Challenges and Successes on the Path Solar in ActionBoston was designated by the U.S. Department of...
Transcript of Challenges and Successes on the Path Solar in ActionBoston was designated by the U.S. Department of...
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Challenges and Successes on the Path toward a Solar-Powered Community
Boston, Massachusetts Includes case studies on:• IncorporatingSolarintoEmergencyPreparednessPlanning• DevelopingtheBostonSolarMap
October 2011
Solar in Action
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BostonwasdesignatedbytheU.S.DepartmentofEnergy(DOE)onJune20,2007,asaSolarAmericaCity.Bostonhasbeenaleaderinclimateactionsinceatleast2000,whenMayorThomasMeninoenlistedBostonintheCitiesforClimateProtectionCampaignrunbyICLEI-LocalGovernmentsforSustainability.Inthesucceeding10years,Bostoncitygovernmenthastakenmanysignificantsteps,among them:
• In2002,Bostoncompleteditsfirstgreenmunicipalbuilding,theGeorgeRobertWhiteEnvironmentalConservationCenter.
• In2004,theMayor’sGreenBuildingTaskForceissuedrecommendationsthatledtotheadoptionofBoston’sgreenbuildingzoningrequirements.
• In2005,Boston’sEnergyManagementBoardcompletedanIntegratedEnergyManagementPlanfor362municipalbuildings.
• In2007,theBostonZoningCommissionadoptedagreenbuildingsprovisionforBoston’szoningcode,whichrequiredthatlargeprojectsmeethigherenvironmentalandenergystandards.
Alsoin2007,MayorMeninoissuedanexecutiveorder“relativetoclimateactioninBoston,”whichestablishedthegoalofreducingmunicipalgreenhousegasemissionsby80%by2050.Theordersetbroadguidelinesforreachingthatgoal,includinghigherefficiencystandardsformunicipalbuildings,thepurchaseofmorerenewableenergy,andarequirementformoreefficientvehicles.
TheexecutiveorderalsocalledforBostontoadoptaclimateactionplan,tobeupdatedevery3years,andtoforma“communityclimateactiontaskforce.”Thefirstclimateactionplanwaspublishedattheendofthatyear.
Building Partnerships and Setting Goals In2008,withsupportfromtheSolarAmericaCitiesgrant,BostoncitygovernmentformedSolarBoston,a2-yearinitiativetoincreasesolarenergyinstallationsinBostonbyafactorof50.
AsthecapitalcityofMassachusettsandtheNewEnglandregion,theCityofBoston’sobjectiveinestablishingandsupportingSolarBostonis
TheBostonskylineprovidesthebackdroptoarooftop-mountedphotovoltaicsystematoptheBostonLatinAcademy.Photo from Newell Thomas of Lighthouse Electrical , NREL/PIX 18449
Cover photos from iStock/9413960, Boston’s statue of Paul Revere and Old North Church.
Boston’s Starting Point
About the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar America Communities program: TheU.S.DepartmentofEnergy(DOE)designated13SolarAmericaCitiesin2007andanadditional12citiesin2008todevelopcomprehensiveapproachestourbansolarenergyusethatcanserveasamodelforcitiesaroundthenation.DOErecognized thatcities,ascentersofpopulationandelectricityloads,haveanimportantroletoplayinacceleratingsolarenergyadoption. Asaresultofwidespreadsuccessinthe25SolarAmericaCities,DOEexpandedtheprogramin2010bylaunchinganationaloutreacheffort,theSolarAmericaCommunitiesOutreachPartnership.AstheSolarAmericaCitiesprogramevolvedtoincludethisnewoutreacheffort,theprogramwasrenamedSolarAmericaCommunitiestoreflectDOE’scommitmenttosupporting solarinitiativesinalltypesoflocaljurisdictions,includingcitiesandcounties.VisitSolarAmericaCommunitiesonlineat www.solaramericacommunities.energy.gov.
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tomaximizesolartechnology’sroleinthesustainabledevelopment,educational,andemergencypreparednesspoliciesofBoston,theCommonwealthofMassachusetts,andtheregion.SolarBoston’sobjectiveistheinstallationofsolartechnologyonallfeasibleandappropriatelocationsthroughoutBoston.
BostonbegantheSolarAmericaCitiesprogramwithanexistinginstallationof42.5kilowatts(kW)ofphotovoltaic(PV)generation.TheMayor’sIntegratedEnergyManagementPlan(2005)providedabasistointegratesolartechnologyintocityenergyplanningandfacilities.ImplementationoftheMayor’sGreenBuildingTaskForcerecommendations,includingfirst-in-the-nationprivatedevelopmentgreenbuildingrequirements(2007),framedtheefforttostreamlinecity-levelregulationsandpracticesthataffectsolaradoptionbyresidentsandlocalbusinesses(e.g.,permitting,inspections,localcodes).ThelocationwithincitygovernmentoftheSolarBostonprogramandthefacilitationoftheSolarBostonPartnershipbuiltonextensiveworkbytheMTCRenewableEnergyTrustandtheformerDOEMillionSolarRoofsprogramtopromotesolartechnologyamongresidentsandlocalbusinesses.
Thecityhasestablishedthefollowingquantitativegoals:
Greenhouse gas reduction goal:80%below1990levelsby2050(BostonClimateActionInitiative)
Solar installation goal: 25megawatts(MW)cumulativeinstalledsolarcapacityinthecityby2015
ThereinvigoratedSolarBostonPartnershipbuildsontheworkofMillionSolarRoofsandincludesmanypartnerswithincitygovernmentandprivateindustryincluding:
• CityofBoston
• Mayor’sOfficeofEnvironmentalandEnergyServices
• BostonPublicSchools
• DepartmentofNeighborhoodDevelopment
• BostonHousingAuthority
• BostonRedevelopmentAuthority,PlanningandEconomicDevelopmentAgency
• BostonPublicHealthCommission
• Mayor’sOfficeofEmergencyPreparedness
• MTCRenewableEnergyTrust
• DistributedGenerationCollaborative
InstalledPVcapacityincreasefromDecember31,2007, toDecember31,2010
2,000
Installed PV (kW)
Installed CapacityBoston
0500
1,500
3,000
2,500
PV Capacity (Residential)PV Capacity (Non-residential)
2007 2008 2009 2010kW
Year End
1,000
BostoncityofficialsandtheU.S.EnergySecretarygathertopromoteBostonasaSolarAmericaCity.Lefttoright:PhilipGiudice,commissioner,DepartmentofEnergyResources,CommonwealthofMassachusetts;SamuelW.Bodman,thenU.S.secretaryofenergy;ThomasM.Menino,mayor,CityofBoston;andJimHunt,chiefofenvironmentalandenergyservices,CityofBoston.Photo from City of Boston, NREL/PIX 18448
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• CommonwealthofMassachusetts,DivisionofEnergyResources
• NSTAR(electricutility)
• KeySpan(gasutilitywithsolarthermalprogram)
• InternationalBrotherhoodofElectricalWorkersLocal103
• BostonCommunityCapital
• SEBANE(SolarEnergyBusinessAssociationofNewEngland)
• ICLEI—LocalGovernmentsforSustainability
• MassachusettsEnergyConsumersAlliance
• GreenRoundtable
• NewEcology,Inc.
Accomplishments and HighlightsTheCityofBostonanditsSolarAmericaCitiesprogram,SolarBoston,arehelpingtodebunkthemyththatsolarenergyisonlyfeasibleinthesouthernlatitudes.Bostonhassomeofthehighestenergypricesinthecountryandwilllikelybeoneofthefirstlocationswheresolarpowerachievesgridparitywithconventionalenergytechnologies.SolarBostonisfacilitatingtherapiddevelopmentofsolarenergyprojectsandinfrastructureintheshort-term,andispreparingfortherapidmarketgrowththatisexpectedwiththeimminentarrivalofgridparityoverthelong-term.
SolarBostondevelopedthestrategyforachievingMayorMenino’sgoalofinstalling25MWofsolarenergythroughoutBostonby2015.ThroughSolarBoston,thecityhasdevelopedastrategyfortheinstallationofsolartechnologythroughoutBoston,includingmappingfeasiblelocations,preparingapermittingguide,andplanningthecitywidebulkpurchase,financing,andinstallationofsolartechnology.
ThecityhasalsoworkedwithlocalorganizationstomaximizeBoston’sparticipationinstateincentiveprogramsandinnovativefinancinginitiatives.
Theresultingaccomplishmentsincludethefollowing:
• Createdanonlinemapofcurrentlocalrenewableenergyprojectswithatooltoallowbuildingownerstocalculate
theirrooftopsolarpotential.Themapiscurrentlyliveathttp://gis.cityofboston.gov/solarboston/
• Supportedthecity’sGreenAffordableHousingProgram(GAHP),inpartnershipwiththeDepartmentofNeighborhoodDevelopment(DND).UnderGAHP,thecityisinstallingmorethan150kWofPVon200unitsofaffordablehousing.DNDrequiresthatallnewcity-fundedaffordablehousingbeLEEDsilvercertifiedandbuiltsolar-ready
• Definedsolar’sroleinemergencypreparednesswiththeBostonMayor’sOfficeofEmergencyPreparedness
•Workedwithlocalorganizationsto maximizeBoston’sparticipationin stateincentiveprogramsandinnovative financingmechanisms.
SolarBostonpartnersincludeDOE,MTC,localutilitiesandunions,ananonymousfoundation,andabroadrangeoflocal,regional,andnationalclean-energystakeholders.SolarBostonkickedoffitspartnerprogramonJanuary10,2008,sponsoringaworkshopon“ThinkingBIGaboutBoston’sSolarEnergyFuture,”todiscusshowstate,utility,andmunicipalprogramscanworktogether.PresentationsweregivenbySolarBoston,Keyspan/NationalGrid,NSTAR,andMTC.
Case Studies: Successes and ChallengesIncorporating Solar into Emergency Preparedness PlanningInadditiontorecognizingthatsolarenergyapplicationscanbeusedtomeetsustainabilityandgreenhousegasreductiongoals,Bostonalsorecognizesthatsolarpowercanprovideausefulbackuptocriticalapplicationsintheeventofawidespreadblackout.Withassistancefromtheconsultingfirm,CH2MHILL,andtheNationalRenewableEnergyLaboratory(NREL),SolarBostoncompletedacross-departmentemergencypreparednesssurveythatexaminedsolarpowerapplicationsthatcouldsupportthecity’semergencypreparednessinfrastructure.
Participantsinthisprocessincludedrepresentativesfromthefollowinginstitutions:
Boston set a goal to reach
25 MW of installed solar
capacity in the city by 2015.
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• BostonPoliceDepartment
• BostonTransportationDepartment
• BostonFireDepartment
• BostonEmergencyMedicalService
• BostonPublicHealthCommissions
• Mayor’sOfficeofEmergencyPreparedness.
Thiscollaborativebrainstormingprocesswasarareopportunityforthesedepartmentstothinkcreativelyaboutthecriticalnexusofenergyandemergencyservices.CompletedinJune2009,thissurveyexamined13emergencyapplications,fromlarge-scalebackuppowergeneratorsforemergencyshelterstolow-wattageanti-idlingsystemsforpolicecruisers.TheresultsofthesolaremergencypreparednessstudyhighlightedseveralkeysolarapplicationsthatthecitycouldimmediatelyintegrateintoBoston’sexistinginfrastructure.
Intheeventofanemergency,Boston’smassevacuationplancallsforresidentstoexitthecityalongoneofseveraldesignatedevacuationroutes.Manyofthesemainarteriesareequippedwithemergency-relatedequipmentsuchasevacuationsignageandvideomonitoringequipmentaswellascriticalsystemsthatservebothemergency-andnon-emergency-relatedfunctionsliketrafficlightsandstreetlighting.Solarenergysystemscanprovidethepowerfortheseimportantsystems,whichwouldotherwisebecompromisedintheeventofapoweroutage.
Developing the Boston Solar Map SolarBostonworkedwithgeographicinformationsystem(GIS)professionalsfromtheBostonRedevelopmentAuthorityandthecity’sinformationtechnologydepartmenttodevelopaGIS-basedsolarmap.ThemapidentifiesthelocationofeachPVandsolarhotwaterinstallationinthecity.Themappingdataisbasedoninstallersurveys.Installerswereaskedtoprovidephotographsoftheirinstallations,manyofwhicharefeaturedonthemap.Themappingtoolwasbuiltusingopen-sourceprinciples.Themapcodehasbeenprovidedtoanumberofothermunicipalitiesaroundthecountrytohelpwiththedevelopmentoftheirownsolarmaps.
InadditiontodisplayingsolarinstallationsinBoston,themaphasanumberofotheruniquefeatures.Theseinclude:
• LayersthatshowtheNSTARareanetwork,thehistoricpreservationdistricts,andtherelativesolarradiationthatfallsoneachbuildinginthecity
• AtoolthatautomaticallycalculatespotentialPVsystemsizeandoutput,takingintoaccountshadingfromsurroundingbuildings.ThetoolalsocalculatesairemissionsreductionsbasedontheMassachusetts-specificmultipliersdevelopedaspartoftheSolarBostongrant
• Atrackingmeterthatshowsprogresstowardthemayor’sgoalof25MWofsolarby2015.
TheSolarBostonmaphasreceivedsomenotablepublicityintheGIScommunity.TheCityofBostonstaffspokeatanumberofconferencesdetailingthedevelopmentofthemap,whichwasfeaturedinaGIStradepublication.Thecitywasalsocontactedbyanumberofmunicipalities,includingseveralinternationalcities,inquiringaboutthesolarmappingprocess.
SolarBostonalsousedthemaptoestimatethepotentialforBostonroofstoaccommodatesolarinstallations.Usingthemap,staffestimatedthatbetween670and900MWofPVcouldbeinstalledonBostonrooftops.
ThecityalsopartneredwithNRELtocompleteahigh-densitylightdetectionandranging(LiDAR)scanofthecity.ThisscanprovidesdatathatwillbeusedtoenhancetheSolarBostonmapandimproveitsabilitytocalculatepotentialinstallationsizesandoutputs.
TheSolarBostonteambelievesthatthedepictionoftheNSTARareanetworkisthefirstpublicdisplayofsuchasystemintheUnitedStates.TheareanetworkisanareaofthegridthatcannottypicallyintegratePVsystemswithoutspecialengineeringconsiderations.TheSolarBostonmapprovidesthiscriticalinformationtoBostonbusinessesandresidents,allowingthemtomakeinformeddecisionsaboutpursuingPVprojectsontheirbuildings.Themapalsohasinformationaboutstateandfederalincentiveprograms,historicpreservationguidelines,andcommonlyaskedquestions.
Boston also recognizes that
solar power can provide a useful backup
source of electricity for
critical services in the event of a widespread
blackout.
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Top TakeawaysTheSolarBostonmaphasbeenausefulmarketingandoutreachtoolforthecity.Leveragingexistinginternalcityexpertiseresultedinalow-cost,high-qualitymapthatisreplicableinothercommunities.OtherDOESolarAmericaCitiesinvestedsignificantresourcestohireanoutsidefirmtoproducetheirsolarmaps.Onelessonthecityhaslearnedfromthemappingexperiencehasbeenthatadefinedprocessforcontinuallyupdatingthemapisneeded.Thecityhashiredinternsonabi-annualbasistoupdatethedatabase.
Bostonidentifiedanumberofbarrierstothewidespreadadoptionofsolarinthecity.Manyoftheseobstaclesarecommontoallcities,includingfinancing,publicawareness,andinstallertraining.TheSolarBostonprogramalsoidentifiedanumberofbarriersthatarelessevident,butthatalsopresentmajorhurdlestosolarinstallations.OneofthemostpressingissuesthatSolarBostonhastriedtoovercomeisaninstitutionalreluctancetoadoptsolartechnologies.TheSolarBostonprogramsuccessfullyintroducedsolartechnologiestoanumberofmunicipalagenciesincludingtheBostonPublicHealthCommission,theBostonWaterandSewerCommission,andBostonPublicSchools,withplansforworkingwithothermunicipalagenciesinthefuture.
Inaddition,thecityidentifiedpublic-sectorfundinggapsasanotherbarriertomunicipalsolartechnologyadoption.Boston,likemanycities,isoperatinginabudget-constrainedenvironment,andaggressivefundingforsolarapplicationdeploymentonmunicipalbuildingsisunlikelytooccuruntiltheeconomyimproves.Thecityhasidentifiedthegreeneconomyand,inparticular,thesolarindustryascriticaltotheeconomicfutureofBoston.Continuedpublic-sectoradoptionofsolartechnologieswillbenecessarytofullydeveloptheindustry.Inordertosupportthegrowthofsolarduringtheeconomicdownturn,thecitywillneedtoaccessnewfundingsourcesanddeployapplicationsthatprovideabetterreturnoninvestmentthantraditionalPVinstallations.
Next StepsSolar America Cities Special Project In2009,theCityofBostonappliedforandreceivedaDOESolarAmericaCitiesSpecialProjectsgrant.Thecity’sgoalsforthisprojectareto:
• Provetheeffectivenessofsolarenergyapplicationsinemergencypreparedness
• Increasetheportionofmunicipalenergyconsumptionfromrenewableenergysources
• Establishacross-cuttingcollaborative projectinvolvingtheBoston emergencypreparednesscommunity, includingtransportationandpublic worksprofessionalsandtheBoston PoliceDepartment
• Provideaneffectiveandreliable energysourceforcriticalevacuation routeapplicationsbyincorporating solartechnologies
• Install,develop,monitor,andoptimize theperformanceofnewtechnologies andapplicationsthatwillinformfuture procurementdecisions
• Createasuccessfulmodelfor replicationbyothercitiesinthe Commonwealthandacrossthenation.
Aspartoffollow-onworktotheSolarBostoninitiative,thecityispilotingaresidentialsolarrebateprogramfundedbytheAmericanRecoveryandReinvestmentActtoincreasemarketpenetrationofsolartechnologies.Bostonisalsoworkingtodevelopaneighborhood-level,commercialbuildingsolarchallengethatwillincludefocusedmarketingeffortsanddistrict-levelmayoralinstallationgoals.
Additional Resources• CityofBostonSolarBostonWebsite:
www.cityofboston.gov/environmentalandenergy/conservation/solar.asp
• SolarBostonGISMap: http://gis.cityofboston.gov/solarboston/
• NortheastSustainableEnergyAssociation: www.nesea.org/
• BostonAreaSolarEnergyAssociation: www.basea.org/
• MassachusettsCleanEnergyCenter: www.masscec.com
Distributed solar power
has a number of advantages
over central power
generation sources.
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For more city information, contact: BradfordSwing,DirectorofEnergyPolicy,OfficeoftheMayor,EnvironmentalandEnergyServices Email:[email protected]:617-635-3425 Formoreinformationongoingsolarinyourcommunity,visit Solar Powering Your Community: A Guide for Local Governments at http://solaramericacommunities.energy.gov/resources/guide_for_local_governments/
Formoreinformationonindividualcities’solaractivities,visitwww.solaramericacommunities.energy.gov/solaramericacities/action_areas/ 7
Boston’sstatueofPaulRevereandOldNorthChurch.Photo from iStock/9413960
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EERE Information Center1-877-EERE-INFO(1-877-337-3463)www.eere.energy.gov/informationcenter
Printedwitharenewable-sourceinkonpapercontainingatleast50%wastepaper,including10%postconsumerwaste.
PreparedbytheNationalRenewableEnergyLaboratory(NREL)NRELisanationallaboratoryoftheU.S.DepartmentofEnergyOfficeofEnergyEfficiencyandRenewableEnergyOperatedbytheAllianceforSustainableEnergy,LLC
DOE/GO-102011-3212•October2011
Clockwise from top left: Photovoltaic system in Philadelphia Center City district (photo from Mercury Solar Solutions); rooftop solar electric system at sunset (photo from SunPower, NREL/PIX 15279); Premier Homes development with building-integrated PV roofing, near Sacramento (photo from Premier Homes, NREL/PIX 15610); PV on Calvin L. Rampton Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City (photo from Utah Clean Energy); PV on the Denver Museum of Nature and Science (photo from Denver Museum of Nature & Science); and solar parking structure system at the Cal Expo in Sacramento, California (photo from Kyocera Solar, NREL/PIX 09435)
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