23 ATTACHMENT 1 - Laserfiche WebLink

DRAFT Renewables 10. Energy Element Since the energy crisis, the State has taken a leadership role in promoting the production of renewable energy. "Renewables" are sustainable energy sources that cause relatively few environmental impacts and pose a low risk to human health and include, but axe not limited to, passive solar, photovoltaic power, and wind power. In 2002 the State directed that the supply portfolio of all investor-owned utilities, such as Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), include 20 percent renewable energy supplies by 2017. In addition, the State's Emerging Renewables Program provides generous rebates fox residential and commercial renewable energy installations. Transmission and Distribution of Electricity An electric power system consists of power plants, transmission lines, distribution substations, and distribution lines. Currently, the Tri-Valley's electric power is supplied by a combination of private suppliers which sell power to PG&E for resale. Electric power is "stepped up" to higher voltages' at the generating source to allow power to be delivered over a number of wires. The electricity is transported via a network or "grid" of high-voltage transmission lines. At substations, transformers "step down" the voltage to lower levels for distribution. There axe four large substations in/near Pleasanton that serve many customers within the Planning Axea: Vineyard, Radurn, North Dublin, and San Ramon. Figure 12-1 shows the locations of these multi-customer substations. There axe also three smaller substations that serve single customers: Kaiser; Cal-Mat; and Luka. Tri-Valley Capacity Increase Project Most electric power is brought to Pleasanton and other Tri-Valley substations via transmission lines connected to the statewide grid system. Electric power capacity is looked at on a subregional rather than citywide basis. Local electrical capacity is a function of the transmission network capacity to bring this power to Pleasanton and the Tri Valley, for the capacity of the local substations to step down the power to deliverable voltages, and of the adequacy of the local distribution network to deliver adequate power to end users. In 2001 PG&E reported that the Tri-Valley electrical transmission and distribution system was in need of an upgrade to increase capacity. To address this issue, in 2002 PG&E constructed a transmission-capacity-increase project in the Tri Valley. In Pleasanton, the project included the installation of a new underground 230 kV line under/near Vineyard Avenue and the upgrading of the existing Vineyard Substation to accommodate the increased capacity. Transmission and Distribution of Natural Gas A natural gas power system consists of underground natural gas reservoirs, drilling equipment, long- distance transmission pipelines, and local distribution pipelines. Natural gas is a fossil fuel made of ~ Voltage equals the electric potential expressed in volts. Energy dean copy per Pc, 02 07 1 0-2 Council 6/5/2007