Agenda - 06-16-2015 - 6a - Laserfiche WebLink

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16 1 processes, and provide ongoing progress reports to the Board. Staff projects that the initial 2 pilot project will be completed and operational no later than December of 2015, and that this 3 could be the first of many facility photovoltaic solar systems providing renewable energy in lieu 4 of less sustainable energy sources. 5 Commissioner Price asked if the Tesla Powerwall will be a part of this process. 6 Brennan Bouma said the Tesla Powerwall just came out last week, and the presentation 7 is just a broad update. 8 Commissioner Price asked if the size of the Powerwall is known. 9 Brennan Bouma said the PowerPoint shows a picture of two of the cells, side by side. 10 He said up to nine cells can be stacked, side by side. He said it is about 7 inches thick by 2 to 11 3 feet tall, and is meant to hang on the wall. 12 Commissioner Jacobs said in the CIP, FY2017-2018 has a generator for the Rogers 13 Road Community Center for $50,000. He said there is a total of$400,000 in the CIP for 14 generators, over the years. He said it seems unwise to keep investing in generators when they 15 will soon hopefully be obsolete. 16 Commissioner Jacobs said by the time FY 2017-2018 arrives, he would like to 17 incorporate solar batteries instead of a generator. He said he would also like for staff to look at 18 alternative options within the realm of solar energy for the funds intended for generators. 19 Commissioner Rich asked if there could be clarification about how the panels would go 20 on the roof of the RRCC, and where the battery would be placed inside the building. 21 Brennan Bouma said, in regards to Commissioner Jacobs' comment, he would like to 22 consult the expert team regarding the possibility of solar battery back-ups in the future. He said 23 energy storage has been discussed and the costs of it are falling dramatically. 24 Brennan Bouma said the project could move forward in two ways: 25 1. Energy generated by the sun can be sold directly to the Utility Company. He said the 26 current rate for that energy is about 4 cents per kilowatt hour. 27 2. Net metering, where a separate meter is on the solar panels that keeps a tally 28 throughout the year and displaces the costs seen on energy bills. 29 Brennan Bouma said the second option is what is mostly being considered in Orange 30 County. He said this is about 8 to 10 cents per kilowatt hour. 31 Rob Pender said the number of$96,000 is a ball park number for a net metering 32 system. He said batteries are not included in that budget number, but the system is set up for 33 batteries to be added at a later time, when their cost decreases. 34 Jeff Thompson, Director of Orange County Asset Management Services, said at the 35 RRCC there is a utility room that is accessed from outside and that is where the wall mounted 36 batteries could be mounted. He said the pricing of the cost effective batteries being marketed 37 by Tesla is currently unknown. He said if this battery technology is real, then this would be a 38 solution for power for emergency situations. 39 Commissioner Pelissier asked if there are any plans to use solar energy at the Cedar 40 Grove Community Center, given that it is in the process of being renovated. 41 Jeff Thompson said yes. He said the RRCC would be the pilot project; and if the model 42 works, then it would be put into the Cedar Grove plan as well. He said it would be ideal to 43 implement this by the end of the year, prior to the end of the tax credit. 44 Chair McKee asked if there are any interested investors at this time. 45 Rob Pender said yes, there are interested investors, but no decisions would be made 46 without input from the BOCC. 47 48 A motion was made by Commissioner Pelissier, seconded by Commissioner Price for 49 the Board to endorse the development of a pilot solar photovoltaic system within County