Achieving Integrated and Equitable Decarbonized Loads with the CalFlexHub

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) submitted a proposal to the CEC in response to Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) solicitation GFO-19-309.  Southern California Edison (SCE) provided a Letter of Commitment in support of LBNL’s proposal for the EPIC solicitation. The proposal was awarded a contract agreement (EPC-20-025) by the CEC for a $16,000,000 grant to fund the California Load Flexibility and Deployment Hub. CalFlexHub will develop a set of activities to accelerate the ability of customer loads to be flexible resources that are integrated with electricity supply. This process will advance decarbonization while ensuring affordable, equitable, and reliable energy systems. CalFlexHub’s public-private partnership will conduct data-driven and customer-centric research, development, demonstration, and deployment (RDD&D) activities. Detailed Scope of Work for EPC-20-025 are attached in Exhibit A. The goal of the CEC Agreement is to accelerate the ability of customer loads to provide dynamic load flexibility. CalFlexHub will achieve this solution by equipping customers with the technologies and incentives they need to provide that flexibility, and then increasing knowledge and understanding of customer needs through field research and customer surveys. Once technologies are pilot tested and usability research is complete, CalFlexHub will support commercialization of LF technologies that are proven to be usable and effective through completed field research. Targeted technologies will include building and end-use efficiency equipment, storage technologies, and electric vehicle (EV) systems. CalFlexHub will develop, demonstrate, and evaluate complementary technology platforms to actuate these flexible loads using technology compatible with the CEC’s Load Management Standards (LMS) platform, which will be used to communicate the prices, grid signals, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions signals. The team will pilot test and demonstrate new technologies compatible with the LMS platform to enable affordable flexible loads. SCE anticipates participation in CalFlexHub’s Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) meetings. SCE also requires a more active participation in the project to facilitate a dynamic “real time” technology information transfer of the knowledge gained, experimental results, and lessons learned from the project. SCE-specific deliverables will be provided by LBNL during the execution of the project.