Central Coast Community Energy Requests Qualified Vendors For Local Energy Storage Resiliency Projects

June 15, 2021

Localized Battery Storage Opportunity to Enlist Local Energy Vendors and Balance Agency’s Buildout of New Large-Scale Regional Renewable Plus Storage Projects

Monterey, CA. June 15, 2021 – Central Coast Community Energy (CCCE) today announced its intention to deploy local energy storage projects throughout the Central Coast as part of its procurement effort to develop “front of the meter” (FoTM) grid-connected energy storage between 1 and 5 Mega Watts (MW) allowing Central Coast Community Energy to shift the availability of renewable energy from mid-day to peak demand evening hours. As step one, Central Coast Community Energy today released a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) seeking interested qualified energy storage developers.

Central Coast Community Energy expects to select or pre-qualify one or more energy storage developers through the Local Energy Storage Resiliency Project RFQ and looks forward to sparking conversations with developers regarding potential sites and projects. Pre-qualified vendors will be provided a list of potential sites, based on the agency’s own independent assessment and outreach. Central Coast Community Energy plans to host an RFQ Respondents Webinar on July 13, 2021, at 1pm and the deadline for developers to submit their proposal is August 2, 2021, at 5PM.

“Central Coast Community Energy has an opportunity to improve our deployment of clean and renewable energy, foster local economic opportunities and help stabilize California’s grid by adding local distributed energy storage to our mix of resources.” shares Central Coast Community Energy CEO, Tom Habashi. “Localized energy storage has the capacity to improve local, regional and statewide energy resiliency.”

In addition to improving energy availability during peak demand hours, local energy storage resiliency FoTM projects may also be able to provide backup power to the site host during grid power outages. Smaller local FoTM energy storage projects reduce the need for large-scale battery fields located out of the service area while supporting local economic development through smaller storage resources distributed throughout CCCE’s Central Coast service area.

The Local Energy Storage Resiliency Project is the third local generation and storage project requests for proposals or qualifications issued by CCCE since it became the region’s primary electricity generation provider in 2018. The second request recently produced seven short-listed local generation project proposals in response to a January Request for Proposals (RFP) including renewable generation with or without battery storage, plus standalone storage. Proposal finalists represent 100MW of solar generation as well as 110MW of storage development via proposed projects across Monterey, San Benito, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz Counties. Separately, the agency is successfully helping to build an additional 60MW of local battery storage at the Cal Flats solar array in Monterey County.

CCCE has also made gains on large-scale renewable generation, having contracted for more than 600MW of solar generation, most of which includes a storage component and incrementally adding to the State’s renewable resources while contributing to improved grid reliability and stability; two areas of critical importance for California. CCCE has also secured additional long-term power purchase agreements for California renewable geothermal energy which provides baseload 24/7 renewable energy to the grid.

Evaluating the cost effectiveness of smaller scale local generation with large-scale projects is part of CCCE’s long-term power procurement strategy, an innovative pathway which will see the industry leader meet 100% of its power needs through clean and renewable energy by 2030, 15 years ahead of the state’s goals.

“Just as CCAs have pioneered a model for supplying electricity through clean energy innovations and community benefits, Central Coast Community Energy is leading the way for accelerated progress and greater impact through our procurement strategy,” shares CCCE CEO, Tom Habashi. “As we continue meeting and exceeding agency goals for GHG reduction and local economic stimulation, we must also continue adjusting to energy market conditions which change on an almost daily basis. Above all, we must balance all opportunities, local and regional projects so we can deliver economic and environmental benefits to all of our customers. Large and small, agricultural, commercial, and residential.”

Looking ahead, CCCE is finalizing the list of proposed energy program concepts for the 2021-2022 fiscal year including programs that would help advance the use of battery storage for both customers who produce energy on-site and for those who don’t. Local distributed energy and battery storage resources located throughout the Central Coast would improve grid stability in California with the potential to improve local energy resiliency.

In addition to accepting energy programs feedback via email at programs@3ce.org, CCCE staff will host the final in a series of Energy Programs Workshops at noon on June 24 to discuss the final list of recommended programs for the next fiscal year. Learn more at www.3cenergy.org/energy-programs/.

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About Central Coast Community Energy

Central Coast Community Energy is a public agency that sources competitively priced electricity from clean and renewable energy resources. Central Coast Community Energy is locally controlled and governed by board members who represent each community served by the agency. Revenue generated by Central Coast Community Energy stays local and helps keep electricity rates affordable for customers, while also funding innovative energy programs designed to lower greenhouse gas emissions and stimulate economic development. Central Coast Community Energy serves more than 400,000 customers throughout the Central Coast, including residential, commercial and agricultural customers in communities located within Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz counties. Learn more at 3CEnergy.org and on social media, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @3CEnergy.

Central Coast Community Energy | CCCE
Shelly Whitworth
Senior Energy Media Specialist
Tel: +1-831-229-0277
swhitworth@3CE.org