Eco Items on the Agenda
6 pm Regular City Council Meeting
Agenda/Watch: https://glendaleca.primegov.com/Portal/Meeting?meetingTemplateId=37514

If you attended the community meetings on increasing Glendale’s solar adoption, held earlier this year, you know E3 did not present or solicit creative ideas to get us to 10% rooftop solar + storage. They bid for and got a contract to create a plan to get Glendale to that goal. Their report to council does not have this plan. Glendale needs to find the most economical way to build for 100% CLEAN ENERGY in 2035. The study E3 is presenting to council on November 19 will not get us there.

Please contact council members by email or phone, or attend the Tuesday, November 19 meeting, and ask them to take the following actions:

• Reject Motion 1: Reject E3’s findings as they did not come up with a plan to meet the goals of Glendale’s resolution to get to 10% solar + storage. Accepting E3s findings also means accepting all of the undervaluation of solar and storage and faulty cost-shift assumptions that have been debunked by experts in the energy analysis field.
• Reject E3’s Revised Resolution: Do not accept E3’s severely watered-down amendment to the original resolution. E3’s proposed resolution has almost no recommendations to increase solar development in Glendale beyond the status quo and importantly, does NOT contain any additional storage beyond the battery at Grayson, thus doing nothing to help fill the power gap we will have in 2035 when the city moves to 100% Clean Energy. We must have enough power available to meet our peak summer energy needs and reserve obligations. E3’s plan will not get us there. It contains very low goals for City-sited storage and commercial power purchase agreements, has no goals for increased demand response programs and has not explored vehicle-to-grid potential. We have a gap. Options like green hydrogen, in which GWP has expressed interest, have unknown, but likely very high capital costs and come with emission and health concerns. Included in the resolution are three proposed GWP programs which GEC supports pursuing.
• Reject Motion 2: Reject cost over-runs on a not-to-exceed contract that did not request prior authorization for cost overruns.
• GEC is open to the development of an updated resolution that targets the most ECONOMICAL way to reach our local clean energy goals, that is agnostic as to WHERE the solar comes from (multi-family, single-family, commercial or city owned sites), WHERE additional storage is sited or WHO owns it (but insists on additional storage beyond the 75 MW BESS at Grayson), that includes other peak-load reducing programs and that sets clear targets to fill the projected need of our municipal obligations running on 100% Clean Energy by a clear date prior to 2035.
  
  
• Tell E3 and GWP they are undervaluing rooftop solar energy by not including the cost savings it provides to the entire community. Property owners who spend their own money installing solar help all ratepayers by helping the city avoid large capital investments (like gas peaker plants) that would otherwise be needed to build local resources to meet an even HIGHER PEAK LOAD. Think of solar as a very impactful energy efficiency measure. Solar used to power homes, GUSD campuses, GCC’s Verdugo Campus and businesses (like the Galleria!) also reduces wear and tear on the grid.
• Tell GWP that solar paired with storage provides many community benefits. It can be tapped when we most need it during high load events, when power costs are the highest, AND it can be tapped daily when needed, as there are no emissions and thus no limits on use. Solar paired with storage will make Glendale more resilient to power outages, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality.
•  Tell GWP they should expand its plans for solar installations on city property. We applaud the work being done on City-sited solar now, but the target is too low. GWP paid a consultant (Black & Veatch) to identify good potential city sites. 14.1 MW were identified, yet the report only sets a goal for 8 MW.
• Tell GWP it should expand its goals for Power Purchase Agreements with commercial site owners. We applaud their intention to begin this program, but their current goal is a measly 2 MW. They have potential projects that nearly meet that goal now. This is an untapped resource that would benefit local commercial property owners. It provides an attractive asset to the City for new businesses.
• Tell GWP they should create a battery storage plan that goes beyond the battery currently being procured for the Grayson site. We will need additional stored energy to meet peak needs when we go clean in 2035. We must plan now for the future.
• Tell GWP they must address solar and storage measures for low- and moderate-income residents, tenants and landlords so all can take advantage of clean energy and cost savings for themselves as well as the city. The City paid E3 to do this, but they did not do this.
• Thank GWP for supporting the continuation of Net Metering here in Glendale (something E3 opposes), and for realizing that we need to continue Net Metering to encourage new solar growth. Ask GWP to continue Net Metering at least until a specified solar penetration goal is reached and to implement other strategies, such as faster permitting and educational “Solar Fair” events akin to their EV test drive events, to encourage new growth. Include any multi-family balcony solar options that are available to multi-family residents.

Glendale needs to find the most economical way to build for 100% CLEAN ENERGY in 2035. The study E3 is presenting to council on November 19 will not get us there!