Riverside County Transportation & Land Management Agency

Juan C. PerezDirector

Riverside County

Renewable Energy Grant Update

August 3, 2015

County of Riverside Renewable Energy Grant Progress | August 3, 2015

Riverside County, California• 7,400 square miles, 200 miles across• Current population 2.3 million – projected to reach 3.4 million by 2035• Roughly 80% open lands, agricultural or vacant

Background

County of Riverside Renewable Energy Grant Progress | August 3, 2015

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One of California’s Top Renewable Energy Producing Counties

Commercial wind – San Gorgonio Pass (4,000+ wind turbines)Commercial solar – photovoltaic and thermal trough (including, at 550 megawatts each, 2 of the 3 largest solar farms in the world)Also hydroelectric, biomass and biogas facilities

Existing Renewable Energy

County of Riverside Renewable Energy Grant Progress | August 3, 2015

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Purpose: Update County General Plan to expand renewable energy development (RED) policies and maps. Including:

Inventory existing RED facilities. Identify opportunities and constraints for RED potential.Expand / enhance General Plan maps and policies addressing RED.Improve land use and conservation mapping for DRECP coordination.Improve utility mapping and infrastructure coordination for Salton Sea.

Grant Funding: $700,000

Period: July 2014 – June 2016

Final Product: General Plan Amendment

Project Overview

County of Riverside Renewable Energy Grant Progress | August 3, 2015

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DRECP / General Plan Consistency

Track State DRECP proposals.

Update or add General Plan maps to better reflect State & federal plans.

Identify county-specific issues related to land use, conservation, impacts, etc.

Continue involvement in State’s DRECP development process.

Project Elements

County of Riverside Renewable Energy Grant Progress | August 3, 2015

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Salton Sea Planning & Infrastructure

Work with Salton Sea Authority on coordinating renewable energy development as a component of restoration efforts.

Expand infrastructure mapping and land use planning, particularly as related to energy providers, electricity and transmission corridors.

Make collected data publicly available through County geodatabase and online services to foster developer interest, particularly for RED.

Project Elements

County of Riverside Renewable Energy Grant Progress | August 3, 2015

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General Plan Amendment No. 1053 –changes being contemplated:

Expand existing section on renewable energy.

Expand specific renewable energy discussions, e.g., solar, wind, biomass, biogas, geothermal, etc., as appropriate.

Expand conservation discussion, where appropriate, to reflect existing conservation planning on public lands.

Add policies, where appropriate, to foster RED in suitable areas.

Update utility and transmission corridor maps as needed.

Expand discussion on renewable energy development as it relates to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Project Components

County of Riverside Renewable Energy Grant Progress | August 3, 2015

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Issues Identified To Date

Coordination: Need for ongoing coordination between planning efforts of State and federal agencies (BLM) and unincorporated County.

Updates: Need for expanded RED discussion in County General Plan to reflect rapidly evolving policy directives and technological advances.

Infrastructure: Need for expanded utility and infrastructure data, particularly in Salton Sea region, to improve coordination between land use planning and renewable energy development.

Long-Range Planning: Need for continued long-range planning efforts and funding sources to ensure continued stakeholder coordination.

Ancillary Benefits: Coordinated infrastructure planning with surrounding communities.

Comments

County of Riverside Renewable Energy Grant Progress | August 3, 2015

Thank you

For more information go to:

http://planning.rctlma.org(click on eRED Project link)