 each year(2.75% escalator)
Once the garden begins producing electricity…You will… Key DetailsA) Begin making payments
to the developer for your subscription
• Pay in dollars per unit electricity produced (most contracts)
• Payment rate set by developer in contract• Most contracts have starting rate x annual escalator
B) Begin receiving credits on your monthly Xcel bill
• Credited in dollars per unit electricity produced • Bill Credit rate is based on avg. cost of electricity• Rate is updated annually by Public Utilities
Commission to match changing electricity prices
Standard rate (retail cost of electricity: $.12596/kWh
Standard + $.02 incentive (Gardens > 250 kW): $.14596/kWh
Standard + $.03 incentive (Gardens ≤ 250 kW): $.15506/kWh
MOST COMMON
Once the garden begins producing electricity…You will… Key DetailsA) Begin making payments
to the developer for your subscription
• Pay in dollars per unit electricity produced (most contracts)
• Payment rate set by developer in contract• Most contracts have starting rate x annual escalator
B) Begin receiving credits on your monthly Xcel bill
• Credited in dollars per unit electricity produced • Bill Credit rate is based on avg. cost of electricity• Rate is updated annually by Public Utilities
Commission to match changing electricity prices
C) Continue to pay your monthly Xcel bill…
• If monthly bill > $0, you pay the difference• If monthly bill < $0, a credit is carried to the following
month• If annual credits > annual bills, Xcel will write you a
check at end of year
Monthly costs/savings(800kWh/month @ 100% subscribed)
MONTH 1Without Solar Garden Subscription
With Solar Garden Subscription
Monthly Xcel Energy Bill($.12596/kWh) $100.77 $100.77
Bill Credit($.14596/kWh) N/A -$116.77
Payment to Solar Garden Developer
($.14000/kWh)N/A $112
TOTAL Monthly Cost $100.77 $96
$0.1400
$0.268
$0.146
$0.308
$0.08
$0.13
$0.18
$0.23
$0.28
$0.33
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
$/kW
h Pr
oduc
ed b
y G
arde
n SUBSCRIPTION RATE
BILL CREDIT RATE (3.5% Annual Increase)
Years Subscribed
Rates over 25 years(assuming bill credit rate increases by 3.5% each year on average, due to increasing electricity prices)
Costs/Savings at specific points in time(assuming bill credit rate increases by 3.5% each year on average, due to increasing electricity prices)
Monthly Costs/Savings at Different Points in Time(Monthly
difference between bill credit and
payment to the developer)
Year 5$ per month
Year 10$ per month
Year 15$ per month
Year 20$ per month
Year 25$ per month
$6.80 $10.36 $15.37 $22.20 $31.31
Cumulative Savings over 25 Years(Cumulative
difference between bill credits and
payments to the developer)
Savings after 5 years
Savings after 10 years
Savings after 15 years
Savings after 20
years
Savings after 25 years
$341 $852 $1,599 $2,662 $4,137
Bill Credits Changing
2017 Gardens:Value of Solar (VOS) Rate
Bill credit? $0.0995
Pre-2017 Gardens:ARR + REC
Bill credit? $0.14596
MNCERTs.org/solargardens
Photo credits: http://realhousewivesofmn.com/category/minnesota-activities/
Alternatives: Green Pricing
Solar Garden Green PricingPricing Opportunity to save money Small cost
Renewable Energy Contribute to state mandates Always beyond state mandates
Simplicity Complex sign-up process Easy sign-up process
Term 20-25 years 1 year
Amount Any amount up to 120% of usage
100 kWh blocks OR 100% of usage
Key Contact Private Developer Utility Company
Delivery of benefit Utility bill Utility bill
Which option meets your needs?
Lissa PawlischCERT Director
UM Extension Regional Sustainable Development [email protected]
Terry ChaneyHome Energy Squad Outreach Specialist
Neighborhood Energy [email protected]
Questions?
Tips for Your Networking
Networking with Developers