Oceanside, California and Houston, May 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The City of Oceanside, in collaboration with ENGIE North America (ENGIE), announced plans for a transformative energy initiative aimed at enhancing sustainability, reducing costs and fostering community engagement.
This comprehensive 30-year initiative is projected to generate more than $26,000,000 in net savings for the City. It includes significant energy efficiency gains through a series of strategic measures, including: integrating 1.6 megawatts of solar alongside a 250-kilowatt energy storage system, replacing and refurbishing HVAC units; implementing a battery energy storage system and an energy management system; installing new, efficient distribution transformers and generator heat pumps; and upgrading interior and exterior lighting to LED.
Additionally, ENGIE is taking the lead in spearheading an extensive community engagement effort as part of this initiative. This plan includes a range of programs, including: paid internships with the City; the placement of a CivicSpark Fellow to provide support for the Climate Action Plan; fostering economic development initiatives; establishing a living lab equipped with real-time solar data; bolstering support for the Parks and Recreation Department; facilitating after-school programs to help promote STEM activities; and continuing to revitalize the John Landes Community Center.
By acting proactively, the City of Oceanside was able to secure participation in a Net Energy Metering (NEM) 2.0 Program, which significantly enhances the financial benefits of the solar installations and grandfathers the City into the program for 20 years. Another component of the initiative is the implementation of a battery energy storage system. This system is anticipated to bring numerous benefits, including peak demand shaving, energy arbitrage and demand response capabilities. Oceanside is expected to receive a battery storage system incentive of $150,000 through the State of California’s Self Generation Incentive Program.
Moreover, the initiative aligns with the nationwide Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), allowing the City to benefit from direct pay tax incentive funding. The City qualifies for more than $3.2 million in IRA funding relative to solar and energy storage. This initiative is projected to reduce 4,200,000 kWh of electricity per year, which is equivalent to the greenhouse gas emissions of 641 cars annually. Additionally, the integration of solar infrastructure into the City's Capital Improvement Plan directly contributes to the objectives of achieving 125 MW by 2030 and 165 MW by 2045.
"This initiative represents a significant step forward for Oceanside in our commitment to sustainability and community engagement," said Mayor Esther Sanchez. "By working with ENGIE, we are not only improving our energy infrastructure but also creating opportunities for economic development and youth engagement. We are excited to see the positive impact this initiative will have on our city."
"We are proud to collaborate with the City of Oceanside on this groundbreaking initiative," said Jean-François Chartrain, Managing Director, Energy Solutions Americas at ENGIE. "By leveraging innovative solutions and fostering community involvement, we aim to create a more sustainable and resilient future for Oceanside residents. This alliance exemplifies our commitment to driving positive change through energy innovation."
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About Oceanside
The City of Oceanside, incorporated in 1888, is a full-service coastal city situated between San Diego and Los Angeles that provides its own police and fire safety, library, water and sewer services. The City has a municipal airport, a beautiful harbor, one of the longest wooden piers in the west, golf courses, aquatic centers, numerous parks, community centers, and palm-lined beaches. Oceanside has a classic beach culture feel with a highly-rated Southern California livability factor, a thriving downtown arts and culture scene, unique architecture and historic buildings, and an efficient transportation hub. Visit www.oceansideca.org
About ENGIE North America
Based in Houston, Texas, ENGIE North America Inc. is a regional hub of ENGIE, a global leader in low-carbon energy and services. ENGIE (ENGI), is listed on the Paris and Brussels Stock Exchanges. Together with our 97,000 employees around the globe, our customers, partners and stakeholders, we are committed to accelerate the transition toward a carbon-neutral world, through reduced energy consumption and more environmentally friendly solutions. Inspired by our purpose, we reconcile economic performance with a positive impact on people and the planet, building on our key businesses (gas, renewable energy, services) to offer competitive solutions to our customers. In North America, ENGIE helps our clients achieve their energy efficiency, reliability, and ultimately, their sustainability goals, as we work together to shape a sustainable future. We accomplish this through: energy efficiency projects, providing energy supply (including renewables and natural gas), and the development, construction and operation of renewable energy assets (wind, solar, storage and more). For more information on ENGIE North America, please visit our LinkedIn page or Twitter feed, https://www.engie-na.com/ and https://www.engie.com.
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