Evaluation December 10, 2019 Jackie Berger Presentation Overview - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Illinois Solar For All Evaluation December 10, 2019 Jackie Berger

Presentation Overview Introduction Phase I Evaluation • Objectives • Program Design Review • Initial Implementation Experience • Stakeholder Outreach Design & Feedback • Grassroots Education Design & Feedback • Findings & Recommendations Phase II Evaluation • Objectives • Metrics • Research Activities • Timeline Discussion 2

APPRISE Nonprofit Research Research Mission Clients Areas Institute Federal Government Energy (DOE, HHS) Efficiency & Established in 2002 Analyze data Renewable State and Energy Governments information to assess and improve Utility public Companies programs Energy Princeton, NJ Affordability Nonprofits 3

INTRODUCTION 4

ILSFA Foundation Mandated by Public Act 99-0906 Future Energy Jobs Act (FEJA) Enacted 12/7/2016 Effective 6/1/2017 Overcome barriers to participation in the solar market faced by low-income community Provides more generous Renewable Energy Credit (REC) contracts than the Illinois Adjustable Block Program (ABP) 5

ILSFA Objectives Maximize the development of new photovoltaic generating facilities Create a long-term, low-income solar marketplace throughout the state Integrate with existing energy efficiency initiatives Minimize administrative costs 6

ILSFA Sub-Programs Low-Income • PV systems on individual homes or multi- Distributed family dwellings, or ground-mounted Generation Low-Income • Subscriptions to a share of a PV system Community Solar • PV for non-profits and public facilities in Non-Profits and Public Facilities EJ or low-income communities Low-Income • Community Solar projects funded using a Community Solar competitive procurement approach Pilot Projects 7

Key ILSFA Characteristics Environmental Low-Income Low-Income Justice Job Training Households Communities Communities • Higher risk of • Income ≤80% • Census tracts • Job trainee exposure to of Area with at least staffing pollution Median 50% low- requirements based on Income income • Coordination environmental • Adjusted for with FEJA job and socio- family size training economic • Revised every programs factors five years • 25% of incentives for DG, CS, and NP/PF 8

Key ILSFA Characteristics Community Consumer Incentives Partnerships Protections • The IPA or utility • Approved Vendors • Ensure economic purchases RECs for required to identify benefits flow directly first 15 years of partnerships to participants operation • Grassroots education • Financial • Upfront payment by community-based • AV marketing made when system is organizations • Site suitability interconnected and energized 9

ILSFA Evaluation Evaluation Phase I Phase II Requirements Evaluation Evaluation FEJA requires Detailed assessment of independent Inform the Long-Term the ILSFA’s evaluation of ILSFA Renewable Resources implementation and and third-party Procurement Plan results program administrator Objective criteria developed through a public stakeholder process 10

PHASE I EVALUATION AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2019 11

Phase I Evaluation Information Objectives Provide feedback & recommendations to the IPA for use in updating the Long-Term Plan. Stakeholder Outreach Program Materials and Guidelines Initial Approved Vendor Registration Initial Project Applications Development of Grassroots Education Efforts 12

Phase I Evaluation Activities Document & Materials Review Interviews • Illinois Power Agency • Elevate Energy • Stakeholders • Grassroots Educators Program Data Analysis • Approved Vendor Characteristics • Submitted Job Characteristics • Selected Job Characteristics 13

Phase I Evaluation Program Design Review 14

ILSFA Funding 2018-2019 Funding Funding Funding Supports Program % of Sufficiency ($ Millions) Component RERF (Years) • REC RERF Utility Payments Distributed • 22.5% 7-8 Years $4.5 $3.0 Program Generation Admin Community • Grassroots 37.5% 7-8 Years $7.5 $5.0 Solar Education Non-Profits & • Evaluation 15% 7-8 Years $3.0 $2.0 Public Facilities 25% Community ($50 Million TBD $5.0 $0.0 Solar Pilot CAP) 15

Long-Term Plan Long-Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan • Approved by Illinois Commerce Commission on April 3, 2018 Details ILSFA Requirements • ILSFA terms, conditions, and requirements • REC prices • Low-income energy and economic benefits • Environmental Justice community definition 16

Economic Benefits Accrued through net metering or avoided consumption Benefits flow to low-income participants • No up-front costs for DG installation or upfront fee for CS subscription • Immediate, reliable reductions in energy costs for residents or subscribers • Payments must be less than 50% of first year estimated annual production / net metering value • Incentives are not customized to individual economic circumstances 17

Sub-Program Requirements Distributed Community Non-Profit / Community Generation Solar Public Facility Solar Pilots • Benefits • Subscribers • On-site PV • Competitive through net receive credit generation procurement metering or on utility bill • Located in EJ based on price reduced for their share • Price for 15 or Low- energy costs • Projects must Income years of • Master- identify communities delivery for all metered partnerships • Provide RECs buildings with essential • Payments must pass community services to made over 50% or more stakeholders those first 10 years of energy • Incentives for communities savings to low-income tenants subscription portion 18

Non-Profit & Public Facilities Critical Service Providers • Youth centers • Hospitals • Schools • Homeless shelters • Senior Centers • Community Centers • Places of worship • Affordable housing providers 19

Community Solar Pilots Minimum Result in economic benefit for Partnerships with community members of the community stakeholders Criteria where project is located for Eligibility Commitment to local hiring, or Offer subscriptions to community residents and organizations Partnership with community- Existing non-profit providing based organization services in the community of the proposed project Funds cannot be distributed Some funds must include solely to a utility community ownership by project subscribers 20

Income Eligibility SF Distributed MF Distributed Community Non-Profit / Generation Generation Solar Public Facility • Household level • 50% verified • Same as DG • Within EJ verification low-income, or • Or participant community or • Tax returns, 3 rd • Alternative low-income resides in a community party system, • HUD voucher HUD qualified low-income census tract and qualified or energy program signs affidavit rental participation • 50% must be assistance • Affordable low-income subscribers housing • MF energy efficiency qualified 21

Financial DG & CS Consumer Protections • Payments or fees may not begin until the project is producing Payments value for the participant • Ongoing costs and fees cannot exceed 50% of the value of Costs & Fees energy generated by the system • Loans cannot be secured by the participant’s home or home Loans equity • Financing amounts, terms, and conditions must be based on Financing the participant’s ability to repay Terms • Contracts for loans must include forbearance Forbearance 22

Environmental Justice Communities Definition • Higher risk of exposure to pollution based on environmental and socioeconomic factors 25% of funds in sub-programs allocated to projects in EJ communities • Low-Income Distributed Generation • Non-Profit and Public Facilities • Low-Income Community Solar Other EJ Requirements • Non-Profits and Public Facilities must be within EJ or low- income communities 23

Environmental Justice Factors & Designation Exposure Environmental Demographic Designation • Ozone • Proximity To: • % Low-Income • Top 25% scoring communities • Particulate • Risk • % Minority designated as EJ Matter Management • Less than High communities • NATA Diesel Plan Sites School • 2,422 census • Hazardous PM Education block groups • Air Toxics Waste • Linguistic designated Facilities Cancer Risk Isolation • Communities • National • Respiratory • Under age 5 can self- Priorities List Hazard Index • Over age 64 designate Sites • Traffic • Assessment is • Wastewater Proximity & based on Dischargers Volume qualitative and Indicator • Lead Paint quantitative Indicator evidence 24

Approved Vendors Approved Vendor Types Approved Vendor Requirements Community Approved Vendors Involvement Job Training & Hiring Trainees Aggregator AVs (project managers) Income Verification Aggregator Designees (subcontractors) Marketing Single Project Approved Vendors Consumer Protections 25