Center for Sustainable Energy Awarded $4.5M Grant by California Energy Commission
To expand energy-related career pathways in disadvantaged communities
and improve energy efficiency in commercial buildings
The California Energy Commission has awarded $4.5 million to the
Center for Sustainable Energy (CSE) to develop workforce resources in
disadvantaged communities to help improve the state’s energy efficiency
in existing buildings. Funds for the four-year program are part of the
commission’s Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) initiative to
create new power grid solutions and foster energy sector innovations.
CSE will initiate career opportunities for electrical apprentices in
installation of advanced systems for commercial buildings to respond to
changing electricity grid demands in partnership with the California
State Labor Management Cooperation Committee of the International
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and National Electrical
Contractors Association (NECA).
More than 500 recruits and existing electrical apprentices from
disadvantaged communities will go through the automated demand response
(AutoDR) training and eventually qualify as energy efficiency
technicians. Classroom and on-the-job training on AutoDR equipment will
be offered at eight Joint Apprenticeship Training Centers throughout
California.
AutoDR technologies give building owners and property managers the
capability to seamlessly respond to utility requests to temporarily
reduce energy use in order to help balance the electricity grid, and by
doing so, receive compensation during periods of high power prices or
when the reliability of the grid is threatened. Using modern
communications equipment and control devices, such as building
management systems and lighting control systems, utilities can send a
remote signal to a facility to initiate an automatic curtailment
sequence that has been preconfigured for that facility.
AutoDR is a critical tool for both grid stability and transitioning to a
much higher penetration of renewable energy sources as called for by
California’s current 33 percent renewables portfolio standard (RPS) and
the new 50 percent RPS goal established by Governor Jerry Brown in
January. The technology also lowers costs for utility ratepayers by
improving the effectiveness of demand response programs.
“While demand response systems are widely available and highly
dependable, their proper connection at building sites has not been
adequately translated to contractors, resulting in poor installations
and faulty commissioning of systems,” said Lindsey Hawes, CSE’s senior
manager for building performance. “The state will never realize the full
potential of AutoDR unless we address the workforce skills gap in this
critical technology.”
When sufficient electrical apprentices are trained, the program will
enlist owners of 200 small and medium buildings and public facilities
into the California investor-owned utilities AutoDR incentive programs
and accelerate the installation of AutoDR communications equipment in
disadvantaged communities as defined by Senate Bill 535. Participating
businesses are eligible for a substantial one-time incentive to pay for
control system equipment upgrades, Hawes said.
Other program participants include the California Labor Federation
Workforce and Economic Development Program, California Lighting
Technology Center at UC-Davis, Demand Response Resource Center at
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Retail Industry Leaders
Association, ICF International, ASWB Engineering, Energy Solutions and
community-based organizations.
About the Center for Sustainable Energy®
Founded in 1996, the Center
for Sustainable Energy (CSE) is a mission-driven nonprofit
organization, providing clean energy consulting services and program
management, serving as a trusted and objective implementation partner
for governments, public agencies, businesses, policymakers, utilities,
regulators and property owners. CSE develops customized solutions to
help its clients lower energy costs, create consumer choice and make the
benefits of renewable energy more accessible. CSE’s suite of services
includes expertise in clean transportation, renewable energy, energy
efficiency, energy storage, distributed generation, building
performance, policy support, emerging technologies, research, energy
engineering, workforce development, and marketing, education and
outreach. CSE is headquartered in San Diego and works nationwide with
the support of its regional offices in Los Angeles, Oakland and Boston.
Learn more about CSE at www.energycenter.org.
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