Go Solar Florida

February 14, 2014 Sustainable Buildings Lecture Series

What will we cover today?

• Why Solar is a good idea • Why Solar is not more prevalent in Florida • The Department of Energy’s Vision • Go SOLAR Broward • Go SOLAR Florida • Second Annual Go SOLAR & Renewable Energy

Fest

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• Plentiful • Renewable • Clean • Creates new jobs • Solar panels increases property values • Photovoltaics (PV) release no greenhouse gases • PV don’t need direct sunlight, just daylight • Silent • Available in rural areas where grid is non-existent • Panels have long lifespan 20-30 years • Panel prices keep dropping

Why is Solar Energy a Good Idea?

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Some Benefits of Going SOLAR

1. Utility company rebates up to $20,000 per system 2. Federal tax credit for up to 30% of residential system

cost 3. Save on energy bill 4. Cleaner source of energy 5. Greenhouse gas reductions

If it’s such a good Idea, then why isn’t Florida littered

with solar panels? • Installation costs are high • Electricity in S. Florida is cheap

– about 11 cents per kilowatt hour – Compare to Hawaii, can be up to 46 cents per kilowatt hour – Payback period for the investment is much longer in FL than HI

• Substantial market incentives don’t exist – Florida does not have a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) mandating that

utilities incorporate solar energy into its power portfolio – Florida Public Service Commission prohibits investor-owned utilities, solar

vendors and third-party financing groups from using some model financing programs successful in other parts of the country

– Florida offers no tax credit programs – Florida offers no solar rebates

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Florida is missing out on a huge opportunity to leverage its natural resources to spur economic development, protect itself from increasingly volatile energy prices, and be more resilient in emergencies.

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Conclusion:

SunShot is the Apollo Mission of Our Time

Goal of SunShot

• Bring down the full cost of solar—including the costs of the solar cells and installation—by focusing on four main pillars: – Technologies for solar cells and arrays that convert

sunlight to energy – Electronics that optimize the performance of the

installation – Improvements in the efficiency of solar manufacturing

processes – Installation, design and permitting for solar energy

systems

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Panel Prices Plummeted

Source: Mints, P. (2011). Photovoltaic Manufacturer Shipments, Capacity, & Competitive Analysis 20010/2011. Report # NPS-Supply6. Palo Alto, CA: Navigant Consulting Photovoltaic Service Program.

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Soft Costs

Maintenance Installation Customer Acquisition Permitting Financing

Over 64% of the cost of solar installations are due to soft costs. Our group can work on reducing permitting soft costs.

Go SOLAR Broward

• Our first grant from DOE in 2012 • Partners

– Coconut Creek – Dania Beach – Town of Davie** – Deerfield Beach – Fort Lauderdale – Hallandale Beach * – Hillsboro Beach – Lauderdale by the Sea* – Miramar – North Lauderdale – Oakland Park – Pompano Beach* – Sunrise – Tamarac – Unincorporated BC

* Did not sign ILA yet * Did not change zoning ordinances

Accomplishments • Partners signed ILA • Removed verbiage from zoning/planning that

restricted solar • Created electronic permit process

(gosolar.broward.org) • Agreed to one fee ($500 + surcharges) • Preapproved plans • Created Financing Best Practices • Trained participants in use of electronic permit

system • Held Go SOLAR Fest January 2013

Current process several weeks

Solar Contractor

Engineer Designs System

Apply in Person at City for Permit

Building Department

Review

Zoning Department

Review

Review Comments/ Responses

Process

Go to City to Pay Fee and Obtain

Permit

Main Benefit - Streamlined Permitting!

Proposed Process A Few Minutes

Solar Contractor

Apply & Obtain Permit Online

Go SOLAR Broward

Online Permit System

Save Time: Apply online 24/7

Save Money: Select pre-approved engineered designs – eliminate complicated plan review process One Fee: Pay standard permit fee online

Go SOLAR Broward

Go SOLAR Florida Rooftop Solar Challenge

1. 2013 U.S. Department of Energy Grant 2. Broward County is administering the grant with

a. 5 partner counties b. The City of Venice c. Eight additional BC cities d. Collaborating to make solar rooftop systems easier,

faster and cheaper for residents and businesses e. Through streamline permitting, engineering and

regulation

Go SOLAR Florida

• Alachua, Broward, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Orange, St. Lucie Counties and the City of Venice

• Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) • Florida Atlantic University (FAU)

Partners

• Increase grid-tied solar systems in Florida through improved awareness, electronic permitting processes, and financial options for installation

Goal

• Standard, successful model for inexpensive and rapid solar permitting

• Increase the Florida grid-tied solar market • State program for solar Financial Options

Priorities

Go Solar Florida

• With FSEC, develop long term business solution • Revise Go Solar Broward Planning and Zoning

Best Management Practices • Enhance financing options for rooftop solar

systems • Market, Market, Market

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Jeffery Halsey, Project Director jhalsey@broward.org, 954-519-1468

Kay Sommers, Project Manager

ksommers@broward.org 954-519-1257

Go Solar – Broward

Lead – Matt Anderson mranderson@broward.org

954-519-1482

Financial Options Planning and Zoning

Lead – Michael Huneke mhuneke@broward.org

954-357-4906

Lead - Cathy Randazzo crandazzo@broward.org

954-519-6674

Administration/Budget

Lead – Charvella Campbell ccampbell@broward.org

954-519-1489

Go SOLAR Florida Permitting Solutions Net Metering & Interconnection

Lead – Kay Sommers ksommers@broward.org

954-519-1257

Information Technology

Outreach/Marketing Go SOLAR Fests

Advisory Body

Lead – Dr. Jennifer Jurado jjurado@broward.org

954-519-1464

• Broward County Board of Rules and Appeals

• Miami-Dade County Board of Rules and Appeals

• Lenny Vialpando, BC Building Permitting Director

• Armando Linares, BC EPGMD Deputy Director

• Henry Sniezek, BC Planning Director

• Florida Solar Users’ Network (FL SUN)

Lead – Andrea Bousquet abousquet@broward.org 954-765-4400, x 9804

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Go SOLAR Collaboration

Go SOLAR Broward • Coconut Creek • Dania Beach • Davie • Deerfield Beach • Fort Lauderdale • Hallandale Beach • Hillsboro Beach • Lauderdale-by-the-Sea • Miramar • North Lauderdale • Oakland Park • Pompano Beach • Sunrise • Tamarac

• City of Venice • Alachua • Broward • Miami-Dade • Monroe • Orange • St. Lucie

Broward Cities • Cooper City • Hollywood • Lauderdale Lakes • Lauderhill • Lighthouse Point • Margate • Pembroke Pines • Plantation • Wilton Manors

• FAU • FSEC

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Miami-Dade Cities • Coral Gables • Cutler Bay • Florida City • Miami Shores • Palmetto Bay • Pinecrest • South Miami • More?

Go SOLAR Florida

Partnerships… Key to Success

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Second Annual Go SOLAR & Renewable

Energy Fest June 6 & 7, 2014 Broward County Convention Center Attendance is FREE Register, sponsor or exhibit now @

www.gosolarflorida.org

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What will we cover today?

• Why Solar is a good idea • Why Solar is not more prevalent in Florida • The Department of Energy’s Vision • Go SOLAR Broward • Go SOLAR Florida • Second Annual Go SOLAR & Renewable Energy

Fest

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For more information: www.gosolarflorida.org

email: info@gosolarflorida.org

Any Questions?

Terms • Net Metering -Net metering is a billing mechanism that credits solar

energy system owners for the electricity they add to the grid. For example, if a residential customer has a PV system on the home's rooftop, it may generate more electricity than the home uses during daylight hours. If the home is net-metered, the electricity meter will run backwards to provide a credit against what electricity is consumed at night or other periods where the home's electricity use exceeds the system's output. Customers are only billed for their "net" energy use. On average, only 20-40% of a solar energy system’s output ever goes into the grid. Exported solar electricity serves nearby customers’ loads.

• Interconnection (and related standards) refers to the technical and

practical aspects of connecting the solar generator to the grid

• Soft costs – non-hardware costs include permitting, installation and interconnection

Source: Solar Energy Industries Association and DOE

Terms (continued)

• Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) aka Renewable Energy Standard (RES) - requires utility companies to source a certain amount of the energy they generate or sell from renewable sources such as wind and solar

• Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) - a financial agreement where a

developer arranges for the design, permitting, financing and installation of a solar energy system on a customer’s property at little to no cost.

Source: Solar Energy Industries Association and DOE

Resources

• www.Gosolarflorida.org • DOE Rooftop Solar Challenge

http://www.eere.energy.gov/solarchallenge/ • Second Annual Go SOLAR & Renewable Energy

Fest www.Gosolarflorida.org • Go SOLAR Online Permitting

https://gosolar.broward.org/gosolar/Default.aspx • Kay Sommers ksommers@broward.org 954-519-1257