Event Description

This course will provide an understanding of energy resiliency and its importance in the face of extreme weather events and stress on the utility grid. It will cover important considerations when screening single-family residential buildings for energy resiliency and provide an overview of economic, technical, and operational considerations in developing an energy resiliency project, including electrification of residential loads using heat pump water heaters and heat pump air conditioners, electrification of transportation and electric vehicle charging, and solar photovoltaic (PV) generation and storage sizing.

California is facing extreme heat events and wildfires due to climate change, both of which place stress on the grid, the state is undertaking a major initiative to electrify energy end uses in an effort to meet decarbonization goals. This course will discuss how electrification of end-use technologies contributes to energy resiliency and decarbonization.

The course will also provide background on recent California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) rulings that drive PG&E's energy resiliency-related incentive programs, and will review available tax credits for project finance, especially in light of changes implemented by the newly passed Inflation Reduction Act. Finally, it will provide links to PG&E resources on resiliency, interconnection, and electrification.

The objective of this course is that at the conclusion, participants will be able to:

• Discuss energy resiliency and the importance it plays in California and the role of Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events in mitigating wildfires
• Recognize how electrification of end-use technologies supports decarbonization and energy resiliency
• Estimate home electrical loads including for heat pump water heaters, heat pump air conditioners, and EVSEs
• Recognize home appliances that come with their own energy storage and enable load flexibility
• Summarize concepts like vehicle-to-grid (VTG) energy transfer and learn about VTG opportunities in PG&E territory
• Explain the implications of electrification with regard to panel upgrades, smart panels, and load sharing devices
• Size PV and energy storage equipment needed to meet the load identified
• Determine the cost savings, investment payback, and greenhouse gas reduction impacts associated with a home energy resiliency project
• Recognize how CPUC rulings drive the requirements and availability for PG&E’s energy resiliency-related incentive programs, including NEM 3.0.
• Leverage SGIP incentives, available tax credits, and PG&E resources on resiliency, interconnection, and electrification when implementing energy resiliency solutions