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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
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
3Solar in Action
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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.
For more city information, contact: BradfordSwing,DirectorofEnergyPolicy,OfficeoftheMayor,EnvironmentalandEnergyServices Email:brad.swing@cityofboston.govTelephone: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
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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