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eLab Accelerator 2017

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Project Objective

Develop an innovative DER-based solution to an identified reliability need near Jack London Square in downtown Oakland in collaboration with our customers, the community, and the market.

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Team Members

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  • Olya Anguelov, Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E)

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  • David Rubin, Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E)

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  • Brian Beveridge, West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project

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  • Geneva Hesner, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)

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  • Reid Edwards (retired), Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (NBNL)

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  • Jeff Billinton, CA Independent System Operator (CAISO)

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  • Aly Bonde, Oakland Chamber of Commerce

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  • Basil Wong, Port of Oakland

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PG&E’s top priority is to provide safe, reliable, clean, and affordable power. In downtown Oakland, electric reliability is ensured by an aging, jet-fuel power plant near Jack London Square. Grid operators have identified a long-term reliability concern, if Dynegy’s plant retires. In concert with important clean energy goals of the community and State of California, PG&E has determined the viability of an innovative solution set that would replace the power plant’s energy supply with a portfolio of local distributed energy resources (DERs), such as solar, battery storage, demand response, etc., to meet reliability needs in this area.
Months of technical review has provided a foundation of critical analytics for potential local distributed energy solutions that can provide reliability in the area. This process has verified the project’s feasibility from a technical standpoint.

Community collaboration is a critical component in the development phase for the innovative set of local distributed energy options that are envisioned for the Oakland Clean Energy Initiative. Our eLab Accelerator team took the time at the event to build a common understanding of the technical needs and drivers for the project and diverse needs of the community.

Team members provided a wealth of suggestions to hone in on cleaner distributed resources that would be appropriate in Oakland and help realize the goal of bringing a solution set that not only provides local reliable electric service when the independently owned jet-fuel power plant retires but also provides enhanced environmental and community benefits. A post-event strategy was developed to continue the collaboration and momentum that was created at Accelerator to align the Oakland Clean Energy Initiative with the longer-term vision and plans of the broader Oakland community.

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