HomeMy WebLinkAbout03262019 City Council Laydown - Letter from Kaluza RECEIVED � ~
Philip Kaluza MAR 2 6 2019 March 24th, 2019
207 Bear Dr. OFFICE.OF THE
PO Box 3234 CITY CLERK
Seward, AK 99664
RE: Alternative Energy Interconnection
Dear City Council:
I am requesting a simple addendum to the Alternative Power interconnect
ordinance. Sample language is provided below.
Background:
During the summer of 2018, I purchased six PV solar panels in hopes of installing
them on my roof to offset my electric use (feeding two heat pumps) and reduce my
carbon footprint a little. The most practical way is through an interconnection
with the utility grid.
In the US, 2 million PV solar systems have been installed. Hundreds in Alaska.
Projections are those numbers will double within 5 years. California now requires
new housing to have solar systems installed. How many renewable energy
systems have been approved within the city to date? Pretty clear we have an
unworkable code.
The City of Seward adopted a progressive net-metering policy to support
renewable energy within the city utility grid and should be commended.
Unfortunately, the details of the interconnect policy approved years ago is much
out of step with current technology, especially so in the well established PV solar
applications. In a practical sense, it is impossible to meet all the current
interconnection ordinance requirements in Seward.
The one issue that stands out as the main deterrent for anyone to interconnect is the
provision requiring manual reconnect hardware. This hardware does not appear to
exist as an off-the-shelf interconnect component.
• Nor has the utility been able to offer any recommendations on where one
could obtain such approved hardware.
• Nor am I aware of any other utility in Alaska or elsewhere requiring such
hardware.
In multiple meetings with the utility manager John Foutz, he has recognized that
issue along with the fact the entire interconnect document should be updated. He
told me last fall he would prepare and submit an updated version for council
approval. Unfortunately, that has not happened, nor is it currently in the works.
Thus another solar season is upon us and my panels sit in a shed.
I offer the following band-aid addendum that I believe will at least allow me to go
forward with the arduous process in place to seek approval for the interconnect of
my system. I also hope it may help the City in the future rewrite of the
interconnection code.
Current code:
Article 4 - Interconnection with Customer-Owned Alternative Power Source
Generation Equipment
14.15.410 Alternative Power source
(n) Automatic disconnection. manual reset and authorization
reconnection. The interconnection shall be designed to automatically disconnect
and lockout when the city's service is interrupted for any reason. The device shall
have a manual reset. Reconnection of the interconnection to the city's utility
system shall be done on hot-bus-line/sync-check.
Following verbal authorization by the electric manager or the electric manager's
designee, reclose of the interconnection breaker (or interrupting device) is
permitted.
ADD the following addendum: This manual reconnect requirement may be
waived by the electric department though written authorization when it deems it
appropriate under the circumstances.
Note: this language is used in other sections of this code regarding hardware
requirements.
I want to make it perfectly clear I am NOT seeking a waiver of my obligation to
meet all national electrical safety codes. I am simply seeking the same opportunity
a homeowner in Moose Pass has, or Homer, or Kodiak, or Anchorage, Fairbanks,
Nome, you name it, to have the opportunity to interconnect a renewable energy
system.
Thank-you
Philip aluza
City of Seward Resident