LAFCo Study for CleanPowerSF on Battery Energy Storage Systems

This study identifies areas of improvement to battery energy storage system (BESS) policies and regulations in San Francisco to support the City’s goals of decarbonization, resilience, and economic development. LAFCo contracted with Arup International to complete this first study as part of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between LAFCo and the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) on local energy innovations.

BESS is a critical technology in San Francisco’s 2021 Climate Action Plan. To meet San Francisco’s goal of 100% renewable electricity by 2025 and 100% renewable energy by 2040, we must dramatically increase our capacity for storing this renewable electricity to use when it is needed.

rows of backup batteriesThe study makes several recommendations for improving implementation of BESS in San Francisco, which are organized into these categories:

  • Streamline the permitting process
  • Create a BESS implementation one-stop shop
  • Provide financial assistance for BESS installations
  • Facilitate opportunities for virtual power plants

The study was developed with support from a core project team consisting of staff from Arup, LAFCo, the SFPUC, and the San Francisco Environment Department (SFE). The study was also informed by meetings and input from the San Francisco Fire Department (SFFD), the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection (SFDBI), the California Solar & Storage Association (CALSSA), the San Francisco Electrical Construction Industry (SFECI), and Luminalt, a local solar and energy storage installation company. We thank everyone for investing their time and expertise in this project. All of these entities were given the option to provide a letter to be included in the file with the study.

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