California’s Brown Envisions Doubling of Energy Efficiency in Buildings, Microgrids, Battery Storage…

California Gov. Jerry Brown called for a doubling of energy efficiency in buildings, microgrids, distributed generation and other ways to cut greenhouse gases more,  in his inaugural speech this week.

Brown also wants to increase the state’s renewable portfolio standard from 33 percent to 50 percent.

“I envision a wide range of initiatives: more distributed power, expanded rooftop solar, microgrids, an energy imbalance market, battery storage, the full integration of information technology and electrical distribution and millions of electric and low-carbon vehicles,” Brown said.

He added that it will “require enormous innovation, research and investment,” to meet the goals. “And we will need active collaboration at every stage with our scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, businesses and officials at all levels.”

In addition to doubling efficiency of existing buildings, Brown wants to make heating fuels cleaner and reduce petroleum use in cars and trucks by up to 50 percent.

Meanwhile, the California Energy Commission is scheduled to announce microgrid grant winners this month from a $26.5 million solicitation (PON-14-301) issued in July.  The commission is offering $20.5 million for low-carbon microgrids at critical facilities (police, fueling stations, supermarkets, etc.) or those that include renewable energy. The request for proposals also makes available $6 million for projects that demonstrate smart grid and bi-directional vehicle charging.

Separately, PG&E said this week it is encouraging bids for energy storage as part of its January 5  solicitation for up to 1,600 GWh of renewable energy.

To be eligible, the storage system must use renewables for charging. The utility also seeks descriptions of the operating parameter and limitations associated with dispatch of the storage.

The utility will negotiate storage contract terms on a case by case basis. Winners will receive payment for RPS-eligible product plus storage for all delivered MWh, provided that the storage operates as agreed to in the contract.

PG&E last month issued its first energy-storage only request for offers, as part of a state mandate that utilities secure 1.3 GW of energy storage by 2020. the utility is seeking 74 MW of transmission- and distribution-connected energy storage.

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