Challenges and Successes on the Path toward a Solar-Powered Community

Boston, Massachusetts Includes case studies on:• IncorporatingSolarintoEmergencyPreparednessPlanning• DevelopingtheBostonSolarMap

October 2011

Solar in Action

BostonwasdesignatedbytheU.S.DepartmentofEnergy(DOE)onJune20,2007,asaSolarAmericaCity.Bostonhasbeenaleaderinclimateactionsinceatleast2000,whenMayorThomasMeninoenlistedBostonintheCitiesforClimateProtectionCampaignrunbyICLEI-LocalGovernmentsforSustainability.Inthesucceeding10years,Bostoncitygovernmenthastakenmanysignificantsteps,among them:

• In2002,Bostoncompleteditsfirstgreenmunicipalbuilding,theGeorgeRobertWhiteEnvironmentalConservationCenter.

• In2004,theMayor’sGreenBuildingTaskForceissuedrecommendationsthatledtotheadoptionofBoston’sgreenbuildingzoningrequirements.

• In2005,Boston’sEnergyManagementBoardcompletedanIntegratedEnergyManagementPlanfor362municipalbuildings.

• In2007,theBostonZoningCommissionadoptedagreenbuildingsprovisionforBoston’szoningcode,whichrequiredthatlargeprojectsmeethigherenvironmentalandenergystandards.

Alsoin2007,MayorMeninoissuedanexecutiveorder“relativetoclimateactioninBoston,”whichestablishedthegoalofreducingmunicipalgreenhousegasemissionsby80%by2050.Theordersetbroadguidelinesforreachingthatgoal,includinghigherefficiencystandardsformunicipalbuildings,thepurchaseofmorerenewableenergy,andarequirementformoreefficientvehicles.

TheexecutiveorderalsocalledforBostontoadoptaclimateactionplan,tobeupdatedevery3years,andtoforma“communityclimateactiontaskforce.”Thefirstclimateactionplanwaspublishedattheendofthatyear.

Building Partnerships and Setting Goals In2008,withsupportfromtheSolarAmericaCitiesgrant,BostoncitygovernmentformedSolarBoston,a2-yearinitiativetoincreasesolarenergyinstallationsinBostonbyafactorof50.

AsthecapitalcityofMassachusettsandtheNewEnglandregion,theCityofBoston’sobjectiveinestablishingandsupportingSolarBostonis

TheBostonskylineprovidesthebackdroptoarooftop-mountedphotovoltaicsystematoptheBostonLatinAcademy.Photo from Newell Thomas of Lighthouse Electrical , NREL/PIX 18449

Cover photos from iStock/9413960, Boston’s statue of Paul Revere and Old North Church.

Boston’s Starting Point

About the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar America Communities program: TheU.S.DepartmentofEnergy(DOE)designated13SolarAmericaCitiesin2007andanadditional12citiesin2008todevelopcomprehensiveapproachestourbansolarenergyusethatcanserveasamodelforcitiesaroundthenation.DOErecognized thatcities,ascentersofpopulationandelectricityloads,haveanimportantroletoplayinacceleratingsolarenergyadoption. Asaresultofwidespreadsuccessinthe25SolarAmericaCities,DOEexpandedtheprogramin2010bylaunchinganationaloutreacheffort,theSolarAmericaCommunitiesOutreachPartnership.AstheSolarAmericaCitiesprogramevolvedtoincludethisnewoutreacheffort,theprogramwasrenamedSolarAmericaCommunitiestoreflectDOE’scommitmenttosupporting solarinitiativesinalltypesoflocaljurisdictions,includingcitiesandcounties.VisitSolarAmericaCommunitiesonlineat www.solaramericacommunities.energy.gov.

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tomaximizesolartechnology’sroleinthesustainabledevelopment,educational,andemergencypreparednesspoliciesofBoston,theCommonwealthofMassachusetts,andtheregion.SolarBoston’sobjectiveistheinstallationofsolartechnologyonallfeasibleandappropriatelocationsthroughoutBoston.

BostonbegantheSolarAmericaCitiesprogramwithanexistinginstallationof42.5kilowatts(kW)ofphotovoltaic(PV)generation.TheMayor’sIntegratedEnergyManagementPlan(2005)providedabasistointegratesolartechnologyintocityenergyplanningandfacilities.ImplementationoftheMayor’sGreenBuildingTaskForcerecommendations,includingfirst-in-the-nationprivatedevelopmentgreenbuildingrequirements(2007),framedtheefforttostreamlinecity-levelregulationsandpracticesthataffectsolaradoptionbyresidentsandlocalbusinesses(e.g.,permitting,inspections,localcodes).ThelocationwithincitygovernmentoftheSolarBostonprogramandthefacilitationoftheSolarBostonPartnershipbuiltonextensiveworkbytheMTCRenewableEnergyTrustandtheformerDOEMillionSolarRoofsprogramtopromotesolartechnologyamongresidentsandlocalbusinesses.

Thecityhasestablishedthefollowingquantitativegoals:

Greenhouse gas reduction goal:80%below1990levelsby2050(BostonClimateActionInitiative)

Solar installation goal: 25megawatts(MW)cumulativeinstalledsolarcapacityinthecityby2015

ThereinvigoratedSolarBostonPartnershipbuildsontheworkofMillionSolarRoofsandincludesmanypartnerswithincitygovernmentandprivateindustryincluding:

• CityofBoston

• Mayor’sOfficeofEnvironmentalandEnergyServices

• BostonPublicSchools

• DepartmentofNeighborhoodDevelopment

• BostonHousingAuthority

• BostonRedevelopmentAuthority,PlanningandEconomicDevelopmentAgency

• BostonPublicHealthCommission

• Mayor’sOfficeofEmergencyPreparedness

• MTCRenewableEnergyTrust

• DistributedGenerationCollaborative

InstalledPVcapacityincreasefromDecember31,2007, toDecember31,2010

2,000

Installed PV (kW)

Installed CapacityBoston

0500

1,500

3,000

2,500

PV Capacity (Residential)PV Capacity (Non-residential)

2007 2008 2009 2010kW

Year End

1,000

BostoncityofficialsandtheU.S.EnergySecretarygathertopromoteBostonasaSolarAmericaCity.Lefttoright:PhilipGiudice,commissioner,DepartmentofEnergyResources,CommonwealthofMassachusetts;SamuelW.Bodman,thenU.S.secretaryofenergy;ThomasM.Menino,mayor,CityofBoston;andJimHunt,chiefofenvironmentalandenergyservices,CityofBoston.Photo from City of Boston, NREL/PIX 18448

3Solar in Action

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• CommonwealthofMassachusetts,DivisionofEnergyResources

• NSTAR(electricutility)

• KeySpan(gasutilitywithsolarthermalprogram)

• InternationalBrotherhoodofElectricalWorkersLocal103

• BostonCommunityCapital

• SEBANE(SolarEnergyBusinessAssociationofNewEngland)

• ICLEI—LocalGovernmentsforSustainability

• MassachusettsEnergyConsumersAlliance

• GreenRoundtable

• NewEcology,Inc.

Accomplishments and HighlightsTheCityofBostonanditsSolarAmericaCitiesprogram,SolarBoston,arehelpingtodebunkthemyththatsolarenergyisonlyfeasibleinthesouthernlatitudes.Bostonhassomeofthehighestenergypricesinthecountryandwilllikelybeoneofthefirstlocationswheresolarpowerachievesgridparitywithconventionalenergytechnologies.SolarBostonisfacilitatingtherapiddevelopmentofsolarenergyprojectsandinfrastructureintheshort-term,andispreparingfortherapidmarketgrowththatisexpectedwiththeimminentarrivalofgridparityoverthelong-term.

SolarBostondevelopedthestrategyforachievingMayorMenino’sgoalofinstalling25MWofsolarenergythroughoutBostonby2015.ThroughSolarBoston,thecityhasdevelopedastrategyfortheinstallationofsolartechnologythroughoutBoston,includingmappingfeasiblelocations,preparingapermittingguide,andplanningthecitywidebulkpurchase,financing,andinstallationofsolartechnology.

ThecityhasalsoworkedwithlocalorganizationstomaximizeBoston’sparticipationinstateincentiveprogramsandinnovativefinancinginitiatives.

Theresultingaccomplishmentsincludethefollowing:

• Createdanonlinemapofcurrentlocalrenewableenergyprojectswithatooltoallowbuildingownerstocalculate

theirrooftopsolarpotential.Themapiscurrentlyliveathttp://gis.cityofboston.gov/solarboston/

• Supportedthecity’sGreenAffordableHousingProgram(GAHP),inpartnershipwiththeDepartmentofNeighborhoodDevelopment(DND).UnderGAHP,thecityisinstallingmorethan150kWofPVon200unitsofaffordablehousing.DNDrequiresthatallnewcity-fundedaffordablehousingbeLEEDsilvercertifiedandbuiltsolar-ready

• Definedsolar’sroleinemergencypreparednesswiththeBostonMayor’sOfficeofEmergencyPreparedness

•Workedwithlocalorganizationsto maximizeBoston’sparticipationin stateincentiveprogramsandinnovative financingmechanisms.

SolarBostonpartnersincludeDOE,MTC,localutilitiesandunions,ananonymousfoundation,andabroadrangeoflocal,regional,andnationalclean-energystakeholders.SolarBostonkickedoffitspartnerprogramonJanuary10,2008,sponsoringaworkshopon“ThinkingBIGaboutBoston’sSolarEnergyFuture,”todiscusshowstate,utility,andmunicipalprogramscanworktogether.PresentationsweregivenbySolarBoston,Keyspan/NationalGrid,NSTAR,andMTC.

Case Studies: Successes and ChallengesIncorporating Solar into Emergency Preparedness PlanningInadditiontorecognizingthatsolarenergyapplicationscanbeusedtomeetsustainabilityandgreenhousegasreductiongoals,Bostonalsorecognizesthatsolarpowercanprovideausefulbackuptocriticalapplicationsintheeventofawidespreadblackout.Withassistancefromtheconsultingfirm,CH2MHILL,andtheNationalRenewableEnergyLaboratory(NREL),SolarBostoncompletedacross-departmentemergencypreparednesssurveythatexaminedsolarpowerapplicationsthatcouldsupportthecity’semergencypreparednessinfrastructure.

Participantsinthisprocessincludedrepresentativesfromthefollowinginstitutions:

Boston set a goal to reach

25 MW of installed solar

capacity in the city by 2015.

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• BostonPoliceDepartment

• BostonTransportationDepartment

• BostonFireDepartment

• BostonEmergencyMedicalService

• BostonPublicHealthCommissions

• Mayor’sOfficeofEmergencyPreparedness.

Thiscollaborativebrainstormingprocesswasarareopportunityforthesedepartmentstothinkcreativelyaboutthecriticalnexusofenergyandemergencyservices.CompletedinJune2009,thissurveyexamined13emergencyapplications,fromlarge-scalebackuppowergeneratorsforemergencyshelterstolow-wattageanti-idlingsystemsforpolicecruisers.TheresultsofthesolaremergencypreparednessstudyhighlightedseveralkeysolarapplicationsthatthecitycouldimmediatelyintegrateintoBoston’sexistinginfrastructure.

Intheeventofanemergency,Boston’smassevacuationplancallsforresidentstoexitthecityalongoneofseveraldesignatedevacuationroutes.Manyofthesemainarteriesareequippedwithemergency-relatedequipmentsuchasevacuationsignageandvideomonitoringequipmentaswellascriticalsystemsthatservebothemergency-andnon-emergency-relatedfunctionsliketrafficlightsandstreetlighting.Solarenergysystemscanprovidethepowerfortheseimportantsystems,whichwouldotherwisebecompromisedintheeventofapoweroutage.

Developing the Boston Solar Map SolarBostonworkedwithgeographicinformationsystem(GIS)professionalsfromtheBostonRedevelopmentAuthorityandthecity’sinformationtechnologydepartmenttodevelopaGIS-basedsolarmap.ThemapidentifiesthelocationofeachPVandsolarhotwaterinstallationinthecity.Themappingdataisbasedoninstallersurveys.Installerswereaskedtoprovidephotographsoftheirinstallations,manyofwhicharefeaturedonthemap.Themappingtoolwasbuiltusingopen-sourceprinciples.Themapcodehasbeenprovidedtoanumberofothermunicipalitiesaroundthecountrytohelpwiththedevelopmentoftheirownsolarmaps.

InadditiontodisplayingsolarinstallationsinBoston,themaphasanumberofotheruniquefeatures.Theseinclude:

• LayersthatshowtheNSTARareanetwork,thehistoricpreservationdistricts,andtherelativesolarradiationthatfallsoneachbuildinginthecity

• AtoolthatautomaticallycalculatespotentialPVsystemsizeandoutput,takingintoaccountshadingfromsurroundingbuildings.ThetoolalsocalculatesairemissionsreductionsbasedontheMassachusetts-specificmultipliersdevelopedaspartoftheSolarBostongrant

• Atrackingmeterthatshowsprogresstowardthemayor’sgoalof25MWofsolarby2015.

TheSolarBostonmaphasreceivedsomenotablepublicityintheGIScommunity.TheCityofBostonstaffspokeatanumberofconferencesdetailingthedevelopmentofthemap,whichwasfeaturedinaGIStradepublication.Thecitywasalsocontactedbyanumberofmunicipalities,includingseveralinternationalcities,inquiringaboutthesolarmappingprocess.

SolarBostonalsousedthemaptoestimatethepotentialforBostonroofstoaccommodatesolarinstallations.Usingthemap,staffestimatedthatbetween670and900MWofPVcouldbeinstalledonBostonrooftops.

ThecityalsopartneredwithNRELtocompleteahigh-densitylightdetectionandranging(LiDAR)scanofthecity.ThisscanprovidesdatathatwillbeusedtoenhancetheSolarBostonmapandimproveitsabilitytocalculatepotentialinstallationsizesandoutputs.

TheSolarBostonteambelievesthatthedepictionoftheNSTARareanetworkisthefirstpublicdisplayofsuchasystemintheUnitedStates.TheareanetworkisanareaofthegridthatcannottypicallyintegratePVsystemswithoutspecialengineeringconsiderations.TheSolarBostonmapprovidesthiscriticalinformationtoBostonbusinessesandresidents,allowingthemtomakeinformeddecisionsaboutpursuingPVprojectsontheirbuildings.Themapalsohasinformationaboutstateandfederalincentiveprograms,historicpreservationguidelines,andcommonlyaskedquestions.

Boston also recognizes that

solar power can provide a useful backup

source of electricity for

critical services in the event of a widespread

blackout.

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Top TakeawaysTheSolarBostonmaphasbeenausefulmarketingandoutreachtoolforthecity.Leveragingexistinginternalcityexpertiseresultedinalow-cost,high-qualitymapthatisreplicableinothercommunities.OtherDOESolarAmericaCitiesinvestedsignificantresourcestohireanoutsidefirmtoproducetheirsolarmaps.Onelessonthecityhaslearnedfromthemappingexperiencehasbeenthatadefinedprocessforcontinuallyupdatingthemapisneeded.Thecityhashiredinternsonabi-annualbasistoupdatethedatabase.

Bostonidentifiedanumberofbarrierstothewidespreadadoptionofsolarinthecity.Manyoftheseobstaclesarecommontoallcities,includingfinancing,publicawareness,andinstallertraining.TheSolarBostonprogramalsoidentifiedanumberofbarriersthatarelessevident,butthatalsopresentmajorhurdlestosolarinstallations.OneofthemostpressingissuesthatSolarBostonhastriedtoovercomeisaninstitutionalreluctancetoadoptsolartechnologies.TheSolarBostonprogramsuccessfullyintroducedsolartechnologiestoanumberofmunicipalagenciesincludingtheBostonPublicHealthCommission,theBostonWaterandSewerCommission,andBostonPublicSchools,withplansforworkingwithothermunicipalagenciesinthefuture.

Inaddition,thecityidentifiedpublic-sectorfundinggapsasanotherbarriertomunicipalsolartechnologyadoption.Boston,likemanycities,isoperatinginabudget-constrainedenvironment,andaggressivefundingforsolarapplicationdeploymentonmunicipalbuildingsisunlikelytooccuruntiltheeconomyimproves.Thecityhasidentifiedthegreeneconomyand,inparticular,thesolarindustryascriticaltotheeconomicfutureofBoston.Continuedpublic-sectoradoptionofsolartechnologieswillbenecessarytofullydeveloptheindustry.Inordertosupportthegrowthofsolarduringtheeconomicdownturn,thecitywillneedtoaccessnewfundingsourcesanddeployapplicationsthatprovideabetterreturnoninvestmentthantraditionalPVinstallations.

Next StepsSolar America Cities Special Project In2009,theCityofBostonappliedforandreceivedaDOESolarAmericaCitiesSpecialProjectsgrant.Thecity’sgoalsforthisprojectareto:

• Provetheeffectivenessofsolarenergyapplicationsinemergencypreparedness

• Increasetheportionofmunicipalenergyconsumptionfromrenewableenergysources

• Establishacross-cuttingcollaborative projectinvolvingtheBoston emergencypreparednesscommunity, includingtransportationandpublic worksprofessionalsandtheBoston PoliceDepartment

• Provideaneffectiveandreliable energysourceforcriticalevacuation routeapplicationsbyincorporating solartechnologies

• Install,develop,monitor,andoptimize theperformanceofnewtechnologies andapplicationsthatwillinformfuture procurementdecisions

• Createasuccessfulmodelfor replicationbyothercitiesinthe Commonwealthandacrossthenation.

Aspartoffollow-onworktotheSolarBostoninitiative,thecityispilotingaresidentialsolarrebateprogramfundedbytheAmericanRecoveryandReinvestmentActtoincreasemarketpenetrationofsolartechnologies.Bostonisalsoworkingtodevelopaneighborhood-level,commercialbuildingsolarchallengethatwillincludefocusedmarketingeffortsanddistrict-levelmayoralinstallationgoals.

Additional Resources• CityofBostonSolarBostonWebsite:

www.cityofboston.gov/environmentalandenergy/conservation/solar.asp

• SolarBostonGISMap: http://gis.cityofboston.gov/solarboston/

• NortheastSustainableEnergyAssociation: www.nesea.org/

• BostonAreaSolarEnergyAssociation: www.basea.org/

• MassachusettsCleanEnergyCenter: www.masscec.com

Distributed solar power

has a number of advantages

over central power

generation sources.

For more city information, contact: BradfordSwing,DirectorofEnergyPolicy,OfficeoftheMayor,EnvironmentalandEnergyServices Email:brad.swing@cityofboston.govTelephone:617-635-3425 Formoreinformationongoingsolarinyourcommunity,visit Solar Powering Your Community: A Guide for Local Governments at http://solaramericacommunities.energy.gov/resources/guide_for_local_governments/

Formoreinformationonindividualcities’solaractivities,visitwww.solaramericacommunities.energy.gov/solaramericacities/action_areas/ 7

Boston’sstatueofPaulRevereandOldNorthChurch.Photo from iStock/9413960

EERE Information Center1-877-EERE-INFO(1-877-337-3463)www.eere.energy.gov/informationcenter

Printedwitharenewable-sourceinkonpapercontainingatleast50%wastepaper,including10%postconsumerwaste.

PreparedbytheNationalRenewableEnergyLaboratory(NREL)NRELisanationallaboratoryoftheU.S.DepartmentofEnergyOfficeofEnergyEfficiencyandRenewableEnergyOperatedbytheAllianceforSustainableEnergy,LLC

DOE/GO-102011-3212•October2011

Clockwise from top left: Photovoltaic system in Philadelphia Center City district (photo from Mercury Solar Solutions); rooftop solar electric system at sunset (photo from SunPower, NREL/PIX 15279); Premier Homes development with building-integrated PV roofing, near Sacramento (photo from Premier Homes, NREL/PIX 15610); PV on Calvin L. Rampton Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City (photo from Utah Clean Energy); PV on the Denver Museum of Nature and Science (photo from Denver Museum of Nature & Science); and solar parking structure system at the Cal Expo in Sacramento, California (photo from Kyocera Solar, NREL/PIX 09435)

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