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IT IS 6:03 PM UM, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS SIGNED UP? NO.
[1. Approve the minutes of the Resource Management Commission Meeting on September 16, 2025.]
THEN THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS, AS ALWAYS, IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE SEPTEMBER 16TH MEETING.DO YOU HAVE A MOTION? I HAVE A MOTION FROM MR. SILVERSTEIN, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER LUKI.
UH, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT THE MINUTES HEARING NONE? UH, I'LL CALL FOR, UH, A VOTE.
UM, ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES FROM THE SEPTEMBER 16TH RMC MEETING.
I HAVE 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.
ALL OPPOSED, ANY, ANY ABSTENTIONS? OKAY.
IT, THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED, NINE ZERO WITH, UH, ONE ABSTENTION, UH, BY COMMISSIONER GARY.
SO THE FIRST ITEM, OR THE SECOND ITEM, RATHER ON OUR AGENDA TODAY IS DISCUSSION AND RECOMMEND CHANGING THE CITY CODE RELATING TO COMMISSIONER ROBS, UH, VICE CHAIR ROBBINS.
UH, IS, IS IT CUSTOMARY FOR US TO SIGN IN? THAT IS TO SAY A ROLL CALL? UH, I THINK IT'S OPTIONAL.
I'VE ALWAYS DONE THE, UH, OH, FOR SIGNING IN.
YOU MEAN FOR, DID YOU SIGN, DID YOU SIGN THE DIGITAL SHEET ON? YEAH.
I, YES, WE USUALLY, IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL TO ME.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, UH, FOLLOWING PROCEDURE.
UH, OFTEN, UH, THE CHAIR ASKS, UH, PEOPLE TO SAY IF THEY'RE IN ATTENDANCE OR NOT.
UM, IF THAT IS SOMETHING YOU WOULD LIKE, I, I TYPICALLY DON'T DO IT BECAUSE IT JUST SLOWS THINGS DOWN.
THEN, THEN IGNORE IT IF YOU WANT TO, WE CAN GO THROUGH EVERY CALL.
BUT, BUT ACTUALLY, THAT DOES BRING UP A GOOD THING THAT I REMEMBERED, UH, THAT I FORGOT, WHICH IS WE DO HAVE A NEW COMMISSIONER JOINING US, UH, TONIGHT TO, UH, WE HAVE, WE HAVE ONE, UM, WE HAVE, UH, COMMISSIONER KENARD WAS HERE LAST TIME.
UH, BUT WE DO HAVE A NEW COMMISSIONER, UH, CAMILLE COOK.
I WILL, UH, GIVE YOU THE FLOOR TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF, UH, WHAT DISTRICT YOU'RE FROM, AND ANYTHING YOU WANNA SAY.
UH, I'M IN, UH, DISTRICT THREE, JOSE VELASQUEZ'S DISTRICT.
UM, I'VE LIVED HERE IN AUSTIN FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
I WORK AT PUBLIC CITIZENS TEXAS OFFICE, AND, UH, I'M REALLY HAPPY TO BE HERE.
[2. Discussion and recommend changing the city code that relates to allowable methods for board and commission communications.]
SO WE ARE AT ITEM TWO ON OUR AGENDA, WHICH IS DISCUSSION AND RECOMMEND CHANGING CITY CODE RELATING TO ALLOWABLE METHODS FOR BOARD AND COMMISSION COMMUNICATIONS.I BELIEVE THIS IS COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN'S ITEM.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS? THIS IS SIMILAR TO, UH, AN ITEM THAT WE HAD IN OUR LAST MEETING AS WELL.
THIS WILL LOOK FAMILIAR TO THOSE OF YOU WHO WERE HERE TWO MEETINGS AGO.
IT'S IDENTICAL TO THE PREVIOUS RESOLUTION.
MICHAEL, CAN WE BRING THE RESOLUTION UP ON THE, ON THE SCREEN TOO, PLEASE? YEAH.
AND, UH, I, I CANNOT HEAR COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN.
HELPFULLY COMMISSIONER LUKI ENCOURAGED ME TO USE MY MICROPHONE, SO I HOPE THINGS ARE BETTER NOW.
OUR COLLEAGUES ON THE EUC SEVERAL MONTHS AGO SUBMITTED AND APPROVED A RESOLUTION FOR VOLUNTEER COMMISSIONERS AND BOARD MEMBERS TO BE ABLE TO BE ADDRESSED, RECEIVE COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE CITY ON BOTH THEIR CITY AND PERSONAL EMAIL ADDRESSES.
AND, UM, I THEREFORE BROUGHT TO THIS COMMISSION A PARALLEL RESOLUTION ON THE SAME TOPIC, THINKING THAT, UM, LIKE MEMBERS OF THE EUC AND POSSIBLY SOME OF YOU, THERE IS TOO MUCH GOING ON FOR ME TO REMEMBER TO LOOK AT MY CITY EMAIL ADDRESS AS MUCH AS I SHOULD.
AND THEREFORE, UM, BROUGHT UP THIS RESOLUTION.
AND IT WAS, IT WENT DOWN WITH BY ONE VOTE.
AND THE FEEDBACK FROM COMMISSIONER GEARY IN VOTING AGAINST IT WAS THE VERY HELPFUL OBSERVATION THAT THIS DID OFFER.
UM, MAYBE NOT EVERYBODY WANTS TO HAVE THEIR PERSONAL EMAILS EXPOSED TO THE ENTIRE CITY, AND THAT, UM, BECAUSE OF THESE PRIVACY AND OTHER CONCERNS, SHE WAS VOTING AGAINST IT.
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FEEDBACK AND MODIFIED THE RESOLUTION ACCORDINGLY.IF YOU SCROLL DOWN, YOU WILL SEE, UM, THE SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES IN THE BOTTOM BE IT RESOLVED.
AND, AND THAT IS IF THE COMMISSIONER EXPLICITLY OPTS INTO ADD THE USE OF A PERSONAL EMAIL ADDRESS.
IN OTHER WORDS, YOU COULD CREATE A SPECIFIC EMAIL ADDRESS ONLY FOR THAT, THAT FEEDS INTO YOUR PERSONAL EMAIL ACCOUNT, BUT IS AN ALIAS THAT IS ONLY USED FOR CITY BUSINESS.
AND SO, SO I WANT TO THANK YOU COMMISSIONER GEARY FOR THAT EXCELLENT SUGGESTION.
MODIFIED THE RESOLUTION ACCORDINGLY.
AND HERE IT IS FOR YOUR RECONSIDERATION.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION AND, UH, ASSUME WE GET A MOTION IN A SECOND.
THEN WE CAN OPEN DISCUSSION ON THE ITEM.
SO, CAN I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS? UH, I, I'LL TAKE A ME A MOTION FIRST AND THEN WE'LL OPEN DISCUSSION.
UH, COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN MOVES TO APPROVE, UH, VICE CHAIR ROBBINS SECOND.
UM, SO THE, HAVE YOU HEARD FROM THE OTHER GROUP WHO PUT THIS FORWARD? WHAT HAS BEEN THE RESULT? HAS IT MADE IT TO THE CITY COUNCIL? I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS HAS BEEN THROUGH CITY COUNCIL YET.
IF IT HAS, THEN THIS MOTION IS FOR N BECAUSE THEY COULD BE BLASTING TO OUR PERSONAL EMAIL ADDRESSES ALREADY.
UH, I THINK SHE SAYS SHE HAS A QUESTION.
I'M THE STAFF LIAISON FOR EEC.
UH, WHEN THIS RECOMMENDATION WAS PASSED FROM THE EUC, THAT RECOMMENDATION IS FORWARDED TO THE COUNSEL IMMEDIATELY ONCE IT'S POSTED AS BACKUP.
SO COUNSEL RECEIVED IT, AND AT THIS POINT, COUNSEL HAS NOT MADE, UH, ANY RESOLUTIONS TO COME FORWARD TO MAKE THE CHANGE IN THE CITY CHARTER OR CODE.
UH, WELL, I APPRECIATE COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN'S, UH, WISH TO, UH, ACCOMMODATE LANGUAGE, UH, FOR PRIVACY CONCERNS.
IT'S MY INFORMATION THAT, UH, EMAILS ARE EXPLICITLY REDACTED IN PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS ANYWAY.
SO, FOR INSTANCE, IF SOMEONE WANTED TO FIND OUT OUR BOARD AND COMMISSION, UH, UM, CORRESPONDENCE, UH, THE CITY WOULD HAVE TO REDUCE THAT, BUT THEY WOULD ALSO HAVE TO REDACT, UH, PERSONAL EMAIL ADDRESSES.
I'M RELATIVELY CERTAIN OF THAT, 'CAUSE I DO A LOT OF PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS.
I, I SUBMIT A LOT OF PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS JUST SAYING, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER ROBBINS, THAT ADDRESSES THE PRIVACY CONCERN THAT COMMISSIONER GARY RAISED.
AND TO MY SATISFACTION AND PERHAPS TO HERS.
IT, IT DOES NOT MEAN, HOWEVER, THAT IT ISN'T A GOOD IDEA TO, TO USE OUR PERSONAL EMAIL ADDRESSES FOR COMMUNICATION BECAUSE, UM, BECAUSE THERE'S A HECK OF A LOT OF CITY EMAIL I MISS.
UM, SOMETIMES THAT'S A GOOD THING, SOMETIMES IT'S NOT.
OTHER QUESTIONS? I, I WASN'T DONE, BUT YEAH.
SAY SO, UM, A YOUNG LADY'S NAME.
SO WHEN, WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR, I MEAN, JUST A REFRESHER IN REGARDS TO WHEN IT GOES TO THE CITY COUNCIL, IS THERE A, A CHARTER COMMITTEE THAT REVIEWS EVERYTHING AND MEET THOSE AND, AND, AND TIMELINE, OR IS IT, IF YOU CAN JUST ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT ON THAT? SURE.
UH, WHATEVER A RECOMMENDATION COMES OUT OF A COMMISSION, IT GETS CONSOLIDATED FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE AND THAT GOES OUT IN A EMAIL DISTRIBUTION TO MAYOR AND MM-HMM
COUNCIL OFFICES, UH, THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OFFICES WILL RECEIVE THAT DISTRIBUTION NOTICE OF WHAT THAT RECOMMENDATION IS, A LINK TO IT SO THAT THEY CAN REVIEW IT.
AND THEN AT THAT POINT IN TIME, IF THEY DECIDE THEY WANT TO BRING FORWARD A RESOLUTION, THEY CAN USE THAT AS A BACKUP, AS AN IDEA, AS SOMETHING THEY WANNA BRING FORWARD.
OR IT'S JUST AN INFORMATIONAL PURPOSE AND A GREAT WAY FOR MAYOR AND COUNCIL OFFICES TO STAY INFORMED OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AT ALL OF THE COMMISSIONS SINCE THERE ARE SO MANY AND THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO ATTEND ALL OF THEM.
SO MAYBE I DIDN'T ASK THE RIGHT QUESTION.
IS THERE A CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE? IS THERE A SPECIALIZED, IS THERE A GROUP OF
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INDIVIDUALS THAT LOOK AT THE CHARTER WHEN SOMETHING IS BROUGHT INTO AMENDED BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATION FROM CITY COUNCIL? THEY WORK ON THE CHARTER, BRING IT BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL TO DISCUSS AND APPROVE.IS THERE SUCH THING? NO, THERE IS NOT A SPECIFIC COMMITTEE.
UM, SO, SO MY CONCERNS ARE STILL THERE.
UM, AND, AND REASON BEING IS, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, IN LITIGATION MANAGEMENT WE'VE SEEN WHERE PERSONAL EMAILS, WHEN THINGS ARE COMING ON YOUR PERSONAL EMAILS OR PHONES, WHEN A CASE OF WHATEVER MAY COME ABOUT IS BROUGHT FORTH, THEY'RE SENDING YOUR PHONES.
THERE'S, I MEAN, THEY'RE GOING THROUGH EVERYTHING AND SENDING THAT TO EITHER EAST COAST OR WHEREVER.
WHOEVER'S GONNA DO THAT FOR THE CITY.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT ORGANIZATION DOES THAT FOR THEM, BUT I KNOW FOR THE GOVERNMENT AGENCY THAT I WORK FOR, THEY SEND YOUR PHONE, THEY TAKE YOUR PHONE, EVERYTHING, IT GOES TO THE EAST COAST, THEY GO THROUGH AND THEY SCRUB UP, THEY FIND WHATEVER'S NEEDED.
AND SO I'M, AND, AND MAYBE YOU'RE NOT AS, AS, UH, SERIOUS ABOUT YOUR PRIVACY LIKE THIS, BUT I DON'T WANT ANYBODY IN MY PHONE, IN MY EMAILS, PERSONAL DIGGING THROUGH ANYTHING BECAUSE I DID NOT PROTECT MYSELF FROM HAPPENING.
I THINK WHEN THESE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ARE PUTTING THESE POLICIES IN PLACE, IT IS FOR OUR PROTECTION AS VOLUNTEERS, WE SHOULD NOT, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEPARATE THE CELL PHONE FROM WHAT IS ACTUALLY BEING CONDUCTED HERE AT THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH SO MANY PHISHING SCAMS THAT'S GOING ON WITH, THERE'S JUST A LOT OF UNKNOWNS.
AND I WOULD HATE FOR US TO HAVE TO, UH, PUSH THIS FORWARD.
YOU GUYS GET THIS, AND, YOU KNOW, IT MAY OR MAY NOT HAPPEN, BUT I'D RATHER BE PROACTIVE THAN REACTIVE TO THIS MATTER.
SO MY VOTE IS STILL GONNA BE NO, BECAUSE OF CYBERSECURITY ISSUES AND SO MUCH THAT'S GOING ON IN THIS COUNTRY AND REQUIRES TO KEEPING OUR PRIVACY.
AND SO I WILL VOTE NOTE ON THIS, THANK YOU FOR, FOR EXPRESSING THAT I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND YOUR VIEW, AND THAT IS WHY, UM, I PUT IN THE MODIFICATION TO ASSURE THAT ANY INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONER MUST OPT IN RATHER THAN AUTOMATICALLY HAVING THE CITY SWEEP IN YOUR EMAIL AND, AND BROACH YOUR PRIVACY.
AND I APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WITH THE OPT IN AGAIN, THERE'S STILL, YOU KNOW, EITHER IT'S GONNA BE ONE WAY OR IT'S GONNA BE ANOTHER WAY.
YOU KNOW, HAVING TO SAY THERE IS A, A LITIGATION MANAGER, UH, MA MATTER THAT COMES FORTH AND YOU'RE TRYING TO DECIPHER, WELL, WHO OPT IN WHO DIDN'T OPT IN.
AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S TIME CONSUMING.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S MORE TAXPAYERS FUNDING THAT'S GOING TO SOMETHING THAT JUST DOESN'T HAVE TO BE.
BUT AGAIN, THAT'S JUST MY STANCE ON IT.
AND AGAIN, I DO APPRECIATE YOU LISTENING, TAKING THAT IN CONSIDERATION.
BUT WITH MORE RESEARCH AND SPEAKING WITH ATTORNEYS ON THIS MATTER, THEY WERE VERY ADAMANT THAT, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THE CONCERNS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED AND KIND OF ADHERE TO BEFORE TRYING TO ASK THE CITY COUNCIL TO DO THIS.
UH, COMMISSIONER GARY, UM, VICE CHAIR ROBBINS, CAN WE CALL THE QUESTION, PLEASE? UH, REMIND ME WHAT THAT IS? HE'D LOST TO VOTE.
IS THERE MORE? ANY MORE DISCUSSION ON THIS ISSUE? HEARING NONE, UH, LET'S TAKE, UH, THE VOTE ON THIS, UM, RECOMMENDATION AROUND AMENDING CITY CODE TO USE BOTH PERSONAL EMAIL ADDRESSES FOR VOLUNTEER BOARD COMMISSIONS.
ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS.
I HAVE 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.
UH, COMMISSIONER KENARD, IS THAT A FOUR? YEAH, THAT'S A FOUR.
SORRY, A LITTLE SLOW ON THE TAPE.
AND, UH, ALL OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THIS RECOMMENDATION CARRIES NINE TO ONE.
[3. Discuss and recommend approval of the 2026 Resource Management Commission Meeting Schedule.]
ITEM NUMBER THREE IS DISCUSS AND RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE 2026 RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION MEETING SCHEDULE.MAY WE SEE THE, THE, THE MEETING SCHEDULE DRAFT ON THE SCREEN, PLEASE? OKAY.
YOU SHOULD RE HAVE RECEIVED THIS IN YOUR BACKUP.
UM, I BELIEVE THIS IS PRETTY MUCH THE SAME AS THIS YEAR, WHICH IS THE THIRD TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH, EXCEPT FOR MARCH WHEN IT CONFLICTS WITH SPRING
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BREAK.SO IT'S MOVED BACK A WEEK AND WE DO NOT MEET IN DECEMBER.
UM, MAY I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
I, I SAW COMMISSIONER FARMER FIRST, SO HE GETS THE SECOND ON THIS ONE.
SO DISCUSSION ON, UH, THE MEETING DATES FOR 2026.
UH, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, ANY CONCERNS WITH THE DATES? ALL RIGHT, UH, THEN I WILL CALL FOR A VOTE.
ALL IN FAVOR OF ADOPTING THE MEETING SCHEDULE FOR 2026.
PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND IN THE ROOM.
WE HAVE 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, UH, 8, 9, 10 ONLINE.
[4. Staff Briefing regarding an update and review of the Austin Energy Solar Portfolio by Tim Harvey, Director, Customer Energy Solutions, Austin Energy.]
ON.UH, NUMBER FOUR, ITEM FOUR, UH, IS STAFF BRIEFING, UH, FROM ONE TIM HARVEY, DIRECTOR OF CUSTOMER ENERGY SOLUTIONS ON THE AUSTIN ENERGY SOLAR PORTFOLIO.
MR. HARVEY, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
IS THIS OKAY? GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF CUSTOMER RENEWABLE SOLUTIONS.
AND, UH, MY SLIDESHOW WILL HOPEFULLY START.
SO I'M GONNA GO OVER, UM, OUR PROGRAM, OUR SOLAR PROGRAMS TONIGHT.
UM, HOPEFULLY THIS WILL BENEFIT SOME OF THE NEW COMMISSIONERS.
UM, FEEL FREE TO ASK QUESTIONS ALONG THE WAY.
UM, AND I'M GOING TO, GOING TO ALSO, UM, THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION COVER SOME OF OUR, UH, CURRENT EFFORTS.
UM, SO WE'RE GONNA START WITH A HISTORY LESSON.
UM, BUT FIRST OF ALL, I, I GUESS I GOT THIS SLIDE.
UM, SO WHEN, WHEN AUSTIN ENERGY STARTED, UM, OUR SOLAR PROGRAMS, OUR INTENT WAS TO DEVELOP AN INDUSTRY.
AT THE TIME WE ONLY HAD FOUR CONTRACTORS.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WANTED TO GROW THIS INDUSTRY IN AUSTIN, MAKE IT ROBUST, UM, KEEP THEM ABREAST WITH BEST PRACTICES, AND, UM, PROVIDE OPTIONS FOR OUR CUSTOMERS.
UM, AND THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO, OR, OR REALLY ALLOW US TO COLLABORATE WITH THEM, UM, AND LEVERAGE INVESTMENTS THAT THEY WANT TO MAKE, UM, TO HELP US BE MORE SUSTAINABLE AND, UM, MORE, UH, BETTER STEWARDS OF THE ENVIRONMENT.
SO, VERY EARLY ON, AUSTIN ENERGY HAD, UH, PROBABLY THE FIRST C UM, COMMUNITY SOLAR PROGRAMS IN THE NATION WITH SOLAR PIONEERS AND SOLAR EXPLORERS.
SOLAR PIONEERS WAS A UTILITY OWNED, UM, SOLAR ON CUSTOMER ROOFTOP PROGRAM AND SOLAR EXPLORERS.
UM, THE UTILITY BUILT SOME UTILITY SCALE, WHICH NOWADAYS THEY'RE JUST KIND OF CUSTOMER SCALE, BUT BACK THEN THEY WERE UTILITY SCALE, UM, PROJECTS, UM, WITH VOLUNTEER CONTRIBUTIONS FROM OUR CUSTOMERS.
UM, ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS WAS, UH, DECKER 300.
AT THE TIME IT WAS, AND FOR A BRIEF MOMENT, IT WAS THE LARGEST PV SYSTEM IN, UM, NORTH AMERICA.
AND, UM, IT IS STILL FUNCTIONING TODAY.
IT, IT IS IN NEED OF REPAIR, BUT, UM, STILL OUT THERE PRODUCING ENERGY.
UM, IN 2001, AUSTIN ENERGY INVESTED IN, UM, THE FIRST UTILITY SCALE WIND FARM IN TEXAS.
AND WE DEVELOPED A PROGRAM GREEN CHOICE THAT WOULD HELP TO SUBSIDIZE, UH, RENEWABLE ENERGY INVESTMENTS.
UM, AND THAT PROGRAM IS ALSO STILL ALIVE TODAY.
IN 2002, WE BEGAN TO DEVELOP A CURRICULUM FOR SOLAR FOR SCHOOLS.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT THERE WERE STATE GRANT, UM, FUNDS INVOLVED IN THAT CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT.
AND, UH, YOU CAN SEE HERE THROUGH THE YEARS, WE'VE ALSO, UM, EXPANDED ON THAT AND CONTINUE TO EXPAND ON THAT.
SOLAR INCENTIVES STARTED IN 2004, UH, WITH A, WITH CAPACITY BASED INCENTIVES FOR COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL.
UM, IN 2006, WE BEGAN TO PUT, UH, DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS ON LIBRARIES, COMMUNITY CENTERS, AND AT ABOUT 45 SCHOOLS AROUND TOWN, THOSE WERE THREE KW PROJECTS.
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STILL FUNCTIONAL.UH, IN 2000, UM, NINE, WE BEGAN THE, UM, PERFORMANCE BASED INCENTIVE PROGRAM FOR COMMERCIAL.
SO THAT ALLOWS US TO GIVE, UM, THE LARGER INCENTIVES THAT COMMERCIALS, UH, CUSTOMERS RECEIVE, UM, PAY THOSE OUT OVER A PERIOD OF YEARS.
AT, AT THE BEGINNING IT WAS 10 YEARS, NOW WE'VE CUT IT DOWN TO FIVE YEARS.
BUT, UM, IT, IT, IT GIVES US BETTER BUDGET, PREDICTABILITY, PREDICTABILITY, AND, UM, IT ALSO INFLUENCES CU, UM, COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS TO MAINTAIN THEIR SYSTEMS AS THEY'RE GETTING PAID ON THE PRODUCTION FROM THOSE SYSTEMS. UM, IN 2012, WE DEVELOPED THE VALUE OF SOLAR RATE.
SO AUSTIN ENERGY DEPARTED FROM NET METERING IN 2012 FOR RESIDENTIAL.
UM, AND WE MOVED TO THE VALUE OF SOLAR.
I'LL GO INTO DETAIL ON THAT AND FUTURE SLIDES.
UM, IN 2016, WE RE, UM, REDID THE CU THE SOLAR CURRICULUM TO ADDRESS, UM, HIGHER LEVEL STUDENTS.
UM, IN 2016, WE STARTED OUR, OUR NEXT COMMUNITY SOLAR AND OUR CURRENT COMMUNITY SOLAR PROGRAM.
UM, FIRST WITH THE, UM, UM, INSTALLATION OF THE ARRAY AT PALMER EVENT CENTER, AND THEN ALSO WITH L LOMA COMMUNITY SOLAR, UM, THAT COMMUNITY SOLAR WAS THE FIRST COMMUNITY SOLAR PROGRAM TO BE GREENY CERTIFIED.
GREENY JUST, UM, ENSURES THAT THERE'S NO DOUBLE ACCOUNTING OF THE RENEWABLE ENERGY ATTRIBUTES OF, UM, OF THE SOLAR PRODUCTION AS WE ALLOCATE IT TO OUR CUSTOMERS THROUGH THAT PROGRAM.
UM, IN 2020, WE, UM, STARTED THE SHARED SOLAR PILOT.
SO THAT'S THE ABILITY FOR A MULTIFAMILY PROJECT TO INTERCONNECT WITH, WITH A SINGLE INTERCONNECTION.
AND THEN THROUGH THE BILLING SYSTEM, IT TAKES THAT SINGLE METER READ AND ALLOCATES THAT PRODUCTION TO MULTIPLE, UM, TENANT ACCOUNTS.
SO THAT SAVES A LOT OF MONEY ON A, UM, A MULTIFAMILY INSTALLATION WHERE YOU WOULD'VE NORMALLY HAD TO TIE IN, BE BEHIND MULTIPLE METERS.
UM, AND SO THAT WAS A PILOT AT THE TIME.
IT TOOK US QUITE A WHILE TO GET THAT TOTALLY STOOD UP IN THE BILLING SYSTEM.
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE THERE ON, IN SKIPPING AHEAD TO 2024, WE'VE, UM, TAKEN THE SHARED SOLAR PROGRAM, UM, TO MAINSTREAM.
UM, AND WE'RE GETTING PARTICIPATION IN THAT PROGRAM CURRENTLY.
UM, LET'S SEE, IN 2021, WE, WE DID A SERIES OF STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS WITH OUR COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS, UH, BECAUSE RESIDENTIAL HAD BEEN OUTPACING COMMERCIAL, UM, PRETTY MUCH SINCE THE BEGINNING.
UH, AND WE, WE KNEW THERE WAS A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY IN COMMERCIAL AND JUST WANTED TO MEET WITH THOSE CUSTOMERS TO DISCOVER, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE COULD DO TO, UM, CHANGE AND MODIFY OUR PROGRAMS TO MAKE IT EASIER AND, AND BETTER FOR THEM.
UM, AND THAT RESULTED IN US GOING BACK TO A CAPACITY BASED INCENTIVE FOR, UM, NONPROFITS AND SMALL COMMERCIAL 'CAUSE THAT THEY HAD A HIGHER UPFRONT CAPITAL NEED.
UM, AND SO THAT HAS WORKED VERY WELL.
YOU'LL SEE THAT IN THE DATA, UM, COMING UP HERE.
AND THEN, LET'S SEE, IN 2025, UH, BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR, WE RELEASED THE, UH, COMMERCIAL STANDARD OFFER PROGRAM.
UH, THAT IS WHERE CUSTOMERS CAN, UM, BASICALLY HOST A COMMUNITY SOLAR, UM, ARRAY.
AND AUSTIN ENERGY PAYS THE THIRD PARTY OWNER OF THAT ARRAY DIRECTLY.
UM, THIS HAS UNLOCKED A LOT OF ROOFTOPS THAT WOULD'VE NORMALLY, UM, NOT WENT SOLAR BECAUSE OF A SPLIT INCENTIVE ISSUE WHERE YOU HAVE THE BUILDING OWNER WHO IS NOT A TENANT OR AN ACCOUNT HOLDER WITH AUSTIN ENERGY.
SO PRIOR TO THIS PROGRAM, THAT BUILDING OWNER WOULD HAVE NO INCENTIVE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A SOLAR PROJECT.
UM, SINCE WE'VE LAUNCHED THAT PROGRAM IN JANUARY, WE HAVE 8.25 MEGAWATTS OF SOLAR UNDER CONSTRUCTION ARE, ARE ABOUT TO BEGIN TO CON CONSTRUCTION AND ANOTHER 15 MEGAWATTS THAT ARE IN THE QUEUE BEHIND THAT, UM, TO SEEKING TO GET TO THAT POINT.
SO WE'RE REALLY ENCOURAGED, UM, BY THE SUCCESS OF THAT PROGRAM.
UM, AND THEN IN 2026 WE'LL BE ADDING
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SOLAR TO GREEN CHOICE.UM, AND WE ARE ALSO WORKING ON SOME OTHER EFFORTS THAT I'LL TALK ABOUT AS WE MOVE THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION.
MR. HARVEY, UH, COMMISSIONER ZIN HAS A QUESTION.
I WAS CURIOUS, UM, THE SOLAR IN SCHOOLS PROGRAM AND THE SOLAR EDUCATION PROGRAM, HOW EFFECTIVE, LIKE HOW MUCH OF AN IMPACT DO YOU THINK IT HAD ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INDUSTRY AND THE ACCEPTANCE IN AUSTIN? AND HOW DO YOU, HOW DID YOU MEASURE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THOSE PROGRAMS? YEAH, I WOULD SAY, UM, FOR SOLAR, FOR SCHOOLS, IT'S HARD TO QUANTIFY OBVIOUSLY, BUT, UM, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S REALLY PARAMOUNT TO, UM, EDUCATE, UM, THE, THE KIDS AND THEY BRING THAT HOME TO THE PARENTS A LOT OF TIMES, I BELIEVE.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY REALLY ENGAGE AND IT'S A GOOD SORT, IT'S A GOOD WAY TO TEACH, UM, CERTAIN, UM, DISCIPLINES IN SCHOOL.
AND SO SOME, THE, THE SECOND ROUND OF SOLAR FOR SCHOOL PROJECTS THAT WE DID HAVE ACTUAL LEARNING CENTERS, UM, WHERE THE KIDS CAN LIKE TILT THE ARRAY TO SEE HOW THE, UM, ANGLE OF INCIDENTS WITH THE SUN AFFECTS THE PRODUCTION AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S REALLY, YOU CAN SEE THE DATA IN REAL TIME.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THE, THE LEARNING IS VERY EFFECTIVE FOR THE KIDS AND, UM, AND IT'S, UM, REALLY GOING TO PROBABLY PAY OFF IN FUTURE YEARS AS THEY BECOME ADULTS.
UM, BUT AGAIN, THEY TAKE IT HOME TO THE, TO THEIR PARENTS.
AND THEN THE SOLAR EDUCATION PROGRAM, UM, IT, THE, THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THAT PROGRAM WAS TO HELP OUR CUSTOMERS, UM, KIND OF SELF-PROTECT THEMSELF FROM, UM, POTENTIAL, YOU KNOW, BAD ACTORS IN THE SOLAR INDUSTRY.
UM, AND I THINK THAT HAS BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE, UH, THROUGH THAT PROGRAM.
CUSTOMERS RECEIVE INFORMATION NOT ONLY ABOUT HOW SOLAR WORKS AND YOU KNOW, ABOUT I RADIANCY AND, AND THE RIGHT WAYS TO INSTALL THEM ON YOUR ROOF AND, AND WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT OUT OF THEM, BUT HOW TO, UM, ALSO HOW TO COMPARE BIDS.
AND IT GIVES THEM A LIST OF QUESTIONS THAT THEY CAN ASK CONTRACTORS, UM, SO THAT THEY'RE MORE PREPARED WHEN THEY GO TO, UM, YOU KNOW, DO DO AN ACTUAL SOLAR PURCHASE AND THEY, THEY CAN FEEL CONFIDENT IN THEIR, THEIR PURCHASING.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT, UM, IS BEHOOVING THE, THE SOLAR CUSTOMER AND THE INDUSTRY IN MANY WAYS, UM, BECAUSE IT STRENGTHENS THE COMPETITION OUT THERE.
UM, AND IT, IT JUST HAD, YOU KNOW, AN INFORMED CUSTOMER IS A, A PRO SUMER, UM, AS MUCH AS THEY ARE A CONSUMER.
UM, AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THE STATS OVER HERE ON THE RIGHT.
SO FAR WE'VE INSTALLED 189 MEGAWATTS OF LOCAL SOLAR ON THE DISTRIBUTION GRID.
UM, THAT INCLUDES OVER A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF INCENTIVES.
UM, AND AUSTIN ENERGY SEES THAT AS AN INVESTMENT IN, UM, IN AUSTIN AND, UM, AND IN THE SOLAR INDUSTRY IN AUSTIN.
AND, AND SO WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF THAT AND, AND WE'VE MOVED THESE CONTRACTORS ALONG.
I'LL, I'LL TALK MORE ABOUT IT, UM, AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, BUT, UM, THOSE INCENTIVE DOLLARS HAVE BEEN VERY MEANINGFUL.
UM, WE ARE NOW A, AGAIN, UP TO 72 CONTRACTORS DOWN OR UP FROM FOUR IN 2004, UM, AND WE HAVE, UH, OVER 1400 REBATED CUSTOMERS WITH OVER ALMOST 17, UM, HUNDRED, OR SORRY, 17,000, UM, CUSTOMERS THAT, THAT HAVE SOLAR CURRENTLY.
SO AS WE'RE SUPPORTING THE SOLAR INDUSTRY, WE'RE, WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THESE SIX, UM, GOALS SPECIFICALLY.
SO WE WANT TO, UM, PROMOTE OUR STANDARDS.
UM, WE DEVELOP STANDARDS IN COORDINATION.
WE, UM, A FD AND, UH, DSD, SO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, UM, AND, UH, WE ENFORCE THOSE STANDARDS THROUGH OUR INSPECTIONS, WHICH ARE 100% OF ALL SOLAR PROJECTS.
UM, WE WANT TO INCREASE THE CAPABILITIES BY ADDING NEW TECHNOLOGY.
SO WE HAVE, UM, CURRENTLY, UH, MOST RECENTLY APPROVED, UM, SEVERAL DIFFERENT METER COLLARS AND ARE STILL LOOKING AT NEW ONES.
[00:30:01]
ALSO, UM, INSTALLED, UM, THE F-150 BACKUP, WHOLE HOME BACKUP, UM, SO THAT, THAT, UM, ELECTRIC VEHICLE CAN POWER THE HOUSE AND THE EVENT OF A POWER FAILURE.WE'RE WORKING WITH FORD CURRENTLY TO, UM, DO VEHICLE TO GRID AS A PILOT IN AUSTIN.
UM, ONE OF JUST A FEW COMPANIES THAT, THAT FORD IS CURRENTLY WORKING WITH.
SO, UM, WORKING ON THOSE CAPABILITIES, UM, THE INTERCONNECTION, SO AS I SAID, WE DO 100% INSPECTIONS AND, UM, WE ARE, ARE, ARE CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR SAFETY ISSUES AND ISSUES THAT COULD AFFECT THE SYSTEM OUTPUT, UM, AND QUALITY OF THAT SYSTEM.
SO, UM, WE BELIEVE THAT OUR INSPECTIONS BRING A VERY HIGH STANDARD OF, UM, SOLAR TO THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY.
UM, WE HAVE MONTHLY TRAININGS FOR OUR CONTRACTORS WHERE WE GO OVER THE DEFICIENCIES THAT WE'RE SEEING OUT IN THE FIELD.
WE GO OVER OUR LOCAL CODES AND STANDARDS TO ENSURE THAT, YOU KNOW, CONTRACTORS THAT ARE MOVING TO THE AREA, OUR FAMILIAR WITH, UM, THE DIFFERENCES IN AUSTIN.
UM, AND WE KEEP THEM AB BEST WITH, UH, ABREAST WITH THE BEST PRACTICES OUT THERE IN THE INDUSTRY.
UM, O OBVIOUSLY WE'RE PROVIDING INCENTIVES TO OUR CUSTOMERS TO INFLUENCE ADOPTION AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND WE'RE INCREASING THE SUSTAINABILITY, UM, NOT ONLY BY HAVING SUSTAINABLE, YOU KNOW, UM, GENERATION, BUT WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON END OF LIFE, UM, FOR THESE SYSTEMS SO THAT THEY'RE, THEY DON'T END UP IN THE LANDFILL.
UM, WE WANT THEM TO BE RECYCLED AND REUSED AND USED TO THEIR END OF THEIR LIFE WHEN POSSIBLE.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL THOSE THINGS.
UM, SO FOR, DO WE HAVE A HAND UP? YEAH, I I, I'M IGNORANT ON THE WHOLE VEHICLE TO GRID STUFF.
HOW REALISTICALLY IMPACTFUL IS THAT? IS THAT LIKE ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, GET AROUND A BIG PROBLEM? OR IS IT MORE COST EFFECTIVE TO BUILD LIKE, LARGE GENERATION CAPACITY FROM SOME OTHER THING? LIKE HOW MUCH DOES IT MOVE THE NEEDLE? YEAH, SO TODAY, UM, THERE'S ONLY A HANDFUL OF, UM, OEMS THAT ALLOW FOR, UH, VEHICLE TO GRID.
UM, AND, AND SOME OF THEM JUST HAVE, YOU KNOW, A LIMITED RUN OF CERTAIN VEHICLES THAT ARE CAPABLE OF DOING IT.
BUT I WOULD SAY THAT IN THE FUTURE IT COULD BE HUGELY IMPACTFUL IF, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, THE, THE VEHI, ALL THE VEHICLES WERE CAPABLE TO VEHICLE TO GRID TODAY IN AUSTIN.
UM, IF I REMEMBER RIGHT, THAT'S SOMETHING LIKE 190 MEGAWATTS OF DISPATCHABLE POWER THAT WE COULD HAVE.
UM, AND, AND IT WOULD MAKE A MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE, UM, TO, TO AUSTIN.
UM, THE COST OF OUR ENERGY AND, UM, YOU KNOW, CAN HELP TO ADDRESS THINGS LIKE, UH, LOAD ZONE PRICE SEPARATION.
SO WE NEED DISPATCHABLE ENERGY IN OUR SERVICE TERRITORY, NOT ONLY DISPATCHABLE ENERGY, BUT UM, ALSO FLEXIBLE LOAD.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAVE FLEXIBILITY BETWEEN YOUR, YOUR ENERGY, UM, OUTPUT AND CONSUMPTION, THEN YOU CAN HELP TO MANAGE THE GRID TO BE MORE EFFICIENT AND MORE BALANCED.
I DID SEE VICE CHAIR ROBBINS HAND IS ALSO A, UM, COMMISSIONER GON, UH, I, I KEEP MISPRONOUNCING YOUR NAME COMMISSIONER GON RIGHT.
COMMISSIONER ZIN, UH, THIS IS A LONG PRESENTATION AND I DON'T WANT TO INTERRUPT IT IN ANY GREAT WAY.
AND I HAVE MY OWN QUESTIONS THAT I'LL POSIT LATER TOWARDS THE END, BUT I DO WANNA OFFER MY OPINION UNION THAT VEHICLE TO GRID RIGHT NOW IS OVERRATED.
UH, I THINK THAT THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR LARGE, UH, CUSTOMERS LIKE SAY SCHOOL BUS FLEETS, UH, TO HAVE A SOMEWHAT MEANINGFUL ROLE.
UH, AND I THINK THAT IF YOU PUT THESE IN A HOME
[00:35:01]
AND THEY'RE FOR, UH, EMERGENCY BACKUP, THAT MIGHT HAVE A ROLE.BUT FOR EVERYDAY USE, THE, UH, THE INTERFACE IS SO FAR KIND OF EXPENSIVE, AND I WOULDN'T EXPECT THAT IT WOULD WORK, IT WOULD PENCIL OUT ECONOMICALLY EXCEPT FOR LARGER FLEETS.
UH, I'D LOVE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THIS OFFLINE.
WE DID HAVE A, A QUESTION, COMMISSIONER, FARMER, AND, AND THEN I, I JUST, WE HAVE A LOT TO GET THROUGH, SO, UM, WE'LL SEE HOW, HOW THIS GOES.
AND MAYBE WE HOLD QUESTIONS FOR THE END.
I CAN, I CAN HOLD TO THE END THAT, AND THAT WAS MY SUGGESTION.
CAN WE JUST WAIT UNTIL THE END SO WE CAN GET THROUGH THIS WITHOUT OBJECTION.
LET'S, LET'S MOVE THROUGH AND WE'LL SAVE QUESTIONS FOR THE END AND WE'LL HAVE A ROBUST DISCUSSION THEN.
SO CODES AND STANDARDS, EMERGING TECH AND TRAINING.
UM, AS I MENTIONED, WE, WE ARE INTERESTED IN DEVELOPING THIS INDUSTRY, UM, AND WE'RE ALSO VERY INTERESTED IN SAFETY AND PERFORMANCE FROM THESE SYSTEMS. UM, SO I'LL, I'LL, IN REGARDS TO THE CODES AND STANDARDS, I'VE, I'VE ALREADY KIND OF MENTIONED THAT WE DO THE CONTRACTOR TRAINING, UM, BUT WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON THE INTERCONNECTION REQUIREMENTS.
UM, WE UPDATE, UPDATE THOSE ANNUALLY, AND WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO TURN, UM, ANY AREAS THAT MIGHT NOT BE, UM, YOU KNOW, VERY CLEAR TO THE CONTRACTORS, UM, INTO BLACK AND WHITE AND MAKE THOSE VERY CLEAR SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE, UM, ANY, UM, QUESTION AS TO WHAT IS NEEDED AT THE INSTALLATION.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S BEEN A, UH, ITERATIVE PROCESS.
THERE ARE THINGS, UM, THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN THERE, UM, THAT ARE SOMEWHAT SUBJECTIVE.
AND SO WE'VE REALLY BEEN TRYING TO, UM, IDENTIFY THOSE AND, AND ADDRESS THAT.
UM, FOR OUR INSPECTIONS, UM, WE, WE HAVE 100% INSPECTIONS.
UM, WE DO BELIEVE THAT'S NECESSARY.
I'VE GOT A SLIDE, UM, THAT'S COMING UP HERE.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY DO PROMOTE QUALITY AND SAFETY OF THESE SYSTEMS, UM, FOR OUR CUSTOMERS.
UM, AND, UM, THEY ALSO HELP TO FACILITATE, UM, THE REBATE PROGRAM AND, AND ENSURE THAT OUR REBATES ARE, UM, ALIGNED WITH WHAT'S BEING INSTALLED AND OUR, OUR DATA.
UM, AND, AND THEN ALSO, UM, THE NEW TECH, WE, WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, MICROGRIDS, ANOTHER THING WE'RE LOOKING AT IS, UM, EXPORT LIMITING.
UM, EXPORT LIMITING COULD HELP, UM, FROM A EQUITY STANDPOINT WHERE YOU HAVE, UH, MULTIPLE CUSTOMERS SHARING A METER, THE FIRST COUPLE COME ALONG AND THEY INSTALL SYSTEMS THAT TAKE UP THE FULL CAPACITY OF A TRANSFORMER.
I I SAID METER, I MEANT TRANSFORMER.
UM, AND, AND SO, AND THEN THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO CAPACITY LEFT ON THAT TRANSFORMER.
AND THEN THE THIRD CUSTOMER COMES ALONG, WANTS TO DO SOLAR, THE BURDEN IS ON THEM TO UPGRADE THAT TRANSFORMER, UM, IF THEY WANT TO DO SOLAR.
BUT IF WE WERE TO ENABLE THESE EXPORT LIMITING POLICIES, THEN ALL CUSTOMERS ON A TRANSFORMER COULD SHARE IT AND WE, IT WOULD JUST LIMIT THEIR EXPORT, UM, SO THAT WE'RE NOT OVERLOADING THE TRANSFORMER AND, AND CAUSING IT TO, UM, HAVE A SHORTER LIFESPAN.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING INTO THAT THERE, THERE'S A LOT OF NUANCES THERE.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN EXPLORING HERE FOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO QUALITY OF, OF, UM, CUSTOMERS INSTALLATIONS, UM, THERE, THERE WAS A STUDY DONE, AND IF THERE IS AN UNPLANNED OR UNBUDGETED CORRECTIVE MAINTENANCE, IT ARE, IT, IT IS SIX TIMES MORE LIKELY TO OCCUR, UM, AND SOLAR PROJECTS WHERE THE, THERE ARE WORKMANSHIP ERRORS, AND SO THE INSPECTORS ARE OUT THERE EVERY DAY IDENTIFYING THESE WORKMANSHIP ISSUES, UM, ALONG WITH SOME SAFETY ISSUES AS WELL.
UM, SO WE WANNA ALWAYS ENSURE THAT OUR LINEMEN, OUR LINE WORKERS ARE, UM, SAFE, OUR CONTRACTORS ARE SAFE, AND OF COURSE, OUR CUSTOMERS.
SO HERE ARE SOME STATS ON THE PROGRAM.
[00:40:01]
YOU'LL SEE THAT, UM, IN THE LAST 20, UM, TWO YEARS OF THE PROGRAM, THERE HAVE BEEN OVER $482 MILLION WORTH OF SOLAR SALES.THAT'S JUST FOR REBATED PROJECTS.
AND ABOUT 20% OF THE SOLAR THAT GOES IN IN AUSTIN IS NOT REBATED.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ADDITIONAL SALES THERE.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, I I THINK THAT THIS IS, THE INVESTMENT IS BRINGING MONEY OUT INTO THE INDUSTRY AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT, IT'S REALLY A TESTAMENT OF WHAT WE CAN DO, UM, WHEN, WHEN WE REALLY PUT AN EFFORT INTO IT.
UM, AS, AS OUR, OUR FIRST STEP, WE, UM, ARE NOW PUTTING THESE STICKERS ON EVERY INVERTER AND PIECE OF BATTERY EQUIPMENT, UM, SO THAT CUSTOMERS CAN EASILY GET DIRECTED TO THE WEBPAGE.
THAT WILL ALWAYS BE UPDATED WITH THE MOST CURRENT INFORMATION REGARDING PANEL RECYCLING.
NOW TODAY, UM, RECYCLING IN AUSTIN, UH, IS ONLY AVAILABLE THROUGH THE CITY TO, UM, RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS.
UM, RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS CAN TAKE THEIR, UH, OLD PANELS TO DROP OFF LOCATIONS WITH A RR, AND, UH, THE FIRST A HUNDRED POUNDS IS FREE, AND AFTER THAT IT'S 30 CENTS A POUND, UM, TO RECYCLE THOSE, AND THEN THEY SHUT THOSE AWAY TO RECYCLING CENTERS.
UM, BUT THAT, UM, DOES NOT COVER COMMERCIAL.
UM, AND IT DOES NOT ALLOW THE CONTRACTORS TO, LIKE, SAY A RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER'S CONTRACTOR THAT TOOK THE PANELS OFF THE ROOF.
THEY CAN'T TAKE THEM TO THE, UM, TO THE DROP OFF PLACES.
SO THERE'S SOME NUANCES THERE.
THERE, THERE'S DEFINITELY ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.
UM, AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY IS CURRENTLY LEADING AN EFFORT FOR THAT, AND AUSTIN ENERGY IS SUPPORTING THAT.
UM, AND WE'RE WORKING THROUGH IDEAS THAT COULD POTENTIALLY DO THINGS LIKE, UM, RECOVERY RECOVER, UM, AT PERMIT OF INSTALLATION, A FEE THAT WOULD GO INTO, UM, ENABLING RECYCLING BENEFITS.
SO, UM, THESE THINGS WE'RE CURRENTLY EXPLORING.
AND SO LOOK, LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, SOME, SOME FUTURE INFORMATION ON THOSE PROJECTS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
SO, UM, THAT SHOULD SAY PROVIDING, UM, CUSTOMER WITH GREEN POWER PROGRAMS. SO WE ESSENTIALLY HAVE THREE DIFFERENT TYPES.
WE GIVE INCENTIVES TO INSTALL.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE RENEWABLE ENERGY SUBSCRIPTION PROGRAMS, SO THAT'S GREEN CHOICE OR, UM, COMMUNITY SOLAR.
AND WE NOW HAVE COMMUNITY SOLAR HOSTING THROUGH THE STANDARD OFFER.
UM, THE REBATE CUSTOMERS ARE, UH, INSTALLING QUITE A BIT OF SOLAR AND, UM, YOU CAN SEE THEY, THEY RAMP UP ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
UH, THIS YEAR IN FY 25, WE INSTALLED MORE SOLAR THAN WE HAVE IN ANY OTHER YEAR EVER.
LAST YEAR WAS A RECORD BREAKING YEAR AT 16 MEGAWATTS THIS YEAR WE CAME IN AT 18.8, SO, UM, YOU KNOW, REALLY, REALLY HIT IT THIS YEAR.
UM, NOW IN 2026, UM, IT'S, A LOT OF THINGS ARE CHANGING.
SO THE, THE REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT, OF COURSE, AS YOU KNOW, IS CHANGING A LOT.
UM, THE FEDERAL TAX CREDITS FOR RESIDENTIAL GO AWAY AFTER DECEMBER 31ST.
UM, AND THEN FOR COMMERCIAL, THE TAX CREDITS GO AWAY, UM, AFTER DECEMBER 31ST, 2027.
OR IF THEY HAVE SAFE HARBOR PANELS BY JULY 4TH, 2026, THEN THEY'LL HAVE AN ADDITIONAL FOUR YEARS TO INSTALL THOSE.
SO, YOU KNOW, AS, AS WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS INDUSTRY THAT WE'VE INVESTED A LOT INTO AND THAT WE CARE ABOUT, UM, WE KNOW THAT A LOT OF THOSE CONTRACTORS ARE RESIDENTIAL, SOLAR FOCUSED.
UM, AND, AND SO, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE'S DEFINITELY, UM, A, LET'S SAY, WELL, THE REDUCING THE INCENTIVES, THERE'S GOING TO AFFECT THAT INDUSTRY A LOT.
SO FOR A CUSTOMER, UM, THAT RECEIVES A 30% FEDERAL TAX CREDIT TODAY, A CUSTOMER DOING THAT SAME PROJECT WITHOUT THE 30% TAX CREDIT ACTUALLY
[00:45:01]
PAYS LIKE 43% MORE THAN THEY WOULD HAVE.SO THAT'S A HUGE AMOUNT MORE THAT'S GONNA, THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE, UM, THE VALUE PROPOSITION TO CUSTOMERS.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO IDENTIFY WAYS THAT WE CAN, UM, POTENTIALLY MOVE FORWARD WITH THIRD PARTY OWNERSHIP ON RESIDENTIAL ROOFTOPS AT WHERE THAT THIRD PARTY OWNERSHIP IS A COMMERCIAL ENTITY.
SO THE COMMERCIAL ENTITY CAN STILL LEVERAGE THE FEDERAL TAX CREDITS ON THE CUSTOMER'S BEHALF, UM, AND THEN THEY PASS THAT, THOSE TAX CREDITS FORWARD TO THEM THROUGH A LEASE OR, UM, IT COULD BE A, LIKE A PREPAID LEASE OR, UM, A LEASE WITH A BUYOUT AFTER YEAR SIX, BECAUSE THEY'RE ALSO LEVERAGING ACCELERATED DEPRECIATION THROUGH THAT, UM, SCENARIO.
SO THERE ARE POTENTIAL LEASE MODELS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
UM, I WILL SAY, YOU KNOW, WE ARE VERY AWARE THAT, UM, LEASE MODELS CAN ALSO INCORPORATE A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE BAD FOR CUSTOMERS.
UM, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS THAT WE CAN, UM, PROVIDE CONSUMER PROTECTION, UM, FOR THAT AND, AND ENSURE THAT THE LEASES AREN'T BACKING INTO A POWER PURCHASE AGREEMENT BECAUSE AUSTIN ENERGY'S THE SOLE PROVIDER OF ENERGY TO OUR CUSTOMERS.
AND, UM, WE CAN'T OPEN OUR, OUR TERRITORY UP, UP TO COMPETITION.
UM, SO WE, WE DO NOT ALLOW CUSTOMERS TO ENTER INTO POWER PURCHASE AGREEMENTS.
UM, BUT A LEASE CAN BE STRUCTURED IN A WAY THAT IS AN EQUIPMENT LEASE AND, AND NOT A POWER PURCHASE AGREEMENT.
UM, SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THE INDUSTRY, UM, ON THAT.
THERE ARE OTHER STATES THAT HAVE SIMILAR, UM, REQUIREMENTS AS WE DO.
UM, SO WE'RE NOT STARTING FROM GROUND ZERO AND, UM, WE'RE, I WOULD SAY THAT THERE IS POTENTIAL THERE.
UM, ANOTHER EFFORT THAT WE HAVE THAT WOULD ALLOW THIRD PARTY OWNERSHIP ON A A RESIDENTIAL ROOFTOP WOULD BE THE RESIDENTIAL STANDARD OFFER.
NOW FOR THAT, UM, IT IS DEFINITELY MORE COMPLEX THAN THE COMMERCIAL STANDARD OFFER.
YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, HUNDREDS OF MORE INTERCONNECTIONS TO GET TO A SIMILAR AMOUNT OF, UM, CAPACITY.
UM, AND BECAUSE OF THAT, THE ECONOMIES OF SCALE DON'T HAPPEN, EVEN IF AS WELL, EVEN IF YOU'RE AGGREGATING MULTIPLE RESIDENTIAL, UM, PROJECTS.
SO, AND, AND SO THE MARGINS ARE REALLY THIN THERE, AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WAYS, UM, THAT THE UTILITY CAN HELP TO INCREASE THAT VALUE PROPOSITION, UM, FOR BOTH THE CONTRACTORS AND CUSTOMERS.
UM, AND SO WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH THAT.
WE'VE HAD ABOUT SIX OR SEVEN, UM, STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS AT THIS POINT, UM, TRYING TO WORK THROUGH THAT.
AND, UM, WE STILL HAVEN'T DECIDED HOW THAT'S GOING TO PLAY OUT YET.
UM, BUT I THINK PROBABLY OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE THERE ARE JUST THE VERY, VERY THIN MARGINS IF THEY EVEN EXIST.
SO, UM, OUR RESIDENTIAL OFFERING INCLUDES EDUCATION AS, AS MENTIONED BEFORE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE THINK THAT THIS IS VERY VALUABLE TO OUR CUSTOMERS.
UM, THEY NOT ONLY LEARN ABOUT THE SOLAR PURCHASE, BUT THEY LEARN ABOUT THE VALUE OF SOLAR, HOW THAT'S GONNA LOOK ON THEIR BILL, UM, AND, UM, RESOURCES THAT THEY CAN ALSO, UM, UTILIZE TO, TO GET MORE INFORMATION.
WE HAVE MULTIFAMILY PROGRAMS. SO WE HAVE SHARED SOLAR, UM, BUT WE ALSO PROVIDE CAPACITY BASED IN INCENTIVES FOR NONPROFITS.
UM, AND WE SEE THAT UTILIZED QUITE A BIT.
NOT ALL MULTIFAMILY PROGRAMS HAVE MULTIPLE METERS.
SOME OF THEM ARE MASTER METERED, UM, AND SO THEY'LL, THEY'LL MOVE THROUGH THE CAPACITY BASED INCENTIVE AND, AND IT'S VERY EASY WITH THEM.
UM, BUT I THINK WE'VE DONE ABOUT, UH, SEVEN OR EIGHT SHARED SOLAR PROJECTS THIS YEAR.
SO WE'RE ENCOURAGED BY THE UPTAKE OF THAT NEXT SLIDE.
UM, AND, AND WE HAVE CAPACITY AND PERFORMANCE BASED INCENTIVES FOR COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS.
UM, THE PERFORMANCE BASED INCENTIVES ARE PAID OUT OVER A FIVE YEAR PERIOD, AND, UM, AS I MENTIONED, THE, THE CAPACITY BASE ONE TIME INCENTIVES ARE AVAILABLE TO NONPROFITS AND, UH, SMALL COMMERCIAL NEXT SLIDE.
SO WE HAVE, UM, SUBSCRIPTION PROGRAMS THROUGH, UH, GREEN CHOICE, UH, THAT IS AVAILABLE TO COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS.
[00:50:01]
CAN, UH, GET THE PRODUCTS THAT THEY NEED TO MEET, UH, LEAD ACCREDITATION AND GREEN BUILDING, UM, RATINGS.AND, UH, THOSE REQUIRE THAT WE MAINTAIN A PORTFOLIO THAT'S RELATIVELY CURRENT.
UM, SO THAT KEEPS US INVESTING IN, UM, UTILITY SCALE RENEWABLES.
UM, SO YOU KNOW, THAT'S, UM, ONE OF THE, UM, ATTRIBUTES OF THAT PROGRAM.
WE ALSO HAVE A COMMUNITY SOLAR PROGRAM.
UH, CURRENTLY THE COMMUNITY SOLAR PROGRAM IS TIED TO THREE PROJECTS.
UH, THE ONE AT PALMER VENT CENTER, LA LOMA AT, AT WHICH IS A SUBSTATION AND AT THE AIRPORT.
UM, AND SO THOSE ARE ALL FIXED COST PROJECTS, AND THEY ALLOW US TO HAVE A FIXED COST OFFERING FOR OUR CUSTOMERS.
UM, SO CURRENTLY THAT IT, THAT PROGRAM IS FULLY SUBSCRIBED, AND IT HAS BEEN PRETTY MUCH SINCE DAY ONE, UM, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SOME CAP CUSTOMERS, UM, ROLLING OFF AS THEY, UM, EXIT THE CAP PROGRAM.
AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS, WE BRING NEW CAP CUSTOMERS ON.
SO WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO MAINTAIN THAT 50 50 BALANCE OF, UH, MARKET RATE AND CAP CUSTOMERS.
UM, AND AGAIN, THIS IS ANOTHER FIXED, UM, COST PROGRAM.
SO WHILE, UM, ALL OF THE CUSTOMERS WITH THE, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF, UM, CAP CUSTOMERS PAID A PREMIUM TO BEGIN WITH, UM, AT CERTAIN TIMES AS THE PSA IS FLUCTUATING, UM, THEIR COMMUNITY SOLAR ADJUSTMENT REPLACES THAT PSA AND IT'S, AND IS STEADY.
SO THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THEY HEDGE AND ACTUALLY PAY LESS THAN OTHER CUSTOMERS NOW.
UM, AND THEN FOR THE, UM, LOW INCOME CUSTOMERS, UH, THROUGH CAP, THEY, THEY JUST CONTINUE TO GET MORE AND MORE OF A DISCOUNT.
SO, UM, AT WORST, THEY PAY NOTHING.
UM, AND AT BEST, THEY'VE RECEIVED SOMEWHERE AROUND A PENNY AND A HALF DISCOUNT PER KILOWATT HOUR.
SO, BUT THAT FLUCTUATES WITH THE PSA NEXT SLIDE.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE, UM, OUR NEW PROGRAM, THE STANDARD OFFER, WHICH I MENTIONED IS, HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL AND WE'RE VERY ENCOURAGED BY IT.
UM, AND IT'S CREATING A NEW PORTFOLIO OF COMMUNITY SOLAR PROJECTS.
BUT THIS PORTFOLIO IS NOT FIXED.
IT'S TIED TO AUSTIN ENERGY'S AVOIDED COST.
SO THROUGH THE STANDARD OFFER PROGRAM, WE'RE ALWAYS, UM, PROVIDING THE THIRD PARTY OWNER OF THAT SYSTEM.
UM, WE'RE PASSING THROUGH ALL OF OUR AVOIDED COSTS TO THEM, SO, UM, WE'RE BASICALLY PAYING THEM AS MUCH AS WE CAN WITHOUT INCREASING ANY RATES FOR OUR CUSTOMERS.
THAT MAKES IT VERY, VERY SUSTAINABLE, MAKES IT VERY SCALABLE.
UM, AND AUSTIN ENERGY'S FULLY BOUGHT INTO THAT.
UM, AND SO THOSE ARE TWO GREAT THINGS ABOUT A PROGRAM.
UM, AND THEN IT'S, AND ON TOP OF THAT, IT'S, IT'S WORKING.
SO THIS IS REALLY EXCITING FOR ME.
UM, BUT AS WE START TO HAVE, UM, THAT NEW PORTFOLIO OF COMMUNITY SOLAR PROJECTS, THAT'S ALWAYS, IT'S NEVER COSTING US EXTRA, BUT WE'RE ALSO NEVER HEDGING WITH IT.
WE, WE CAN'T PASS ON A HEDGE TO THE CUSTOMER THROUGH SOME KIND OF FIXED, UM, THING.
SO, UM, WE'RE STILL WORKING AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE FEW.
WE'VE HAD ONE OR TWO, UM, COMMUNITY SOLAR STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS SO FAR.
UM, WE'LL HAVE MORE UNTIL WE FIGURE OUT HOW THE NEW PROGRAM DESIGN IS GOING TO ADJUST TO THIS NEW PORTFOLIO.
UM, THE CRS TEAM DOES A LOT OF OUTREACH OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
I, I THINK WE TYPICALLY DO PROBABLY SIX OR SEVEN, UM, OUTREACH EVENTS A MONTH.
UM, WE ARE DOING LA LOMA SOLAR TOURS, UH, FOR, YOU KNOW, ELEMENTARY HIGH SCHOOL, UM, COLLEGE KIDS, AS WELL AS, UM, VISITORS AND DIGNITARIES, UM, INTEREST GROUPS.
YOU NAME IT, IF YOU HAVE A GROUP THAT WANTS TO GO SEE OUR COMMUNITY SOLAR, UM, FARM, YOU CAN JUST REACH OUT TO SOLAR AT AUSTIN ENERGY, EXPRESS YOUR INTERESTS, WE'LL GET BACK TO YOU, AND WE'LL SET UP A TOUR.
UM, WE DO SOLAR, UH, IN SCHOOLS, SO WE SUPPORT OUR CURRICULUM WITH, IN SCHOOL, UM, LEARNING, UH, UM, AT, AT SOME EVENTS.
AND THEN WE ALSO PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNITY EVENTS, UM, THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY.
SO THIS IS JUST A GLIMPSE OF, UM, AUSTIN ENERGY'S UTILITY SCALE RENEWABLES.
[00:55:01]
IN COMBINATION WITH OUR CUSTOMER OWNED, WE HAVE OVER A GIGAWATT OF SOLAR AND ALMOST 1.8 GIGAWATTS OF WIND CURRENTLY.UM, SO THAT IS, UM, ALLOWS US TO HIT SOME, AT SOME POINTS IN TIME, 72%, UM, RENEWABLE MIX IN THE ERCOT MARKET.
UM, AND SO COMPARED TO ERCOT, UM, AT 43% AND THE USA AT 42% WE'RE, WE'RE DEFINITELY A LEADER THERE IN THE SPACE.
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE GEOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY OF THOSE ASSETS, WHICH, UM, WHICH HELPS THE, UM, THE INTEGRITY OF THAT, UM, THAT PORTFOLIO.
UM, IN 2012, WE REPLACED NET ME METERING FOR RESIDENTIAL WITH THE VALUE OF SOLAR, UM, AND THEN COMMERCIAL IN 2018.
AND, AND THERE WERE SOME, UM, REALLY SPECIFIC BENEFITS FOR THE INDUSTRY WHEN WE DID THAT.
PRIOR TO, UH, MOVING TO, UH, VALUE OF SOLAR AND THROUGH NET METERING, WE HAD NET METERING CAPS AS A LOT OF, UM, INDUSTRIES, UM, OR A LOT OF, UH, UTILITIES DO.
AND OUR NET METERING CAP WAS AT 20 KW KW.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, ANY ENERGY, UH, FROM A SYSTEM OVER 20 KW THAT WAS PUSHED BACK ON THE GRID DID NOT GET COMPENSATION FOR THAT ENERGY.
UM, AND SO AS, AS WE MOVED FORWARD OR, AND, AND AS WE MOVED INTO VALUE OF SOLAR, THE CAPS WENT AWAY.
SO NOW WE DON'T HAVE A CAP FOR, UM, COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION.
UM, SO THAT WAS SUPER SIGNIFICANT.
YOU CAN, YOU CAN SEE THE SYSTEM SIZES, UM, FOR COMMERCIAL JUST SKYROCKET AFTER THAT.
UM, THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER THING IT DOES IS IT ALLOWS THE UTILITY TO FULLY RECOVER AT ALL TIMES.
SO UTILITIES THAT HAVE NET METERING DO NOT FULLY RECOVER.
THEY HAVE TO CARRY THOSE COSTS UNTIL THEIR RATE CASES, AND THEN THEY HAVE TO HAVE HIGHER INCREASES AT RATE CASES TO RECOVER THOSE COSTS, AND THEN THEY HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER FIVE YEARS OR SO TILL THE NEXT RATE CASE TO TRUE UP AGAIN AND CARRY THOSE COSTS THE WHOLE TIME.
SO THAT'S NOT GOOD FOR UTILITIES.
UM, AND IT WASN'T GOOD FOR US.
UM, SO, BUT, BUT THE VALUE OF SOLAR FULLY RECOVERS ALL THE TIME.
UM, SO THAT IS PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL BENEFIT.
UM, IT ALSO, UH, ADDRESSES CERTAIN EQUITY ISSUES THAT ARE, UM, INHERENT WITH NET METERING.
UM, AND, UM, IT, IT ALSO, AND, AND IT'S, UH, IT REPRESENTS AUSTIN ENERGY, AGAIN, PUTTING OUR BEST FOOT FORWARD AND PASSING THROUGH THE AVOIDED COST BENEFITS TO OUR CUSTOMERS TO SO THAT THEY HAVE, UM, BETTER INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES SO THAT WE CAN GROW THE PRODUCTION OF, OF RENEWABLES IN OUR, OUR SERVICE TERRITORY.
SO THE VALUE OF SOLAR STACK, UM, IS ESSENTIALLY ENERGY.
SO THAT ENERGY, UM, AVOIDED COST, UM, HAPPENS BECAUSE WE'RE PRODUCING KILOWATT HOURS IN OUR LOAD ZONE.
SO THAT'S ENERGY THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO BUY OFF OF THE ERCOT MARKET.
SO WHEN WE ASSESS THAT VALUE, WE LOOK AT THE ERCOT MARKET PRICES, WE LOOK AT THE SOLAR PRODUCTION ON AN HOURLY BASIS AND ANNUAL, UM, AND THEN WE, UM, ADD ALL THOSE UP AND DIVIDE BY THE KILOWATT HOURS, AND THAT GIVES US THE KILOWATT HOUR, UM, AVERAGE PRICE ON THE MARKET THAT THEY'RE, UM, AVOIDING.
SO ANCILLARY SERVICES, IT'S THE, THE WEIGHTED COST OF, UM, AVOIDED.
UM, OUR, OUR, OUR IN, IN A SIMILAR WAY, HAVING SOLAR IN, IN OUR, ON OUR DISTRIBUTION GRID, UM, REDUCES OUR ANCILLARY SERVICE REQUIREMENTS.
IT LOWERS FOUR CP, WHICH THEN LOWERS TRANSMISSION SAVINGS.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S A THIRD, THERE'S A FOURTH VALUE ON THERE OF SOCIETAL BENEFITS, WHICH REPRESENTS THE ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES, UM, WHICH ARE NOT TANGIBLE TO THE UTILITY, BUT ARE TANGIBLE TO SOCIETY.
SO THIS IS A SLIDE THAT REPRESENTS OUR PROGRESS TOWARDS GOALS.
UM, WE HAVE AN INTERIM GOAL TO 2227, UM, AT 205 MEGAWATTS.
SO WE FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE THAT WE WILL MEET THAT GOAL.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE A MORE AMBITIOUS 405 MEGAWATT GOAL, UM, FOR 2035.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE'LL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PROGRESS TOWARDS THAT GOAL, DESPITE
[01:00:01]
ANY, UM, REDUCTIONS IN FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, ET CETERA.AND SO THIS IS A TIME LAPSE MAP.
UM, YOU CAN SEE US KIND OF TRICKLING ALONG HERE IN THE EARLY YEARS.
WHEN WE GET TO, UM, 2012 WITH VALUE OF SOLAR, YOU CAN REALLY SEE IT STARTING TO POPULATE ON THIS MAP.
THE GREEN DOTS ARE RESIDENTIAL AND THE YELLOW DOTS ARE COMMERCIAL, AND THE SIZE OF THE DOTS REPRESENTS THE SIZE OF THE SYSTEM.
SO THAT'S MY PRESENTATION, AND NOW I'M READY FOR QUESTIONS.
SHOULD YOU LIKE A PAUSE? YEAH, A PAUSE.
VERY INFORMATIVE PRESENTATION.
DID YOU STILL, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YEAH, GO AHEAD.
YES, WE'LL START WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER FARMER.
UM, THANKS FOR, THANKS FOR THAT.
UH, LAST, UH, YEAH, I, SO, UM, I GUESS ONE QUESTION I HAD ABOUT THE, UM, WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE BATTERIES AND CARS EARLIER WAS IF YOU GUYS ARE CONSIDERING, I KNOW YOU'VE GOT LIKE A VERY SMALL TIME OF USE PILOT, BUT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT LIKE THERE'S SORT OF THE PRODUCTION SIDE OF THE CAR TO GRID, BUT THEN THERE'S THE OTHERS, THE INVERSE OF THAT, WHICH IS LIKE CONTROLLING HOW MUCH OUTPUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE.
SO LIKE EITHER HAVING A VPP WITH CARS OR JUST GENERAL LIKE TIME OF USE PRICING OR SOME SORT OF MARKET SIGNAL TO HELP AFFECT THE DEMAND SIDE OF THINGS.
YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY WITH EVS AND HEAT PUMPS AND SORT OF MORE ELECTRIFICATION COMING.
YEAH, I THINK THAT THE MOST LIKELY SCENARIO THERE IS A VPP, AND IN FACT, ONE THING I FORGOT TO MENTION IS THAT, UM, WE ARE GETTING GEARING UP TO PILOT A VPP PROGRAM THAT WILL COME THIS SPRING.
UM, IT'S A LIMITED PROGRAM, 1500 CUSTOMERS, UM, TO BEGIN WITH, WE'RE JUST GETTING OUR FEET WET WITH IT.
UM, LEARNING WHAT WE NEED TO LEARN BEFORE, UM, POTENTIALLY TAKING IT TO SCALE.
UM, WE WILL BE REACHING OUT TO CUSTOMERS WHO CURRENTLY OWN BATTERIES.
WE HAVE SOME 1500 CUSTOMERS WITH BATTERIES CURRENTLY, UM, AT ABOUT, UM, I THINK IT'S LIKE 12 MEGAWATTS OR 14 MEGAWATTS.
UM, AND THEN WE, UM, WE'LL ALSO PROVIDE A FRONT INCENTIVE FOR, UM, NEW BATTERY PURCHASES.
AND THEN WE WILL PROVIDE CUSTOMERS WITH A ONGOING INCENTIVE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE VPP, WHICH WILL LOOK TO NOT ONLY LEVERAGE THOSE BATTERIES TO TRY TO HIT THE FOUR CP, UM, BUT ALSO DO, UM, ARBITRAGE YEAR ROUND.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT, IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A FIRST STEP, UM, AND CERTAINLY, UM, BATTERIES HAVE A LOT OF FUNCTIONALITY.
UM, THIS KIND OF IS LIMITED TO THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE LOWEST OEMI THINK.
UM, SO IT ALLOWS US TO DO SOME DAY AHEAD, UM, STUFF, BUT NOT REAL TIME YET WITH THIS PORTFOLIO.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK THE INDUSTRY WILL BE DRIVEN TOWARDS BECAUSE IT'S JUST NEEDED.
UM, AND THERE IS, I THINK THERE'S JUST A LOT OF REAL, REAL POTENTIAL, UM, FOR CUSTOMER OWNED BATTERIES AS IN, IN COORDINATION WITH UTILITY OWNED BATTERIES, UM, ON THE DISTRIBUTION GRID.
AND SO WE'RE ALSO, UM, WORKING ON CONTRACTS FOR, UM, UTILITY OWNED BATTERIES AS WELL ON THE DISTRIBUTION GRID.
UM, AND JUST ONE OTHER QUESTION WAS ON THE, ON THE SOLAR SIDE, UM, YOU MENTIONED LIKE THAT 2012 SWITCH IN THE COMMERCIAL SPACE, IS THERE, UM, I GUESS LIKE ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE, THERE'S NO INCENTIVE FOR ANYONE TO OVERPRODUCE RIGHT NOW.
LIKE, I MEAN, YOU CAN GET A CREDIT, BUT LIKE YOU HAVE HABITAT FOR VANITY HOUSES THAT ARE JUST GETTING SORT OF MORE AND MORE CREDITS AND, YOU KNOW, SO I THINK IF THERE WAS A WAY FOR Y'ALL TO LIKE CUT CHECKS BACK TO PEOPLE AT THE END OF THE YEAR, IF THEY OVERPRODUCED, LIKE RIGHT NOW YOU'RE LEAVING THE CHEAPEST PANELS OFF THE ROOF ON EVERY HOME INSTALLATION AND ALSO LIKE ON A NET ZERO HOW, YOU KNOW, THERE'S PROJECTS THAT I'M WORKING ON WHERE THEY'RE NOT DOING ADDITIONAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY MEASURES BECAUSE THEY GET FREE SOLAR.
AND SO THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE WOULD BE BENEFIT TO THE GRID TO HAVING THOSE HOMES BE MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT, BUT THERE'S NO INCENTIVE TO THOSE HOMEOWNERS OR NONPROFITS TO DO THOSE ENERGY EFFICIENCY MEASURES, RIGHT? 'CAUSE THEY'RE ALREADY AT ZERO.
YEAH, I THINK, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S A GREAT POINT.
AND I THINK THAT THAT, UM, POLICY WAS LARGELY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SYSTEMS ARE RIGHT SIZED SO THAT WE'RE NOT OVERLOADING TRANSFORMERS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I I, I KIND OF EXPRESS THAT EQUITY ISSUE WITH THE UTILIZATION OF THE TRANSFORMERS THAT ARE SHARED,
[01:05:01]
UM, ACROSS CUSTOMERS.UM, SO, BUT I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD ADDRESS, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, CHANGE IF WE HAD EXPORT LIMITING, UM, POLICIES.
SO LIKE IF IT WAS PAIRED WITH A BATTERY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
'CAUSE THEN YOU COULD HAVE, YEAH, YOU COULD HAVE A, A LARGER SOLAR SYSTEM, MORE BATTERIES AND, UM, YOUR, YOUR EXPORT TO THE GRID CAN'T EXCEED A CERTAIN KW, BUT IF YOU HAVE THE BATTERIES TO USE AS A SINK FOR YOUR EXCESS ENERGY, UM, YOU KNOW, THEN THAT COULD STILL ALLOW FOR FULL PRODUCTION, UM, MORE THAN A HUNDRED PERCENT AND WE WOULDN'T BE UPGRADING EVERY TRANSFORMER.
IS THAT LIKE MOVING TOWARD, IS THAT, IS MOVING TOWARDS THAT SOMETHING THAT, LIKE WOULD A COMMISSION RESOLUTION OR A COUNCIL RESOLUTION WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR? OR DOES SOMETHING Y'ALL ALREADY SORT OF LIKE INTERNALLY LOOKING FOR WE'RE ON OUR WAY? WE'RE, WE'RE PRETTY FAR ALONG THAT PATH.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE STILL ADDRESSING, UM, SOME CONCERNS, UM, INTERNALLY, BUT I, I THINK THAT, UM, PROBABLY WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, WE'LL WE'LL HAVE SOMETHING TO PROPOSE.
UH, I SEE, UH, VICE CHAIR ROBBINS AND THEN COMMISSIONER KENARD.
UH, I'D LIKE TO ASK A QUESTION AND THEN HAVE, UH, MR. HARVEY ANSWER IT AND THEN ASK A FEW MORE QUESTIONS.
THE REASON FOR THIS PARSING IS THAT I'D LIKE TIM TO CLARIFY SOMETHING.
UH, HE MENTIONED FOUR CP AND I'M AFRAID SEVERAL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMISSION DO NOT KNOW WHAT THAT IS.
SO IF HE COULD PLEASE CIRCLE BACK TO THAT SO THAT THEY COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT.
UM, SO FOUR CP UM, IS FOUR COINCIDENT PEAK.
AND COINCIDENT PEAK IS WHEN THE ERCOT SYSTEM IS AT ITS HIGHEST AMOUNT OF CONSUMPTION FOR ONE OF THE SUMMER MONTHS.
AND SO THAT'S JU JUNE, JULY, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER, UM, THOSE ARE, THAT'S THE FOUR, RIGHT? SO, AND, AND THE FOUR CP, JUNE, JULY, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER.
AND THEN IN EACH ONE OF THOSE MONTHS, THE SYSTEM HITS ITS HIGHEST POINT AND THAT 15 MINUTE PERIOD IS, IS A COINCIDENT PEAK PERIOD.
SO THE AUSTIN ENERGY'S DEMAND DURING THAT SYSTEM WIDE PEAK, UM, SETS NOT ONLY OUR TRANSMISSION SAVINGS, OUR TRANSMISSION COST FOR THE WHOLE NEXT YEAR, BUT IT ALSO SETS OUR LOAD SHED REQUIREMENTS.
SO IF THERE'S AN EVENT LIKE WINTER STORM YURI WHERE ERCOT IS, UM, CALLING ON UTILITIES TO SHED LOAD, THE AMOUNT OF LOAD THAT THEY HAVE TO SHED IS BASED ON THEIR FOUR CP FOR THE PRE PREVIOUS YEAR.
SO TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN REDUCE FOUR CP, WE'RE REDUCING OUR TRANSMISSION SAVINGS FOR THE WHOLE NEXT YEAR.
UM, WE'RE REDUCING THOSE, UM, LOAD SHE REQUIREMENTS AS WELL.
SO IT REALLY BEHOOVES US TO DO THAT.
THAT'S, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE, UM, THE WHOLE, UM, FOCUS OF DEMAND RESPONSE.
AND THE REASON WE DO DEMAND RESPONSE IS TO TRY TO HIT THOSE FOUR CP UM, TIMES.
UM, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS, UH, OR COMMENTS.
IS, UH, CHAIR DAVIS, IS THIS A GOOD TIME? YES.
UM, THE, UH, ONE, UM, YOU HAD MENTIONED A FEW MOMENTS AGO, UH, MR. HARVEY THAT, UH, THERE'S A VIRTUAL POWER PLANT PILOT PLANNED FOR THIS SPRING AND AN INCENTIVE OR NEW BATTERY PURCHASES PLANNED AT SOME POINT REGARDING THE INCENTIVES FOR NEW BATTERY PURCHASES.
COULD YOU TELL US WHEN THAT MIGHT BE IMPLEMENTED AND, OR IS THERE ANY INDICATION OF HOW MUCH THAT MIGHT BE? YEAH.
UM, IT, WE'RE, WE'RE PLANNING TO INTRODUCE THAT PROGRAM IN THE SPRING, UM, AND THE INCENTIVE FOR NEW BATTERY PURCHASES IS PLANNED TO BE $500, BUT I KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA
[01:10:01]
BE COMING BACK WITH A PRESENTATION ON ALL THIS.SO, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU'LL GET MORE INFORMATION AT THAT POINT.
UH, $500 PER KILOWATT OR $500 JUST PER INSTALLATION AS, AS AN UPFRONT INCENTIVE.
UM, AND THEN THERE IS A, UM, A VALUE PER KILOWATT YEAR BASED ON THE CUSTOMER'S, UM, PARTICIPATION IN CALLED EVENTS.
SO THE CUSTOMER WILL BE ABLE TO OPT OUT.
UM, IF THEY CHOOSE TO OPT OUT, THEN THEY DON'T GET PAID.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, IF THEY, AND IF THEY CHOOSE TO OPT OUT OF LET'S SAY ONE OF FOUR, THEN THEY WOULD GET PAID THREE QUARTERS OF WHAT THEY WOULD'VE POTENTIALLY EARNED.
SO THE OPTOUT IS, UH, AT THE OPTOUT IS IN REAL TIME, RIGHT? IF THERE'S, LIKE, LET'S SAY THERE'S AN EVENT HAPPENING, IT'S, IT'S SIX O'CLOCK ON A, ON JULY 7TH OR WHATEVER.
A CUSTOMER CAN GO INTO THEIR APP, YOU KNOW, SAY, HEY, I DON'T WANNA DISCHARGE MY BATTERY AND, AND TURN IT OFF.
UM, I DON'T WANT TO BE PREMATURE, BUT, UH, I'M GOING TO BRING THIS UP UNDER NEW BUSINESS FOR A BRIEFING ON, UH, THE VIRTUAL POWER PLANT AND BATTERY INCENTIVES.
UM, WE HAVE ONE MORE MEETING THIS YEAR.
UH, WE MAY HAVE A BUSY JANUARY MEETING, BUT MAYBE FEBRUARY.
WOULD THAT BE PREMATURE? NO, I THINK THAT WOULD BE GOOD.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, UH, MR. HARVEY, I EMAILED YOU AND RICHARD YESTERDAY WITH A FEW QUESTIONS.
UH, SO AS NOT TO BLINDSIDE YOU, UH, AND A FEW QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS.
UH, CAN YOU COMMENT AT ALL ON THE, UH, FEDERAL GRANT CUTBACKS, UH, FOR SOLAR FOR ALL AND OTHER, UH, POSSIBLE FEDERAL GRANTS? UH, CAN YOU GIVE US AN INDICATION OF THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT HAS BEEN, UH, UH, UH, TAKEN BACK, UM, UH, WHAT PERCENTAGE THAT IS? HMM.
WELL, UM, FOR SOLAR FOR ALL, IT'S A HUNDRED PERCENT PRETTY MUCH.
UM, THERE ARE I THINK MAYBE SOME TERRITORIES, UM, IN TEXAS THAT SPENT A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY.
UM, BUT DEFINITELY NO PROGRAMS WERE ADVANCED UM, FOR AUSTIN ENERGY, THAT WAS 32, UM, MILLION DOLLARS.
UM, AND WE DID NOT SPEND ANY OF THAT MONEY.
UM, AND THEN FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS, THAT'S $250 MILLION, AND FOR THE US IT'S $7 BILLION.
UM, AND SO, UM, IT IS, HARRIS COUNTY IS, UM, THE LEAD FOR TEXAS AND WE'RE SUBRECIPIENTS THROUGH HARRIS COUNTY.
UM, IT, HARRIS COUNTY IS FILING SUIT.
UM, FOR THAT WE BELIEVE THAT THE MONEY WAS TAKEN AWAY, UM, UNLAWFULLY.
UM, AND I CAN GO INTO GREAT DETAIL, BUT I WON'T 'CAUSE IT WOULD TAKE TOO MUCH TIME.
UM, BUT THERE'S SO, SO THE SOLAR FOR ALL PROGRAM IS OFFICIALLY ON HOLD, UM, AND NOT CANCELED AT THIS POINT UNTIL THAT LAWSUIT IS RESOLVED.
UM, SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL WIN THAT LAWSUIT.
WE'LL GET THAT MONEY BACK AND WE CAN REIGNITE THOSE EFFORTS.
UM, UNTIL THEN, WE'RE IN A HOLDING PATTERN.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE, THE SOLAR FOR ALL GRANTS WEREN'T THE ONLY GRANTS THAT WERE PULLED BACK BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
UM, SO WE'VE SEEN, UM, OTHER GRANTS AS WELL BEING PULLED BACK.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE TO SEE HOW THAT PLAYS OUT IN THE LONG RUN.
AND, UM, I CAN'T REALLY SPEAK TO THE OTHER GRANTS AS WELL AS I CAN FOR SOLAR FOR ALL.
BUT, UM, YEAH, SO, SO PULLING BACK THOSE, THOSE GRANTS AS WELL AS THE, UM, FEDERAL TAX CREDITS ARE DEFINITELY GOING TO IMPACT OUR ABILITY TO, UM, ADOPT SOLAR.
UH, REGARDING THE FEDERAL TAX CREDITS, UH, UH, I'M, IT'S SORT OF A DINOSAUR IN THE ROOM.
I, UM, HEARD YOU MENTION A LEASE OPTION, WHICH I THINK IS
[01:15:01]
CREATIVE.UH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER STRATEGIES THAT YOU MIGHT BE PURSUING? THERE'S THE LEASE, UH, AND, AND THAT COMES IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT FORMS. UM, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT LIKE 20 YEAR LEASES, YOU HAVE PREPAID LEASES, YOU HAVE LEASE TO OWN, UM, MODELS.
UM, SO WE'RE EXPLORING THOSE AND I'LL, I'LL JUST SAY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME COMPANIES THAT WANNA PROVIDE A LEASE THAT ANY OF OUR PARTICIPATING CONTRACTORS COULD USE POTENTIALLY.
UM, WE HAVE PARTICIPATING CONTRACTORS THAT HAVE THEIR OWN LEASES THAT ARE PROPRIETARY.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT, AT OPTIONS AND EXPLORING THEM.
UM, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF POTENTIAL FOR NOT GREAT THINGS TO HAPPEN WITHIN LEASES.
UM, AND SO I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO BE REALLY DILIGENT AND, AND TEACH OUR CUSTOMERS TO BE DILIGENT AS WELL.
AND THEN WE'VE GOT, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE RESIDENTIAL STANDARD OFFER, WHICH, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'LL SEE HOW THAT PLAYS OUT.
UM, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE OPEN TO ANY SUGGESTIONS AND IDEAS ON OTHER CREATIVE WAYS, UM, TO POTENTIALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO LEVERAGE FEDERAL TAX CREDITS FOR RESIDENTIAL SYSTEMS. WELL, UM, AGAIN, THE DINOSAUR IN THE ROOM IS THAT YOU'RE LOSING, YOU'RE, YOU'RE INCREASING COSTS BY, WHAT, 30%? I HEARD YOU MENTION 42%, ALTHOUGH I DIDN'T QUITE FOLLOW THE NUMBERS THERE MM-HMM
BUT, UM, EITHER NUMBER IS A LOT OF MONEY.
UM, IT WOULD SEEM TO ME, UH, AUSTIN ENERGY IS INCAPABLE OF MAKING UP THAT VAST DIFFERENCE.
IT MIGHT BE ABLE TO MAKE UP FOR SOME OF THE DIFFERENCE BY MAYBE INCREASING THE REBATE A LITTLE.
IS THAT IN DISCUSSION? UM, IT'S, IT'S DEFINITELY A CONSIDERATION, UH, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH APPETITE THERE IS FOR IT.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT, UM, I WOULDN'T SAY THAT WE'RE NOT DISCUSSING THAT, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S A HUGE APPETITE FOR INCREASING RESIDENTIAL INCENTIVES, UM, AT THE MOMENT, UNLESS, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T FIND ANY OTHER PATH.
AND THEN I THINK IT WOULD, UM, YOU KNOW, WARRANT A LOT MORE CONSIDERATION.
BUT AT THIS TIME, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT DISCUSSING THAT HEAVILY.
WELL, UM, IS MY HUMBLE OPINION THAT, UH, THERE'S GONNA BE A STEEP DECLINE BECAUSE OF THE ELIMINATION OF THE TAX CREDIT.
UH, IT WOULD SEEM PRUDENT TO ME, UH, TO PLAN AHEAD RATHER THAN WAIT FOR THE BAD, BAD NUMBERS TO COME IN.
WELL, WE'RE VERY ACTIVE IN PURSUING, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CURRENT, UM, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT I MENTIONED.
SO WE'RE, IT IS NOT LIKE WE'RE STANDING OR, YOU KNOW, SITTING OUR HANDS, WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY WORKING TOWARDS THIS AND TRYING TO FIND VIABLE OPTIONS.
SO, BUT I, I, I DO KNOW YOUR, YOUR, UM, THE INTEREST IN INCREASING INCENTIVES AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I'LL TALK TO THAT, TALK ABOUT THAT WITH, UM, OUR UPPER ARRANGEMENT.
WELL, IT'S, IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST ONE IDEA.
UM, FINALLY, AND, UH, AFTER MY COMMENTS OR, UH, THE DISCUSSION, I'LL SEE THE, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, KENARD, UH, BUT, UH, I'LL SEE THE FLOOR TO HIM.
BUT, UH, THE, OUR COMMISSION, UH, ASKED PAST, UH, A RESOLUTION ASKING THAT THE GREEN CHOICE PROGRAM BE REPURPOSED, UH, TO, UH, PROMOTE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF DISPATCHABLE RENEWABLE ENERGY AND STORAGE.
UH, I AM GONNA CONTINUE TO PURSUE THIS.
UM, RIGHT NOW I'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON A FEW OTHER THINGS, BUT, UH, I, I JUST TELLING THE COMMISSION, I WILL CIRCLE BACK TO THIS, UM,
[01:20:02]
I JUST CANNOT SEE ASKING CUSTOMERS TO PAY FOR SOMETHING THAT THE CITY IS ALREADY DOING AND HAS ADVANCED POLICIES FOR PURSUING.UM, WITH THAT, UM, I'LL, UH, RELINQUISH THE THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
VICE CHAIR ROBBINS, UM, COMMISSIONER KENARD, GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION THERE, TIM.
THAT WAS, THAT WAS REALLY, UH, ILLUMINATING.
YOU ARE A LITTLE, YOU'RE A LITTLE QUIET COMMISSIONER.
MAYBE YOU CAN GET CLOSER TO YOUR MIC OR SURE.
IT MIGHT BE A NEW, UH, SCREENING SYSTEM.
IS THAT ANY BETTER? MUCH BETTER.
UM, THE, YEAH, THE, THE, THE ONE QUESTION I HAD WAS ABOUT, UH, ONE OF THE CO-BENEFITS THAT YOU, YOU SORT OF LISTED IN THAT SERIES OF FOUR SORT OF, UH, WAYS IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT THE, THE COST OR THE, YOU KNOW, ABSOLUTE YEAH, YOU HAD IT THERE, BUT, UM, IT'S THIS, IT'S A, IT'S A RELATIVELY MINOR EFFECT, BUT I DUNNO IF IT'S WORTH, UM, INCLUDING OR, OR ASSESSING, BUT THE, UH, EFFECT OF SORT OF REDUCED ALBEDO OR INCREASED ALBEDO IN TERMS OF REDUCING THE HEAT FLUX THAT YOU GET IN TERMS OF, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'LL BE AN AMOUNT OF ENERGY THAT WOULD'VE GONE INTO HOMES AND OFFICES AND BUILDINGS AND ALL THE REST OF IT, BUT WILL BE AVOIDED IF YOU PULL SOME OF THAT OUT AS ELECTRICAL POWER.
IS THAT SOMETHING YOU'VE CONSIDERED IN TERMS OF YOUR ASSESSMENT? I DON'T, CAN YOU REPHRASE THAT? I DON'T THINK I CAPTURED THAT.
SO IF YOU ARE TAKE, IF YOU'VE GOT A SOLAR PANEL ON THE ROOF, THERE'LL BE A, A SMALL LOCAL COOLING EFFECT THAT WILL REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF COOLING THAT YOU NEED TO HAVE IN A BUILDING.
IT'S SORT OF PROPORTIONAL TO THE AMOUNT OF ELECTRICITY THAT YOU'RE GENERATING AND YOU MOVE THAT ELECTRICITY SOMEWHERE ELSE AND OKAY, MAYBE IT ENDS UP BEING USED LATER IN THE DAY SOMEWHERE ELSE OR SOMETHING.
UM, BUT IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE, YOU'VE CONSIDERED IT SOUNDS LIKE PROBABLY NOT.
YEAH, WE, I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY REALLY HARD TO QUANTIFY.
AND I WOULD, I'D SAY THAT'S A BENEFIT TO THE CUSTOMER IN THE FORM OF EFFICIENCY, BUT IT'S, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER A UTILITY AVOIDED COST.
AND, AND THEN THERE WAS, THERE WAS ONE MORE FOLLOW UP I MAKE VERY QUICKLY JUST, UM, IN TERMS OF ASSESSING THE COST OF, OF THE SYSTEMS THERE, YOU HAD THAT GRAPH OVER TIME WHERE YOU HAD A SORT OF $5 PER WATT AT ONE POINT, 2024, AND I GUESS THAT WAS SORT OF SUPPLY CHAIN, UH, LIMITATIONS.
IS THERE, HAVE YOU RUN THE NUMBERS ON WHAT IT WOULD BE IN TERMS OF DOING THESE RESIDENTIAL REBATES VERSUS BUYING A WHOLE BUNCH OF LAND OUT IN, IN WEST TEXAS, FILLING IT ALL WITH SOLAR PANELS, YOU KNOW, GETTING, GETTING HOOKED UP TO THE, UH, THE SORT OF TRANSMISSION SYSTEM AND GOING THAT WAY IN TERMS OF A, A BENEFIC A BENEFIT? I MEAN, THIS IS SOMETHING I HEAR FROM FOLKS WHO AREN'T NECESSARILY CONVINCED ABOUT PV IN, IN CITIES.
UM, IN, WE, WE HAVE UTILITY ABOUT 900, UM, MEGAWATTS, 900 PLUS MEGAWATTS OF UTILITY SCALE SOLAR AS WELL.
UM, BUT THERE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE KIND OF DIFFERENT TRADE-OFFS THERE.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU, IF YOU HAVE OUR, NOW THAT WE HAVE A HIGHER PENETRATION OF SOLAR ON THE ERCOT MARKET, UM, WHEN OUR SOLAR ARRAYS ARE, ARE PRODUCING ON A NICE CLEAR DAY, SO IS EVERYBODY ELSE'S.
AND SO IT'S A SUPPLY AND DEMAND SITUATION.
WHEN YOU HAVE A LOT OF SUPPLY, THE MARKET PRICE GOES DOWN.
UM, AND SO THAT'S, WHILE AN INVESTMENT MIGHT BE GREAT IN YEAR ONE, GET TO YEAR 15, AND IT MIGHT NOT BE THAT GREAT, UM, YOU MIGHT HAVE CONGESTION ISSUES, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, BUT ON THE FLIP SIDE, A, A PROJECT OUT IN WEST TEXAS, AND THIS IS, UH, REALLY INTERESTING TO ME, UM, BECAUSE THE SUN IS, YOU KNOW, MOVING THROUGH THE SKY OR THE EARTH IS ROTATING ACTUALLY, UM, THE, UM, WHEN, WHEN THE SOLAR PRODUCTION IN WEST TEXAS IS ACTUALLY ALIGNING BETTER WITH THE PEAK IN AUSTIN THAN SYSTEMS THAT IN AUSTIN, BUT FOR LIKE, UM, LOCAL RENEWABLES, THEY'RE IN OUR LOAD ZONE.
SO THEY'RE AFFECTING THAT SUPPLY AND DEMAND WITHIN OUR LOAD ZONE.
THAT'S WHAT WE WANT, IS TO HAVE A HIGHER SUPPLY IN OUR LOAD ZONE THAT DRIVES DOWN OUR, OUR MARKET PRICE.
AND, AND SO THEN THAT, THAT DECREASES THE PRICE OF ALL OF THE, THE, UM, ENERGY THAT WE PURCHASED OFF THE ERCOT MARKET.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S DIFFERENT VALUES AND, AND YOU KNOW, SOME OF THEM, AUSTIN ENERGY ZONING, WE HAD THIRD PARTY OWNERSHIP.
WE HAVE CUSTOMERS OWNING THINGS AND, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THAT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, HOW DO, HOW DO YOU, UM, GET TO THE CAPITAL INVESTMENTS AND THAT ARE NEEDED TO MAKE THESE PROJECTS? AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE LEVERAGING THIRD
[01:25:01]
PARTY AND CUSTOMER INVESTMENTS, UM, TO HELP US BUILD A PORTFOLIO GENERATION.AND THANKS FOR YOUR ANSWER THE QUESTION.
I HAVE, UH, COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN AND THEN COMMISSIONER LUKI, AND THEN SCHWARTZ, THANK YOU FOR THE, THE THOROUGH PRESENTATION, MR. HARVEY.
UM, A COUPLE VERY QUICK QUESTIONS.
FIRST OFF, REFRESH MY MEMORY PLEASE, ABOUT WHY THE SEVEN 50 PRICE PREMIUM ON THE GREEN CHOICE PROGRAM FOR WHEN, FOR CUSTOMERS WHO ARE ESSENTIALLY CONSUMING LOWER PRICE ELECTRICITY? UM, WELL, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY LOWER PRICE ELECTRICITY.
UM, SO THAT'S, AND AGAIN, IT, IT HAS TO DO WITH THOSE MARKET FORCES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT JUST A SECOND AGO.
UM, WHEN THE, THE WIND IS PRODUCING, YOU CAN, AND IT'S, IT'S ACTUALLY A, A LOW LOAD TIME, A HIGH SUPPLY TIME, THE PRICES THAT WE'RE GETTING FOR THAT ENERGY ON THE MARKET ARE SOMETIMES LESS THAN WHAT WE'RE PAYING FOR IT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S NOT, IT, IT, IT'S WHAT, WHAT WE PAY PER KILOWATT HOUR DOESN'T NECESSARILY EQUATE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, A LOW PRICE.
SO BECAUSE IT'S WHAT YOU'RE GETTING FOR IT ON THE MARKET AS WELL.
SO OUR CONTRACT PRICES FOR THESE PURCHASE CONTRACTS ARE BASED ON MARKET PRICES MANY YEARS AGO WHEN THE CONTRACTS WERE INITIALLY SIGNED, RATHER THAN HAVING A MARKET INDEX, I WOULDN'T SAY THAT, UM, NECESSARILY BECAUSE WHEN WE DO A POWER PURCHASE AGREEMENT, WE'RE LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE USING EVERYTHING THAT WE KNOW AND MODELING IT OUT, UM, TO ENSURE THAT IT'S A WISE INVESTMENT FOR OUR STAKEHOLDERS.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, IT, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT, UM, IT DIDN'T COME AT A PREMIUM.
AND, AND SO, UM, THE, THE GREEN CHOICE PROGRAM HELPS TO STABILIZE THAT INVESTMENT AND DE-RISK IT FOR THE UTILITY TO MAKE US MORE APT TO WANT TO PURSUE THOSE RENEWABLE INVESTMENTS.
BUT ARE WE NOT BUYING SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONAL AMOUNTS OF RENEWABLE ENERGY AT, APART FROM WHAT WE ARE PROVIDING SPECIFICALLY TO MEET THE GREEN CHOICE PROGRAM COMMITMENTS? WE ARE, YES.
UM, RELATES TO THE VIRTUAL POWER PLANT, YOU MENTIONED FOUR EVENTS.
IS IT YOUR EXPECTATION THAT THE VPP MIGHT ONLY BE CALLING FOUR EVENTS A YEAR? NO.
AT OR SIGNIFI SIGNIFICANTLY MORE, I WOULD HOPE.
NO, I THINK THAT IT'S A YEAR ROUND THING, SO WE'LL BE CHASING THE FOUR CP, BUT WE'LL ALSO DO ENERGY ARBITRAGE, WHICH PROBABLY REQUIRES SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN FOUR ATTEMPTS TO NAIL IT.
WE'RE, WE'RE STILL GOING TO WANT TO DEPLOY THOSE BATTERIES AT HIGH MARKET PRICES TIMES AND OR FOR VOLTAGE MANAGEMENT.
UM, AT THIS POINT, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE, UM, THE VISIBILITY TO REALLY, UM, DO THAT STRATEGICALLY YET, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
UM, I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THIS EXPORT LIMITING, UH, WHAT'S THIS IS A RESIDENTIAL SOLAR PRODUCTION OCCURRING ON LIKE A CITY BLOCK, MAYBE HOUSES THAT ARE ALL NEXT TO EACH OTHER, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT, UM, UH, A PROBLEM WITH TOO MUCH ENERGY BEING PUT BACK INTO THE SYSTEM.
IS THAT WHAT THAT'S ABOUT IT? YEAH, THERE'S POTENTIAL FOR THAT.
SO, UM, SAY YOU HAVE A, UM, LET'S JUST SAY YOU HAVE A 200 KPA TRANSFORMER AND, UM, YOU'VE GOT ONE CUSTOMER, LET'S SAY IT'S A HUNDRED KVA, WE'VE GOT FOUR CUSTOMERS ON IT.
UM, SO THE FIRST CUSTOMER COMES ALONG, PUTS IN, UM, 20 KILOWATTS OF SOLAR AND 20 KILOWATTS OF BATTERIES.
HIS NEIGHBOR SAID, THAT'S A COOL SYSTEM.
SO NOW YOU'VE GOT 80 KILOWATTS OF POTENTIAL OUTPUT THERE ON A HUNDRED KVA TRANSFORMER.
SO YOU CAN ESSENTIALLY, UM, PUT ANOTHER 10, UM, KILOWATTS ON THERE BEFORE YOU START TO OVERLOAD THAT TRANSFORMER.
SO WITH THE BACK FEED, SO WITH THE NEXT CUSTOMER THAT GOES ON, IF THEY WANTED TO PUT ON 20 KW, THEY HAVE TO UPGRADE THE TRANSFORMER.
SO THAT'S AN EXPENSIVE ENDEAVOR.
IT PROBABLY KEEPS THAT CUSTOMER FROM MOVING FORWARD, OR, OR THE OTHER TWO, YOU KNOW, FROM MOVING FORWARD WITH SOLAR.
SO YOU COULD TAKE THOSE SAME SYSTEMS, 20 KW SOLAR, 20 KW BATTERY AND EXPORT LIMIT THEM TO 20 KW.
AND THEN, UM, THAT, THAT SYSTEM'S NEVER PUTTING MORE THAN 20 KW IN EACH ONE OF THOSE FOUR CUSTOMERS COULD
[01:30:01]
HAVE THE SAME SYSTEM AND IT WOULD NEVER OVERLOAD THE TRANSFORMER.SO THAT DOESN'T EXIST RIGHT NOW.
IT DOESN'T EXIST RIGHT NOW, BUT THE CAPABILITY DOES.
SO EXPORT LEMON CAN BE PROGRAMMED INTO MODERN DAY INVERTERS.
WHAT'S THE NORMAL SIZE FOR A, UM, I SUDDENLY FORGOT THE, THE, THE, THE, THE ITEM UP ON THE, ON THE, UH, THE TRANSFORMER TRANSFORMER, IS THAT A NORMAL, IS IT A HUNDRED NORMAL IN A, IN A RESIDENCE? IT, IT VARIES, UM, BASED ON THE NUMBER OF HOUSES THAT ARE TIED TO IT AND THE SIZE OF THOSE HOUSES AND PROJECT PROJECTED LOAD.
SO LIKE WHEN A NEW HOME GOES IN, THEY'LL DO A LOAD PROJECTION AND THEY'LL SIZE THE SYSTEM ACCORDINGLY.
BUT OLD NEIGHBORHOODS SEEM PRETTY MUCH HAVE THAT FIGURED OUT A LONG TIME AGO.
I MEAN, SOME, SOME OF THE OLD NEIGHBORHOODS ARE MAYBE UNDERSERVED BY THE, UM, TRANSFORMERS.
I'VE SEEN FOUR CUSTOMERS ON A 25 K-V-K-V-A TRANSFORMER, SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING THAT, AND THOSE GET REPLACED OVER TIME, YOU KNOW, AS THEY GO BAD.
BUT, UM, YEAH, IT'S, IT'S NOT ALL THE SAME.
IT'S NOT ALL BY ONE, UM, YOU KNOW, ALGORITHM.
WELL, I, I JUST BOUGHT A SOLAR PANEL SYSTEM, SO I'M KIND OF REALLY CURIOUS ABOUT HOW THIS IS GONNA WORK.
UM, UH, I'M REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THE FACT THAT, UH, I'M THE MOST RECENT RECI RECIPIENT OF A, OF AN ACTUAL REBATE, WHICH, UM, I UNDERSTAND OCCURRED ON FRIDAY.
SO, UM, I'M, I'M, I'M GLAD THAT THAT'S ACTUALLY WORKING GOOD.
UM, I'M ALSO VERY HAPPY THAT, UM, AUSTIN ENERGY IS GOING TO, UH, YOUR, YOUR, UH, SOLAR OPERATION IS GONNA BE MAKING AN APPEARANCE AT, AT MY EVENT, UH, THE AUSTIN ECO FEST ON NOVEMBER THE FIRST.
Y'ALL ARE ACTUALLY GONNA BE THERE.
UH, SO THAT, THAT IS PROOF THAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY GOING OUT IN THE N NEIGHBORS AND, AND MAKING THOSE APPEARANCES.
UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A WHOLE BUNCH OF, UH, DIFFERENT, UM, ORGANIZATIONS THERE, INCLUDING I THINK THREE FROM THE CITY, UH, TO TALK ABOUT ALL THESE PROGRAMS THAT THEY'RE DOING.
HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, UM, WE'LL GET MORE PEOPLE TO BUY INTO THE SYSTEM, BE BECAUSE OF, OF THESE APPEARANCES THAT Y'ALL MAKE AND, UH, HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND IT.
IT'S A SHAME THAT THE, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS, IS GOING TO CHANGE, UH, THE, THE, UM, TAX CREDIT PROGRAM IN ON DECEMBER THE 31ST.
SO, UM, I GET THE FEELING THAT IT'S GONNA DROP OFF DRAMATICALLY, UH, AFTER THAT ON, ON THE, BECAUSE OF THE, THE LACK OF THE, THE FEDERAL DOLLARS.
I, I, I'M VERY CURIOUS TO SEE WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS.
I'M SURE Y'ALL ARE GONNA BE BEING ABLE TO COME BACK TO US, YOU KNOW, SIX MONTHS INTO NEXT YEAR AND TELL US WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED.
AND, AND THAT BRINGS UP ANOTHER POINT THAT I MEANT TO MAKE.
UM, WE, WE DO ANTICIPATE A RUSH ON RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS, UM, TO THE END OF THE YEAR.
SO WE'RE RAMPING UP ON INSPECTIONS, UH, OUR INSPECTORS, UM, SO THAT WE CAN DO MORE INSPECTIONS AND GET AS MANY PEOPLE THROUGH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
UM, UH, ONE, ONE OTHER QUESTION, UH, WHAT DOES OEM MEAN? OH, YEAH.
UM, IT IS ORIGINAL EQUIP MANUFACTURER ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT.
EQUIPMENT, MANUFACTURER EQUIPMENT.
I WASN'T SURE IF THAT TRANSLATED ACROSS INDUSTRIES.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE SAYING V AS IN BOY.
WE NEED TO, UH, DO OUR, OUR ACRONYM, UH, GLOSSARY
UH, COMMISSIONER SCHWARTZ, GO AHEAD.
UM, SO I KNOW THE FEDERAL, THE VALUE OF SOLAR, IT HAS THE SOCIETAL BENEFIT COMPONENT, AT LEAST THE RESIDENTIAL DOES.
I KNOW THAT'S GONE, RIGHT? WHAT'S, HOW ARE YOU GUYS DEALING WITH THAT? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED IN THE LAST, UH, IN THE ADMIN, THE FEDERAL ADMIN EIGHT YEARS AGO OR FOUR YEARS AGO, OR WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT? IT'S A CHALLENGE AND YET TO BE ANNOUNCED.
UM, WE'RE STILL, YOU KNOW, COMING TOGETHER INTERNALLY ON THAT AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THAT'S GOING TO ADJUST AS THE VALUE OF SOLAR WILL ADJUST IN MARCH OF 2026.
UM, SO, UM, YEAH, SO IT, IT'S TIED TO THE FEDERAL COST OF CARBON, UH, REPORT AND, UM, ASK MR. SCHWARTZ ALLUDE TO THAT REPORT.
UM, HAS IT, IT WASN'T ABOLISHED.
THEY NOW POINT TO A REPORT THAT WAS CREATED IN 2008 PRIOR TO OBAMA PUTTING IT, UH, THE SOCIAL
[01:35:01]
COST OF CARBON IN INTO PLACE.UM, SO THAT'S DEVALUED, UM, CARBON FROM, I THINK IT WAS LIKE $157 PER TON TO LIKE $1 PER, SO, YEAH.
UM, YEAH, IT'S, SCIENCE DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY, WE KNOW THAT.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WE'RE NOT REALLY INTERESTED IN TAKING THE SOCIAL COST OR THAT SOCIETAL BENEFIT PORTION DOWN TO ZERO.
UM, AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE, THE MOST LOGICAL WAY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
UM, AND SO WE'LL COME TO, UM, AND PROBABLY DO A PRESENTATION, I WOULD SAY IN FEBRUARY.
IF YOU CAN JOT THAT DOWN, NIKKI, WE SHOULD DO THAT, UM, A PRESENTATION IN FEBRUARY FOR BOTH E-U-C-R-M-C AND PROBABLY A-A-U-O-C, UM, ABOUT THE VALUE OF SOLAR, UM, HOW IT'S GOING TO ADJUST AND, UM, HOW WE'RE GOING TO HANDLE THAT SOCIETAL BENEFIT.
THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION THERE.
UH, INTERNATIONAL ONE OR IPCC OR SOMETHING, OR YOU COULD JUST USE THE LAST 2024.
THERE ARE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT PUT OUT NUMBERS.
UM, IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, WE HAD BUY-IN WITH THAT APPROACH THROUGH THE BASE RATE CASE.
UM, AND SO, UM, I THINK WITH THIS, WITH WHATEVER APPROACH WE LAND ON, WE'RE GOING TO SEEK BUY-IN FROM COUNCIL ON IT.
UM, SO, AND THEN I HAD A, A QUICK QUESTION ABOUT THE SOLAR LEASE KINDA, UM, COMMERCIAL ENTITY THING.
IS THAT, SO THOSE WOULD BE FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, THE SOLAR LEASE PROVIDERS WOULD BE ABLE TO GET TAX CREDITS? OR IS THAT INDEFINITE, OR IS THAT FOUR YEARS? IT'S TWO YEARS.
UM, AT LEAST UNTIL, UM, DECEMBER OF 2027, ASSUMING, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T MAKE FURTHER CUTS AND CHANGES.
UM, BUT, AND, AND POTENTIALLY FOUR YEARS IF THEY CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO SAFE HARBOR THEM, UM, AND MAKE THAT LAST FOR PROJECTS THAT THEY HAVEN'T NECESSARILY IDENTIFIED YET.
WHICH IS, IS THAT, THAT'S LIKE AN ACCOUNTING MANEUVER OR SOMETHING, OR, OKAY.
SO SAFE HARBORING, UM, A, A PROJECT IS ELIGIBLE FOR SAFE HARBORING.
IF IT'S, UM, IF IT'S UNDER A MEGAWATT AND A HALF, THEN ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SPEND 5% OF THE PROJECT, UM, DOWN.
SO YOU'RE BUYING, YOU CAN BUY SOME EQUIPMENT OR WHATEVER AND PUT IT IN YOUR WAREHOUSE.
UM, OR YOU CAN HAVE IT INTERCONNECTED, UM, OR SORRY, YOU CAN, YOU CAN BUY IT DOWN IF, IF IT'S, UM, UNDER A MEGAWATT HALF.
IF IT'S OVER A MEGAWATT HALF, THEN YOU HAVE TO HAVE A STAKE IN THE GROUND, SO YOU HAVE TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION.
SO IT'S REALLY TWO YEARS, BUT MAYBE TWO MORE IF THE PROJECT, YEAH, IT'S FOUR YEARS FROM, FROM THAT SAFE HARBORING POINT.
AND DOES THE MULTIFAMILY, IS THAT PART OF COMMERCIAL FOR THAT PURPOSE, OR IS THAT OKAY? OH, IT IS.
UM, SO WOULD THAT INCLUDE LIKE QUADS OR WHAT'S THE, IS IT JUST IF THERE, IF THERE'S A ENTITY THAT OWNS THE BUILDING OKAY.
THEN IT'S LIKELY A COMMERCIAL ENTITY.
SO IF SOMEONE HAS A LLC AND A RENTAL PROPERTY, THEY CAN DO THAT.
OR I DON'T KNOW IF YOU, UH, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT.
UH, THAT WOULD BE A GOOD QUESTION FOR YOUR TAX ATTORNEY.
UM, AND THEN I HAD ONE FINAL QUESTION ON EXPORT LIMITING, LIKE HOW, HOW MUCH, SO DOING THAT VERSUS THE TRANSFORMER UPGRADE, IS THERE A POINT AT WHICH THE PRODUCTION IS REALLY LIMITED ON THE, FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD OR GOING INTO THE TRANSFORMER? THAT TRANSFORMER UPGRADE WOULD MAKE SENSE.
HOW DOES THAT WORK? IT, IT DEPENDS ON, UM, BATTERY, HOW MUCH BATTERIES ARE IN THE EQUATION AND HOW THOSE BATTERIES ARE BEING UTILIZED.
I SENSE THE ENERGY IN THE ROOM IS WANING, BUT I DO SEE VICE CHAIR ROBINS HAND UP.
SO DO YOU HAVE ONE MORE COMMENT OR A QUESTION? I HAVE A QUESTION.
UH, COMMISSIONER LUKI, A MOMENT AGO YOU MENTIONED AN EVENT THAT AUSTIN ENERGY WILL BE AT.
COULD YOU TELL US AGAIN WHEN AND WHERE WITH PLEASURE? THANK YOU.
UM, IT'S GOING TO BE SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1ST AT BARMY PARK.
AND, UM, IT'S GOING TO START AT 10:00 AM AND IT GOES TILL ONE O'CLOCK.
[01:40:01]
FOLKS THERE GIVING AWAY TREES.WE'RE GONNA BRING 600 TREES TO GIVE AWAY.
UM, IT'S PART OF OUR PROGRAM THAT WE CALL, UH, UH, SHADE THE STREETS IN WINDSOR PARK.
AND, UM, WE HAVE A GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS CALLED THE SHADE BRIGADE THAT GOES AROUND TO ALL THE HOUSES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT COULD USE A TREE IN THE FRONT YARD SO THAT WE COULD EVENTUALLY REDUCE THE HEAT ISLAND EFFECT IN EAST AUSTIN BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH A, A SMALL, UH, TREE CANOPY, UH, PERCENTAGE, UH, IN, IN, ON THE EAST SIDE, GENERALLY IT'S 20%, UM, OVER, OVER, UH, HERE.
UM, EXCEPT FOR OF COURSE, WHERE WE'RE SITTING RIGHT NOW, WHICH THE TREE CANOPY IS MUCH LARGER BECAUSE THIS WAS ALL BUILT RECENTLY AND THEY BUILT TREES RIGHT ALONG WITH IT.
UM, BUT, UM, UH, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING THIS YEAR IS THAT WE'VE, WE'VE, UH, DONE OUTREACH TO A BUNCH OF NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND US.
JOHN'S, UM, PECAN SPRINGS, UNIVERSITY HILLS, UM, UH, NORTH LOOP ARE ALL PARTICIPATING IN OUR, IN OUR PROJECT.
SOME OF THEM HAVE THEIR OWN SHADE BRIGADES THAT ARE GOING AROUND AND PARTICIPATING IN THE ACTUAL TREE GIVEAWAY, UM, OUTREACH.
AND, UH, SO WE CHANGED IT FROM WINDSOR PARK ECO FEST TO AUSTIN ECO FEST THIS YEAR FOR THAT PURPOSE.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE MINOR MISS THAT MARCHING BAND THERE, SO DON'T MISS IT.
UH, BE THERE AT 10 30 IN THE MORNING.
'CAUSE THAT'S GONNA BE A LOT OF FUN.
UM, WE'RE ALSO GOING TO HAVE, UH, CONGRESSMAN LLOYD DOGGETT THERE, UH, WHO PARTICIPATED LAST YEAR, AND, UH, UH, HI.
HIS COMMENTS ARE ALWAYS VERY INTERESTING.
WE HAD ABOUT 500 PEOPLE SHOW UP LAST YEAR, SO IT WAS QUITE, QUITE A TURNOUT, BIGGEST EVENT WE'VE EVER DONE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND MAYBE YOU CAN SEND, UH, YOUR FLYER OUT TO MS, UH, GOODWIN TO SHARE WITH COMMISSIONERS.
AND THAT THEY'LL DO, I'LL DO THAT.
UM, JUST WANNA, I DID HAVE ONE OTHER ONE FINAL QUESTION FOR MR. HARVEY.
UM, THE, HOW MUCH DOES A SIX KILOWATT SOLAR WEIGH WEIGH? I LOVE THAT THEY'RE DOING RECYCLING, BUT I HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH IS A HUNDRED POUNDS.
OR LIKE HOW MUCH OF THAT IS
YOU KNOW, THEY KIND, THEY MIGHT BE 200 OR 400, UM, WATTS, YOU KNOW.
UM, BUT I THINK A TYPICAL PANEL WEIGHS ABOUT 35 POUNDS.
SO, UM, FIRST TWO OR THREE ARE FREE, AND THEN AFTER THAT YOU PAY 30 CENTS A POUND.
AND, AND I'LL ADD, HAVING JUST PURCHASED ONE, TYPICALLY YOU'VE GOT 12 TO 20 PANELS ON ANY GIVEN HOUSE.
SO CHANGING THOSE OUT IS REALLY NOT ALL THAT EXPENSIVE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, UH, OR COMMENTS AROUND THE BRIEFING FROM MR. HARVEY THAT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE.
UM, I THINK IT WAS GREAT DISCUSSION.
THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT WITH US.
UM, I HOPE, I DEFINITELY LEARNED A LOT.
I HOPE, UH, SOME OF THE NEW COMMISSIONERS AS WELL GOT SOME NUGGETS OUT OF IT.
AND WE WILL SEE YOU BACK IN A FEW MONTHS, I'M SURE.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
US ALMOST TO THE END OF OUR AGENDA.UH, WE HAVE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. UM, I KNOW FROM LAST TIME, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS, UH, REQUESTED WAS A BRIEFING ON AUSTIN ENERGY'S DISTRICT ENERGY AND COOLING.
UM, SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IS STILL BEING REQUESTED.
UM, AND HOW SOON MS. HUFF DO YOU DO, WILL WE KNOW WHETHER THIS STUDY HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND WHETHER WE CAN GET THE BRIEFING IN NOVEMBER SINCE IT WAS DELAYED FROM OCTOBER COMPLETION? I'M SORRY, I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
WILL YOU BE ABLE TO FIND IT OUT AND GET BACK TO US AS NATASHA'S ONLINE? AND SHE'S LISTENING AND SHE WILL FOLLOW UP WITH THE CHAIR.
HI, MS. GOODWIN, AND THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR HELP.
ONE I'VE MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, WHICH IS A BRIEFING POSSIBLY IN FEBRUARY ON, UH, THE, UH, VIRTUAL POWER PLANT PROPOSAL AND ON, UH, THE, UH, INCENTIVES FOR BATTERY PURCHASES.
[01:45:01]
NOVEMBER NEXT MONTH.OUR LAST OFFICIAL MEETING OF THE YEAR, UH, IS TO DISCUSS THE TEXAS GAS SERVICE FRANCHISE.
UH, AFTER A LOT OF WORK, I'VE MANAGED TO, UH, HAMMER OUT A DRAFT RESOLUTION.
UH, I HOPE THIS TO THE ENTIRE COMMISSION, UH, WELL IN ADVANCE OF OUR NOVEMBER MEETING, SO THAT WE WILL HAVE TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT BEFORE WE DISCUSS IT.
THERE'S THE POSSIBILITY OF HOLDING A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS DRAFT RESOLUTION, BUT I'M NOT SURE IT WILL BE FULLY BAKED BY, BY, UH, THEN.
SO WE MIGHT WANNA HOLD THE PUBLIC HEARING IN JANUARY.
SO YOU, JUST TO BE CLEAR, YOU'RE, YOU'RE REQUESTING, UM, AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA FOR NOVEMBER, WHICH IS A RECOMMENDATION AROUND THAT, THE TEXAS GAS FRANCHISE, BUT A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THAT YOU'RE SAYING COULD WAIT TILL JANUARY, UH, GIVEN THE CHOREOGRAPHY AND, UH, PEOPLE'S TIME, THAT MIGHT BE THE BEST SCHEDULE.
I MEAN, WE COULD HOST IT AS A, A, YOU KNOW, DISCUSSION AND RECOMMEND MM-HMM
BUT I'M NOT, IT'S, IT'S, I DON'T WANT TO USE THE WORD COMPLEX BECAUSE THAT SOUNDS INTIMIDATING, BUT IT CERTAINLY IS MULTIFACETED MM-HMM
AND IT WOULD CALL FOR US, UH, TO MAYBE HAVE A DISCUSSION BEFORE WE ACTUALLY VOTE.
SO I MAY WORD THE RESOLUTION, UH, TO ALSO VOTE, BUT I'M NOT NECESSARILY EXPECTING A VOTE IN NOVEMBER.
AND SO, JUST FOR, UM, CLARIFICATION, SO WHEN WE SAY A PUBLIC HEARING, AS ALL OF OUR MEETINGS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, OBVIOUSLY, UM, WHEN, WHEN YOU SAY PUBLIC HEARING IS, HOW IS THAT, HOW DOES THAT DIFFER FROM POSTING OUR AGENDA AND THE TOPICS THAT WE INTEND TO DISCUSS AND VOTE ON AT REGULAR MEETINGS? IT'S SIMPLY, UH, A MECHANISM TO INVITE PARTICIPATION.
UH, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, UH, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, UH, ARE WELCOME TO COMMENT ON ANY PARTICULAR ITEM WE HAVE, BUT, UH, THEY MAY, THERE MAY BE NUMBER, UH, THAT CAN SPEAK.
SO THIS WOULD BASICALLY BUDGET TIME IF TIME IS NEEDED.
AM AM, AM I, UH, GAUGING THIS CORRECTLY? CHAIR DAVIS? YES.
UM, AND THEN COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN, I THANK YOU.
I THINK THE POINT OF, OF A PUBLIC HEARING AS COMM, VICE CHAIR ROBBINS IS THINKING ABOUT IT IS RATHER THAN JUST PASSIVELY SIT AROUND AND BE PLEASANTLY SURPRISED IF ANYONE SHOWS UP MM-HMM
ON ANY PARTICULAR TOPIC, I THINK VICE CHAIR ROBBINS AND I, AND PERHAPS OTHERS BELIEVE THAT THE FRANCHISE ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH THE GAS COMPANIES ARE SO SIGNIFICANT THAT WE SHOULD BE PUBLICIZING AND BEGGING, UM, TO AUSTIN CITIZENS TO COME TALK TO US ABOUT THEIR CONCERNS AND PREFERENCES AND VALUES THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS CITY INCORPORATE IN OUR FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS.
SO RATHER THAN JUST, OH, LOOK, WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT THIS AT THE RMC, WE SHOULD BE WORKING WITH THE CITY TO FIND SOME WAY TO PUBLICIZE THE EXISTENCE OF THE HEARING AND OUR DESIRE TO HEAR FEEDBACK FROM CUSTOMERS AND, AND, AND CITIZENS ABOUT THE, THE TEXAS GAS SERVICE ISSUES.
UM, COMMISSIONER LUKI, DID YOU HAVE AN ITEM TO ADD FOR THE FUTURE AGENDA TOPICS? I, I HAD ONE QUESTION IS, IS THERE A MECHANISM FOR GETTING THE WORD OUT ON ANYTHING THAT WE COVER HERE? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS? I MEAN, I, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, EACH OF US CAN, CAN GO TO OUR APPOINTED,
[01:50:01]
OUR COUNCIL MEMBER THAT APPOINTED US AND REQUEST IT.I THINK IT'S, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING THAT WE, UM, APPROVE HERE IS, IS FORWARDED TO COUNCIL.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S, IT'S A CHALLENGE TO GET, UM, A LOT OF PARTICIPATION IN.
BUT DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER YEAH, GO AHEAD.
WELL, THE, UM, KUT HAS BEEN COVERING THE GAS ISSUES FOR SOME TIME.
I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE REAL HARD TO GET, UM, MOSS BHEL TO SPIN UP A STORY THAT SAYS, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THESE, HERE'S SOME OF THE ISSUES.
AND THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION WOULD LIKE TO HEAR YOUR VIEWS.
AND, AND THERE ARE ALSO CITY NEWS DISTRIBUTION, UM, WAYS FOR CITY.
THE CITY HAS WAYS TO GET INFORMATION OUT TO, TO, TO CUS TO, TO THE PUBLIC, I ASSUME.
AND WE SHOULD LOOK AT WHAT THOSE ARE AND WHETHER WE CAN USE THEM.
VICE CHAIR ROBBINS, UH, I'VE BEEN A GRASSROOTS ACTIVIST SINCE THE 1970S AND AS FAR AS I CAN TELL, UH, SEVERAL OF YOU ALL ARE GRASSROOTS ORGANIZERS AS WELL.
UH, I THINK, UH, ALL OF YOU, UH, IF, IF YOU'RE TRYING TO PROMOTE AN IDEA OR EVENT, UH, HAVE A GOOD, UH, A GOOD HANDLE ON HOW TO, UH, INVITE PEOPLE TO THIS KIND OF EVENT.
UM, WITH THAT, UNLESS THERE'S ANY OBJECTION, WE WILL ADJOURN.
IF I DO YOU HAVE TO MOVE, MOVE TO ADJOURN.
MEETING ADJOURN, 7:55 PM GOODNIGHT.