Olivine supported the strategic solar design and advanced integration measures for the Community Solar Value Project (CSVP), which is aimed at increasing the scale, reach and value of utility-based community solar programs by incorporating demand response and energy storage into its broad program design.
Led by Extensible Energy, LLC, with support from Olivine and other firms, the project included participants such as the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), Public Service of New Mexico, and other utilities nationwide. The project was funded by SunShot, under the Solar Market Pathways program of the U.S. Department of Energy. In support of the integration measures analysis, Olivine constructed a matrix characterizing the salient features of market-ready, mature, thermal and battery storage technologies with an accessible and accurate record of cost data.
The matrix was intended for a utility to be able to distill demand response measures down into a few options that are useful for them given their own unique portfolio needs, programs, and constraints. The matrix would also provide insight for existing programs – how to refine them to be of more value as a short-term solution. In addition to “traditional” DR measures, the matrix included novel approaches based on Olivine’s work at the forefront of the distributed energy resource market such as electric vehicle supply equipment.