DATE: June 15, 2021
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Director of Public Works
SUBJECT
Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Enter into a City Partnership with East Bay Community Energy for the Energy Resilient Public Facilities Program
RECOMMENDATION
That the Council adopts a resolution (Attachment II) authorizing the City Manager to pursue deployment of solar and battery energy systems at critical municipal facilities (the Energy Resilient Public Facilities Program) in partnership with East Bay Community Energy.
SUMMARY
When East Bay Community Energy (EBCE) launched in 2018, the jurisdictions in Alameda County’s primary goals were local control and oversight, to provide cleaner electricity at competitive rates, and also to drive investment in renewable energy and improve resilience of local communities. In 2019, EBCE’s Local Development program began investing in customer side distributed energy resources initiatives including those that enhance community energy resilience. EBCE is now offering its Joint Power Authority (JPA) members, including the City of Hayward, the opportunity to participate in a new procurement program, the Energy Resilient Public Facilities Program, to deploy solar and battery energy storage systems at critical municipal facilities.
This procurement program includes an upfront assessment of municipal facilities by an independent engineer (hired by EBCE) to identify potential roof, structural or electrical capacity upgrades that might be required to install Solar + Storage systems. EBCE is offering to act as the counterparty to a power purchase agreement (PPA), which should bring down costs, streamline procurement, and reduce the amount of time required by City staff. Hayward would join three other member agencies (Fremont, San Leandro and Berkeley) in the first phase of EBCE’s procurement, which will enable economies of scale. Participating in this opportunity would increase the potential for on-site solar generation, advance Hayward’s goal of building electrification, and ensure that more of Hayward’s critical facilities are prepared for PG&E Public Safety Power Shutoff events, rolling blackouts, and other potential power outages such as those caused by a major earthquake.
Review by Council Sustainability Committee - On May 10, 2021, the Council Sustainability Committee (CSC) considered a report about the proposed procurement partnership with EBCE, then called the Solar + Storage program. The CSC voted unanimously to recommend that Council support the City’s participation in this program.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment I Staff Report
Attachment II Resolution