eLab Accelerator 2016
Power the Tower
Project Objective
Transform Fresno’s Tower District into a leading clean energy hub and thriving business corridor
Team Members
Esmeralda Soria, Fresno City Councilmember;
Fayzul Pasha, Fresno State Professor of Engineering;
Jorge Madrid, EDF;
Darren Deffner, PG&E
Project Description
This project will advance a strategic opportunity to transform Fresno’s Tower District into a smart and connected clean energy business corridor – serving as a model for distributed clean energy solutions throughout the region and the state. This opportunity will align Distributed Energy Resources (DER) planning with a community vision from local elected officials, district residents, and small business owners, along with EDF’s unique technical and policy expertise.
Progress Made to Date (pre-Accelerator)
Launched a partnership with Fresno city councilmember Esmeralda Soria, Fresno State University, and small business owners in the Tower District to analyze energy needs and user data.
Post-Accelerator Outcomes
The Fresno team left eLab with key partnerships, a clear plan for creating a steering committee and a technical advisory group, and an ambitious time-frame for short terms wins that would build momentum for longer term transformation of the Tower District. The team re calibrated it's strategy and re-imagined the overall objective of the project: to power local economic development with clean energy and smart technology. With this new framing of the objective and a clearly defined strategy, the project will move forward with renewed energy and commitment from key partners and stakeholders.