Information regarding the California Solar Initiative Program and Self-Generation Incentive Program

Melicia Charles, CPUC

DAWG

December 10, 2012

  1. What is the regulatory context for the program?
  • When did it start? What is the funding/approval cycle?
  • The CSI Program began in January 2007 and is statutorily authorized to continue through 2016. Unlike energy efficiency, there is no ongoing funding approval cycle for this program.
  • The SGIP began in 2001 and is statutorily authorized to continue through 2016, with annual budget collections ending in 2014.Unlike energy efficiency, there is no ongoing funding approval cycle for this program.
  • Are there numerical goals and targets associated with the program?
  • The CSI Program has a goal of installing 1,940 MW in the large investor-owned utility (IOU) territories by 2016.
  • The SGIP does not have a specific MW or other numerical goal, but has an overall goal of installing distributed generation (DG) systems that reduce GHG emissions.
  • Briefly, how is the program implemented and regulated?
  • The CSI Program has five program components
  • The General Market Program – implemented by PG&E, SCE and the California Center for Sustainable Energy (CCSE) in SDG&E territory.
  • The Single-Family Affordable Solar Homes (SASH) Program – implemented by the nonprofit, GRID Alternatives.
  • The Multifamily Affordable Solar Housing (MASH) Program-implemented by PG&E, SCE and CCSE.
  • The CSI RD&D Program – implemented by Itron
  • The CSI-Thermal Program - implemented by PG&E, SCE and CCSE.
  • SGIP is implemented by implemented by PG&E, SCE, SoCalGas and CCSE.
  • The CPUC’s Energy Division oversees the implementation of these programs.
  • Are any important changes anticipated?
  • A key issue informing future impacts is current net energy metering (NEM) policies. NEM provides bill credits for energy produced from a DG system, and is a key economic driver in DG adoption. D.12-05-036 provided a specific definition for the MW cap for NEM program, which increased the MW allowed under the NEM cap. Once that cap is reached, the IOUs are no longer statutorily required to offer NEM. The decision also ordered a “pause” in the NEM program to allow the CPUC to modify the NEM program if needed.
  • Because NEM is a major driver for customer-side DG adoption, this decision affects the estimates for the future adoption rates.
  1. How is DG capacity tracked and reported?
  2. CSI capacity is collected via an online application database which collects data on various aspects of CSI projects including the capacity of each project. The information is tracked and publicly reported via the California Solar Statistics website,
  3. SGIP capacity is collected by the SGIP Program Administrators (PG&E, SCE, CCSE, and SoCalGas), and reported via the Program Adminstrator websites.
  4. The CPUC’s Energy Division also collects interconnection data on customer-side DG systems from the IOUs on a quarterly basis.
  5. The Energy Division also has CSI, SGIP and DG Impact Evaluations conducted by outside contractors on an annual and biennial basis.
  • Which regulatory proceeding(s) are involved?
  • The current CSI/DG proceeding is R.12-11-005.
  • What is the reporting cycle?
  • The CPUC is required to report on the progress of the CSI annually (June 30th).
  • Whatinformation is reported? (e.g., kW capacity, cost, usage )
  • Information reported includes:
  • kW capacity
  • DG system costs
  • System performance data
  • Number of projects
  • Progress towards MW goals
  1. Are program impacts estimated? If so, who constructs the estimates?
  2. See question 6.
  1. What customer information is reported?
  2. We make the customers’ zipcode, city and county available on a per project basis. We do not make customer names and street address information available.
  1. Have energy or peak impacts been estimated for this year, and in recent years?
  2. The last estimates were for 2011.
  1. Are future load impacts estimated? From a qualitative perspective, how likely are the goals and targets to be achieved?
  2. Future load impacts are estimated based on current participation rates. The goals and targets are likely to be achieved.
  1. Do you interact with or provide data to other organizations, such as utilities?
  2. Energy Division does often submit data requests to the IOUs to obtain interconnection and other data on CSI and SGIP programs.

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