Clean Energy Resilience Team

Image by Amanda Iyana Michaels

Image by Amanda Iyana Michaels

Clean Energy Resilience Team

Clean Energy Resilience Team

What we do

 

Resilient Palisades aims to dramatically increase local solar electricity generation in the Palisades, reduce emissions, save money, and increase energy resilience for our community.

 

Our plan for achieving this is called the Pali Microgrid.

 

A microgrid is a network of homes and businesses that have installed solar and storage, and that can take advantage of stored electricity in the network in order to:

(1) Reduce load on the grid – important in the Palisades as LADWP is urgently seeking additional distributed energy resources (DERs) to meet our community’s growing demand for electricity; and

(2) Increase resilience by islanding from the grid in the event of brownouts and blackouts – highly relevant for the Palisades given more frequent outages (according to data provided by LADWP, 19 major outages in the El Medio Bluffs alone since 2018).

What we do

 

Resilient Palisades aims to dramatically increase local solar electricity generation in the Palisades, reduce emissions, save money, and increase energy resilience for our community.

 

Our plan for achieving this is called the Pali Microgrid.

 

A microgrid is a network of homes and businesses that have installed solar and storage, and that can take advantage of stored electricity in the network in order to:

(1) Reduce load on the grid – important in the Palisades as LADWP is urgently seeking additional distributed energy resources (DERs) to meet our community’s growing demand for electricity; and

(2) Increase resilience by islanding from the grid in the event of brownouts and blackouts – highly relevant for the Palisades given more frequent outages (according to data provided by LADWP, 19 major outages in the El Medio Bluffs alone since 2018).

Phase 1

 

We are taking a two-phase approach to establishing the Pali Microgrid. The first phase consists of installing solar + storage across as many homes as possible. We are accomplishing this with a group purchasing program, leveraging volume to get best possible pricing from installers. In other communities where this has been attempted, pricing has been as much as 30% lower. Installers are also being selected based on: (1) Quality of equipment; (2) Customer service; and (3) Reputation, experience, and integrity. By participating in Phase One, Palisadians will not only achieve better pricing, but also greater certainty of installation and service, as installers will also be accountable to Resilient Palisades, and we have a commitment from LADWP for expedited interconnection. Phase One is expected to start in November, once installers are selected following a comprehensive RFP process.

Phase 1

 

We are taking a two-phase approach to establishing the Pali Microgrid. The first phase consists of installing solar + storage across as many homes as possible. We are accomplishing this with a group purchasing program, leveraging volume to get best possible pricing from installers. In other communities where this has been attempted, pricing has been as much as 30% lower. Installers are also being selected based on: (1) Quality of equipment; (2) Customer service; and (3) Reputation, experience, and integrity. By participating in Phase One, Palisadians will not only achieve better pricing, but also greater certainty of installation and service, as installers will also be accountable to Resilient Palisades, and we have a commitment from LADWP for expedited interconnection. Phase One is expected to start in November, once installers are selected following a comprehensive RFP process.

The Pali Microgrid RFP for Installers

Pali Microgrid FAQ

The responses to installer questions

The Pali Microgrid RFP for Installers

Pali Microgrid FAQ

The responses to installer questions

Phase 2

 

In 2022-23, Phase Two will consist of joining solar + storage homes into a microgrid. We will partner with LADWP and start with a small pilot in one neighborhood to demonstrate a microgrid can work in the LADWP service area. The Pali Microgrid will grow from there.

 

The Pali Microgrid will be the first such microgrid in the LADWP service area, and one of the first in the U.S. in an established residential community. We are already working closely with LADWP to make the Pali Microgrid a reality.

Phase 2

 

In 2022-23, Phase Two will consist of joining solar + storage homes into a microgrid. We will partner with LADWP and start with a small pilot in one neighborhood to demonstrate a microgrid can work in the LADWP service area. The Pali Microgrid will grow from there.

 

The Pali Microgrid will be the first such microgrid in the LADWP service area, and one of the first in the U.S. in an established residential community. We are already working closely with LADWP to make the Pali Microgrid a reality.

Photo by Micah Hallahan on Unsplash