The California Public Utilities Commission recently approved a request from Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) to update its Community Microgrid Enablement Tariff, broadly expanding the eligibility requirements of where microgrids connected to PG&E’s electric distribution infrastructure can be built.
PG&E offered their partnership with the CITRIS Climate initiative on the Oakland EcoBlock, a novel neighborhood retrofit in the Fruitvale district, as an example of a successful microgrid project.
“PG&E’s recent eligibility expansion will mean more microgrid adoption and fresh perspectives on what works best for California’s communities,” said Alexandra “Sascha” von Meier, director of electric grid research at the California Institute for Energy and Environment. Von Meier also shared insights into the technical and regulatory complexities of Ecoblock’s grid design, and opportunities for a more climate-resilient future.