Resource Library

This manual will assist local governments in their efforts to establish and operate Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs. It provides a general overview of PACE and the considerations for local governments contemplating a PACE program design, implementation, and administration.

The non-profit PACENow is an advocate for Property Assessed Clean Energy, with the aim to promote and assist the development of PACE programs by state and local governments and provide leadership and support for a growing universe of energy efficiency and PACE stakeholders. Their website contains educationa resources as well as program guides and legislative updates for a broad range of PACE stakeholders, including local governments and service providers, lenders, property owners, and more.

Pacific Gas & Electric's Pacific Energy Center offers educational programs, webinars, design tools, advice, and support to create energy efficient buildings and comfortable indoor environments. Visit the source link below for more information about program offerings.

Pacific Gas & Electric established a pilot program to assess the costs and benefits of using plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) as demand response resources. The pilot, known as the Demand Response PEV (DR PEV) Pilot, will identify participants that can provide grid services during the operational life of the PEV and after the battery has been removed from the PEV. Summary program information as well as an advice letter describing the pilot are attached below.

Pacific Gas & Electric's offers in-person educational programs and classes at multiple locations throughout California, including the Pacific Energy Center in San Francisco as well as an Energy Training Center in Stockton, as well as technical training in utility system construction, operations and maintenance for public works departments. In addition, their website offers webinars, design tools, and other resources related to energy efficient building construction and renewable energy project development.

Responding to the challenge issued by the White House in Fall 2011, PG&E launched "Green Button" for its customers enabling a simple download of personalized energy usage data through its secure website, My Energy. Using Green Button, customers can download their personal energy usage data, and developers and third parties can receive energy usage data from customers in machine-readable form.

Pacific Gas & Electric's guidance on installing residential EVSE equipment outlines the list of specific requirement for interconnection, including notification of electrical load and metering specifications.

The Pacific Northwest Smart Grid Demonstration Project (PNW-SGDP) is the largest of the 16 smart grid demonstration projects funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. PNW-SGDP, led by Battelle, involves 60,000 metered customers across five states, and contains many key functions of the future smart grid, including an energy storage demonstration project that will enable utilities to store electricity and release it back into the grid at high demand times.

This four-page submittal checklist contains clearly-stated plan requirements for commercial PV systems in an easy-to-review format. The system's designer must provide a signature on the checklist indicating that all requirements have been met.

This four-page submittal checklist contains clearly-stated plan requirements for residential PV systems in a simple format. The system's designer must provide a signature on the checklist indicating that all requirements have been met.

The Palo Alto City Council recently approved a plan from the Utilities Department to go 100% carbon neutral on the City's power supply. This is expected to have a cost impact of less than $0.001/kWh (in addition to the $0.004/kWh impact of compliance with the existing RPS goal). The hyperlink below is the Staff Report (77 pages) which contains the resolution, full details on the plan, meeting minutes, and an overall summary of the process. You can also find more information at the URL in the Source section below, which links to an excellent City webpage describing their Carbon Neutral Portfolio.

This paper identifies key issues and provides guidance for local jurisdictions as they consider refining their parking codes to reflect “best practices” for parking standards and parking management. It includes the following components: an overview of issues related to parking minimums, shared parking and pricing; a 10-point program for parking reform for discussion purposes; an overview of key parking policies and model code provisions that can be adapted for local use and implemented hand in hand with reducing parking requirements; an in the appendices, a review of regulatory provisions that have reduced or eliminated parking requirements, including issues addressed and sample code language and web links to exemplary codes. The best practices reflect and support transit-oriented and pedestrian friendly areas; they also will help make infill development viable and create more walkable, livable communities.

The Parking Lot Solar PV Canopy with Electric Vehicle Program combines Maryland's Renewable Portfolio Standard goal for solar with the State’s ongoing support of electric vehicle infrastructure. There is a significant amount of parking lot space in Maryland, in urban lots and garages, as well as in the large parking areas associated with the shopping centers and businesses of less densely populated suburban areas. The program captures some of the unrealized potential of these facilities by installing solar photovoltaics while still allowing parking services to be offered. These projects will result in increased clean electricity generation sited close to local electrical loads, and increased locations for plug-in electric vehicles (PEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) to charge.

This fact sheet was compiled by the EPA's BurnWise program and offers an overview of the operation and maintenance of pellet stoves, which utilize compressed pellets made from wood or other forms of biomass for fuel.

PG&E allows its customers to earn an incentive to help offset the initial investment in a mature Thermal Energy Storage (TES) system. By storing energy that is produced for cooling when energy costs are lower (off-peak), and then distributing that stored, cold liquid for facility cooling during on-peak periods, customers can save money on their bill.

Southern California Edison customers may be eligible for reimbursements of up to $875 per kilowatt for shifting their cooling load and reducing grid stress and demand through thermal energy storage. Thermal Energy Storage (TES) is the process of redistributing energy use for cooling from on-peak hours when demand and rates are highest to off-peak hours, when rates are lower. More program information can be found at the link.

This simple excel spreadsheet offers a methodology for cost-based permit fees

The City of Tucson, AZ, established a policy whereby the director of the Department of Planning and Development Services will waive the fee paid by an applicant for a permit for the installation of a qualifying solar system up to $1,000 for a single installation, or $5,000 for a subdivision or multiple project sites. Tucson includes in its definition of qualifying solar energy systems: photovoltaics (PV), solar domestic hot water and space heating, and solar air conditioning systems.

In order to incentivize energy efficient equipment such as HVAC and water heaters that exceed the minimum requirements set by the State Energy Code, the City of Palm Desert has adopted a new reduced permit fee schedule for both residential and commercial HVAC permits that results in 15-30% savings.

The Permit Guidance Manual for Anaerobic Digestion Projects provides the basic California permitting framework and requirements for developers of anaerobic digestion projects seeking to convert biomass feedstocks to the production of energy. The manual outlines the steps required to secure the various regulatory permits, identifies the contacts for each relevant regulatory agency, provides estimates of costs and time to complete the process, and references key technical guidance documents and samples of completed applications/permits.

Making the permitting process affordable, streamlined, and accountable is in the best interest of the consumer, environment, and community. This guide explains why, and identifies best practices for local governments to balance the interests of property owners and the community.

This section of Washoe County's website discusses the regulations that wood stoves and fire places are subject to in order to limit air pollution, including wood stove inspections when a property is sold, and explains why gas-fired stove or clean-burning pellet stoves are allowed throughout the county. It also contains contact information and links to relevant regulatory agencies for community member's convenience. This format can be easily adapted for another AHJ's use.

Builders who participate in San Bernardino County’s Green Building program receive accelerated plan review, priority inspections, design assistance, and recognition for all qualified projects. Builders can earn their green building designation by following County-approved green rating systems, including the County's Green Building Basics Checklist (see attachment), for which ground source heat pumps contribute to its green rating.

GridMarket's page for energy storage permitting contains a table of relevant code specifications, as well as links to sample codes and permitting considerations.

This handbook details best practices for siting wind turbines and understanding the permitting implications of California's law AB 1207, which standardized permitting requirements. It includes a model zoning ordinance, permitting checklists, and other resources.