Fresh Solutions for Low-Income and Historically Underserved Customers

CUB recently joined SEPA (Smart Electric Power Alliance), and I attended its webinar, “Fresh Solutions for Low-Income and Historically Underserved Customers” last month.

An increasing number of cities, counties, and states around the US are committed to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions. One of the webinar presenters, Amy Atchley, works with Electric Vehicles and Emerging Technologies for Austin Energy. In 2015, the Austin City Council adopted the 2015 Austin Community Climate Plan (ACCP) to achieve citywide net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, and the target path to get to net-zero by 2050 includes interim targets for 2020, 2030, and 2040, allowing for up to 10 percent of carbon offsets for all targets. Ms. Atchley said the resolution really focuses on EVs - one of Austin’s strategies for getting to net zero is by plugging EVs into 100 percent renewable energy.

Austin Energy is aware of the massive paradigm shift currently happening in transportation and technology. In Austin, transportation is the second largest household expense. Similar to Portland, Austin has an average influx of 110 new residents every day. Austin Energy wanted to design programs that will serve all of Austin, especially since reducing transportation costs and transportation challenges can lift people out of poverty. Ms. Atchley emphasized how states must provide accessibility and affordability; the State of Texas offers a $7500 rebate program for people buying EVs.

While the cost of creating a paradigm shift may seem daunting, Amy emphasized there is an abundance of grant funding. She recommended spending time prospecting for grants. Ms. Atchley also emphasized the important of collaborative efforts, such as combining private and public partnerships. She said plenty of corporations have a financial incentive to get involved in these emerging energies.

Austin Energy is working on electric vehicle outreach, program development, and deployment for all Austinites. They are working to create human centered programs, which involves listening to the voices of customers. Ms. Atchley shared Austin Energy’s success with community engagement through grassroots efforts. The company is looking for alternative mobility options that will solve real world problems for real people. She also encourages as much collaboration as possible when designing similar programs in other cities. Ms. Atchley acknowledged that any effort that is innovative and different and aiming to change mindsets is hard. She recognizes how Austin Energy is asking people to say goodbye to gas, how Texas is a big car culture state, and how Texans self-identify with the cars they buy.

Creating a paradigm shift involves getting people into a different and unfamiliar kind of vehicle. EVs require a bigger change than, for example, installing solar panels on someone’s roof. Austin Energy currently has four pilot programs in development: 1) EV’s for schools; 2) EV Multifamily Expansion; 3) EV Car Share; and 4) E-bike Share. For more information, visit the PluginAustin homepage.

The webinar also included Maggie Gibbs, a Project Manager for Arizona Public Service (APS). In 2017, the Arizona Corporation Commission settled the APS rate case and earmarked $10 million to $15 million a year for three years for APS to continue with its Solar Community Program. The program allows thousands of low- and moderate-income customers to participate.

The APS Solar Communities program for residential customers is a unique opportunity for limited-income customers, who may not have considered rooftop solar an option. The program helps to advance solar in Arizona. Participation in the program is free and qualified participants will receive $360 a year on their energy bill for the next 20 years. This translates into $7200/household in savings over 20 years. The program launched at the end of April 2018 - initially, 700 individuals signed up for program, which, according to Ms. Gibbs, was an overwhelming customer response.

APS deploys utility-owned photovoltaic solar panels, using local installers connected to the distribution system. APS maintains the life of the solar panels for 20 years, even when the original homeowner moves. APS expects to install solar panels for about 500 customers per year. Participants in this program never use the solar power directly. Rather, they send it straight to the grid, and get the monthly bill credit in exchange.

Ms. Gibbs acknowledged the challenges in reaching low and moderate income individuals. Some customers are skeptical because of the abundance of scams, particularly around solar, and because there are no out-of-pocket program costs. Some customers are skeptical of a utility company actually giving money to customers.

Ms. Gibbs clarified how all of the money spent on the program is recoverable dollars, which can be put back into the customer ratebase. APS is using renewable energy surcharge dollars to implement this program. Because APS is bringing a new technology to people, Maggie emphasized that it takes one experience at a time to help people understand an alternative way of generating energy. For more information, please visit aps.com/solarcommunities.

The webinar’s third presenter, Milton Geiger is an Alternative Energy Administrator for the Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association (PVREA), a rural electric co-op with 40,000 members serving northern Colorado. PVREA worked closely with the Colorado Energy Office and and GRID to develop the 1.95 MWdc Coyote Ridge Community Solar project on the southwest side of Fort Collins, Colorado. GRID is a leading voice in low-income solar policy and the nation’s largest nonprofit solar installer, serving households throughout California, Colorado, the Mid-Atlantic region, and tribal communities nationwide.

The Coyote Ridge project is the eighth community solar project installed as part of a statewide initiative. The project is an example of a scalable model for electric cooperatives which broadens the reach of solar energy and reduces energy costs for low-income households. The site is adjacent to transmission lines and has two terraced planes, calling for an upper and lower array.

The Coyote Ridge Community Solar Farm is located at the Larimer County Landfill. Around 6,000 solar panels follow the sun from east to west, and cover nine acres of land. Situated on land previously used to support landfill operations, the Coyote Ridge Community Solar Farm provides energy that is produced locally and used locally. This solar farm is a community based project, with a majority of the solar panels allocated to PVREA members who are income qualified, and non-profit organizations. Affordable housing providers make up a smaller portion of the membership pool. Individual subscribers can expect to save 30 percent or more on their monthly electricity costs, compared to retail rate (~$0.03/kWh savings).

Under GRID’s community participation and workforce development model, job trainees, volunteers from the community, and employees from the utility came together to work alongside GRID staff in the construction of the PVREA project. Even with this diverse crew, the entire installation took just under 60 days.

MyLocal Solar is PVREA’s Community Solar program for members to subscribe to the output of solar panels at Coyote Ridge Community Solar Farm. Instead of going through the hassle of putting solar on a roof, or having to come up with large sums of money for upfront costs, MyLocal Solar allows Poudre Valley members to be a part of their co-op’s community solar farm. The energy produced by subscribed solar panels is credited to a member’s monthly bill. MyLocal Solar is available to co-op members meeting particular income qualifications. Income guidelines vary by county and the number of people in the household.

Mr. Geiger suggested that one of the most effective methods in reaching LMI customers is partnering with weatherization organizations. He said weatherization is the most cost effective way to reduce energy burden. Poudre Valley customers who went through weatherization were prioritized in this program.

For further information on LMI solar programs, check out: NREL - Low-Income Community Solar: Utility Return Considerations for Electric Cooperative and National Rural Electric Cooperative – SUNDA Project.

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